Irish Congress of Trade Unions President John Douglas has announed that Congress is calling for a Yes Vote in the forthcoming civil marriage equality referendum.
Speaking at the public launch in Liberty Hall of Trade Unionists for Civil Marriage Equality - an alliance of trade union members that will campaign for a Yes vote in the May referendum - Mr Douglas said:
"Congress is calling for a Yes vote. We believe that civil marriage should be available to all who seek it. There can be no such thing as a two tier system of equality and LGBT citizens deserve full and equal treatment."
Ethel Buckley, a member of the Congress Executive Council and convenor of Trade Unionists for Civil Marriage Equality, said: 'trade union support for civil marriage equality is consistent with our work in defending the low paid, fighting for better pay and seeking to improve the lives of those we represent. In the honoured tradition of Jim Larkin, trade unions fight to win both bread and roses for working people and that is a struggle which will echo at the launch in Liberty Hall."
The Congress President will be joined at the launch of Trade Unionists for Civil Marriage Equality by Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.
Speakers also include Seamus Dooley a co-convenor of the campaign group and also a member of the Congress Executive Council.
The launch will be a festive occasion that is marked with music – courtesy of Steve Martyn – and feature staging and props on the theme of Valentine's Day. Campaign members and guests will hold aloft red hearts in support of the Yes campaign, while the exterior of Liberty Hall will be lit up in the colours of the rainbow flag for the occasion.
The attendance will include a wide range of trade unionists and representatives of the Yes Equality campaign.
The evening will conclude with a screening of the Bafta-award winning film Pride.
