Thats Capitalism

In the years 1987-1995 - when we were tied to the first of the 'social partnership' agreements - profits grew by 121% but wages only rose by 68%. In 1995 profits went up by 18.5% but wages only grew by 6.3%. Partnership 2000 will see this gap between rising profits and wages continue to widen. The share of national income going to employees' wages has fallen by 10% over the last decade. In plain words this means workers are producing more wealth but getting a smaller share of it.

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Kentucky executed its first prisoner in thirty five years last June. Among those witnessing the execution was a couple who had won a free trip to see the man being put to death from WTFX-FM radio's "Totally Fried Weekend".

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While Travellers are hounded from pillar to post, and rich bigots object to halting sites; the latest figures show that the result of this discrimination is a Traveller infant mortality rate of more than two and a half time that of settled babies. And for adult Travellers, their life expectancy is now only the same as it was for settled people back in the 1940s.

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So the 26 county government is going to tackle low pay by bringing in a minimum wage. Well, don't book that Caribbean holiday just yet. Mar Harney has set up a commission to advice ~ her about the best way to do it and what the rate should be. It is made up of Evelyn Ownes (Chair of the Labour Court), Peter Malone (Managing Director of Jurys Hotel group), Rita Ahern (Managing Director of (Ireenacres Foods), Phil Flynn (Chair of ICC Bank) and Carmel Bolger (a school principal).

Not even a token trade unionist, not a single low paid worker. It's like letting the cats decide how much food the mice should get.

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The New York City police, from whom Justice Minister John O'Donoghue borrowed his 'zero tolerance' policy, certainly don't practice what they preach. In the three years to 1995 they had to pay out $82 million in damages to victims of police brutality. And in the past five years, according to Amnesty International, they have killed more than 100 civilians.

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The so-called Ulster Civil Rights Movement is no civil liberties grouping. It is a hardline sectarian organisation which is run by members and supporters of Billy Wright's Loyalist Volunteer Force. The LVF are responsible for sectarian murders, torture and intimidation. At its rallies prominent banners have included 'Harryville Protesters On Tour'. Among the 'constitutional unionist politicians who have spoken at these rallies are Ian Paisley, former UUP Mayor of Derry Richard Dallas, DUP councillor and Dunloy Orangeman Davey Tweed, DUP forum member Gregory Campbell and Belfast councillor Robert Clelland who welcomes LVF death squads as part of the "unionist family,'.