Funferal

Happy May Day!

Today, of course, is May Day. It’s a busy day for me this year, having produced the two hour pledge drive special of Media Matters earlier and with another two hours on Celtic Music Go Braugh Go Braugh on WEFT FM later (where I’ll be concentrating on songs of labour and solidarity from Ireland, the Celtic nations and England).
It’s good to see the occasion marked by a rise in the minimum wage in Ireland. We’ve only had a minimum wage in Ireland since 2000 and this latest rise brings the minimum to €7.65. Unfortunately the Chambers of Commerce seem to be operating faith-based opposition – they claim the rise (from €7.00) will cost €250,000 per hour, which would mean that over 300,000 workers, about 25% of the workforce, were on the previous minimum as opposed to the estimated 57,000.
So greetings and solidarity on this global holiday. In Ireland we celebrate it, appropriately, as the start of summer – so beannachta na Bhealtaine dhaoibh or Beltane greetings, as many people here call/celebrate it. Oh, and Happy Nettlemas Day to all too.