When the most serious crisis in the history of Irish capitalism struck in September 2008, the leadership of all of the unions in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) made a collective decision not to fight the cutbacks that ensued.
They refused to put up any serious fight against the 'pension levy'. They failed to oppose pay cuts. Then, with the Croke Park 'deal', they offered the government the biggest sell-out of members' conditions ever contemplated in exchange for a promise of no further pay-cuts.
