Left Archive: Bottom Dog, Vol 3, No. 53, Dec 1975

To download the above file please click on following link: TBD DEC 75

Another very interesting edition of The Bottom Dog. As with the previous one posted in the Archive this covers a broad range of topics from the nature of the recession then prevalent and the necessity for workers to unite with ‘their only ally’ their fellow workers, an article on a group formed in Limerick to provide a Family Planning clinic, a short piece from the Secretary of Killoscully Land League, and a longer article on the strike in Callins.

There’s also an article on Staff Associations, or ‘company unions’ which notes that those who critique mainstream unions and ‘do not believe they will get value for their money if they join a union’ ‘unfortunately can be right’. That said it notes that during strikes union membership makes considerably greater sense. It argues that’ as a defensive instrument unions are still the best workers have come up with’. Added to this is a piece on ‘Stewards Training Courses’ which retains the somewhat sceptical tone towards union structures while seeing utility in them.

There’s a report from ‘North Munster Flying Column’ on ‘Labour – the New Tories!’ and the last page looks at Joe Hill, legendary US union organiser, shot by a firing squad in 1915.