Live coverage of Budget day protests

national | arts and media | news report Wednesday December 09, 2009 10:48 by Andrew - WSM wsm_ireland at yahoo dot com

Today will see the greatest budget attack on workers in Ireland in a couple of decades with services and pay being slashed. Many unions and other organisations have called protests outside the Dail from the early morning to the late evening. WSM members will be taking part in these protests throughout the day and providing live updates, photos and video from them via our twitter account. During the 24th Novemeber strike we provided 70 updates from the picket lines throughout the day using this method.

You can follow our updates at at http://twitter.com/wsmireland or on the twitter box on the WSM home page at http://www.wsm.ie

The 3 most recent updates follow as a sample
- yesterday Newstalk ran editorial every hr calling 4 tough budgets cuts - its owned by a tax exile Denis O'Brien http://bit.ly/UbXY3
- Press Statement: Anarchist Organisation calls on workers to organise to “get rid of ICTU traitors”: Anarchist O.. http://bit.ly/8jgFdN
- Garda Ballot on Industrial Action - http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95058

The 24th November updates
Final pre strike planning meeting underway in UCD
Solidarity poster in Maynooth http://yfrog.com/358ngj
SIPTU posters for tomorrow http://yfrog.com/1dpm3sj
SIPTU explains reasons for strike http://www.siptu.ie/PressRoom/NewsReleases/2009/Name,11....html
1st pickets on in UCD so far just students in their way home after a night out (5.30am)
1st delivery turned back at UCD
1st student joined us on UCD picket line (6am)
About 1 third of cleaners refuse to pass UCD picket (6.10am)
Reported that there are now 100 picketing at TCD (8am)
At UCD public transport buses refusing to cross picket
Part of picket at UCD http://yfrog.com/3nfk9uj
Over a quarter of a million people on strike today
Over 100 INTO members picketing DES building on Marlbourough St. along with members of CPSU, IMPACT, SIPTU, & PSEU
Strong Picket of Local Authority Workers on Boombridge Road - Cabra D7
Pickets at the Aras, and at other places in the Phoneix park.
Lively IMPACT picket at Parkgate hall
Good crowd at local government computer services centre
Huge picket at St Johns hospital
30 or so CPSU on the Picket at the DSFA building in Kilmainham, not too many have crossed the line; Mood is good!
Main gate to Trinity College Dublin closed and 30 strong SIPTU picket outside
Picket shift change happening at UCD carparks quite empty although some students and many managers going in
Car park very empty in Maynooth university. College quiet. IFUT, UNITE and SIPTU pickets on the gate.
CPSU Branch Sec. Anne Quinlan at Dept. of Tansport says there's 'no option' to go on strike 'the public sector is under attack'.
Supporter delivers sweets to picketers at Maynooth university
Students from Free Education for Everyone march down and join the picket in solidarity with the strikers. http://yfrog.com/3gwghj
Students from FEE http://yfrog.com/4fa1oj
Couple of students went into UCD to check it put report a lot of stuff closed down
Trinity College solid, only one gate open and large picket of UNITE, SIPTU & IFUT. Campus deserted.
Raining now in kildare http://yfrog.com/37yruj
RTE and Irish Times reporting unions may be about to announce strike next week
Local Business supplying workers at Bishops Sq. SW office with Free food and coffee! 20 pickets outside DSFA in Store Street
About 3000 people attended INTO rally at DES a few hours ago. Still 500 on rolling picket.
NCAD in Thomas Street closed down and SIPTU picket of seven people in place on the front gate.
Thomas Street Social Welfare office closed with twenty strong picket outside
INTO Picket at the Department of Education has swollen to about 1000 people
All Dublin City Public Libraries closed due to strike. Some cranks giving gip though most of the public appear supportive
A man in 09 Jag speeds past the picket in Kilmainham shouting 'get a job' to the assembled pickets - Brave man! :)
INTO picket on DES has just finished. Over 5000 including SNA members of Impact - took part during the day

You can follow our updates at at http://twitter.com/wsmireland or on the twitter box on the WSM home page at http://www.wsm.ie