Congress General Secretary Patricia King delivered her inaugural address to conference this morning and focussed on the pressing need to create a more equal economy and society. She told delegates that: "Creating decent jobs with decent incomes is essential to reducing economic inequality. We need major changes in economic and social policy North and South to arrest this. She called for the introduction of a living wage across the economy, saying: 'there are strong economic advantages to the implementation of a Living Wage which would create the "Virtuous Circle" effect of increasing domestic demand leading to higher tax revenue and boosting growth in economic performance which in turn would create employment and raise living standards."
Ms King also strongly condemned the behaviour of management in Dunnes Stores and branded the new owners of Clery's as "corporate thugs."
The conference was also addressed by Tanaiste Joan Burton and a response delivered by Patricia, who asked the Tanaiste to review he recent decision to cut Lone Parents Allowance and said the government had to review how it adressed the problem of precarious work abd supported young people to ensure they received proper training and employment opportunities. "I've always been particularly allergic to Job Bridge," she told the Tanaiste.
In later debate the confererence unanimously passed a motion calling for the reversal of cuts to Lone Parents Allowance and motions dealing with low pay and inequality and lwo hour contracts.
In addition, an emergency motion in relation to Clery's and calling for the insertion of a social responsibility clause in insolvency and companies legislation, was adopted unanimously by conference. The motion also called for punitive sanctions for employers who act in a similar manner.
BDC 2015 also heard from Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC. and debated and discussed motions on public services, including the retention of water supply and treatment in public ownership and water charges,
