Launch of Militant Left – for workers’ unity and a socialist future

Launch of Militant Left – for workers’ unity and a socialist future

The ‘Committee for a Workers’ International in Ireland’ – a revolutionary organisation of workers and young people that struggles for the socialist transformation of society – is now renamed ‘Militant Left’.

Militant Left has an elected representative, Councillor Donal O’Cofaigh, in Fermanagh and Omagh District; a significant number of trade unionist activists in a wide range of Trade unions; and an active youth group, the Young Socialists. Militant Left has active branches, both North and South, and is affiliated to the Committee for a Workers International (CWI) which organises around the globe.

The Irish section of the Committee for a Workers’ International was formally established in 1974, following the pioneering work of our first members in the tumultuous civil rights struggle in the North.

During the ‘Troubles’, the supporters of the CWI campaigned against sectarianism, discrimination and state repression, and also opposed the divisive individual terror campaigns of the paramilitary organisations. We sought to build workers’ unity around socialist policies and through trade unions, trades councils and youth campaigns organised successful workers’ action against repression, sectarianism and poverty.

In the South our activists were members of the Labour Party in the 1980s, and were very influential in Labour Youth, opposing Labour’s coalition with right wing parties and calling for the adoption of bold socialist policies, until witch-hunted out by the right wing bureaucracy. Many Militant Left comrades were longstanding members of the Socialist Party and played key roles in building the campaign against the water charges and many other campaigns, as well as key election campaigns for that party. Following a year-long intense debate, during which they defended the traditions and ideas of the the organisation, our members left the ranks of the Socialist Party to form Militant Left.

Militant Left stands on this proud record of the CWI and will continue to be a campaigning working class organisation. The group’s trade union comrades in the North, along with others, initiated the successful ‘raise a red flag’ campaign for May Day 2020 and have been involved in supporting workers’ action over a lack of PPE during the covid-19 crisis. Militant Left gives full support to the Debenham workers’ and all workers in struggle. Young Socialists comrades took part in campaigns against the far right in the south and are organising solidarity now with the protesters in the USA following the police killing of George Floyd. At all times, we link such activities with the need to change society fundamentally along socialist lines.

Militant Left will uphold the best traditions of the CWI in collaborating with others in the workers’ movement, on the Left, where possible, and always supporting workers in struggle. We will fight with oppressed sections of society to win equality, and full liberation under socialism.

Militant Left stands for the ending of capitalist crisis and chaos, and for the socialist re-organisation of society, which would entail a democratically-planned economy which offers the hope of both environmental sustainability and genuine equality for all.

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