It is a pretty reasonable statement to make in the context of a housing
shortage, but we need to discuss what is wrong with it.

I have been involved in tenant organizations in Ireland since 2017. The main work I have done is knocking at people’s doors and asking how their housing situation is and what they think we could do together to change it. Being Brazilian and a woman I rarely get racist or sexist statements at the doors, which could be anticipated.

Angus, a member of Living Rent Glasgow, faced an alarming situation when his flatmate moved out, and the letting agent informed him of a staggering rent increase. Angus was told that his monthly rent of £750 would shoot up to £995, an exorbitant increase of over 30%. The ultimatum was clear – agree to the hike or be forced to move out. In joint tenancies like Angus’, when one person leaves, it initiates a new tenancy, providing landlords with the opportunity to raise the rent significantly.

“It is not a housing crisis, it is an economic project to which we do not belong – we, the low-income workers, social welfare recipients, single people, single parents, the elderly, those with a disability, LGBTQIA+, ethnic minorities such as the Irish Travellers*, migrants and refugees.”

We condemn all racism and stand in solidarity with migrants and racialised people

‘Why does CATU not allow landlords to join? Isn’t it more difficult having that division and being separated, as opposed to working together?’ asked an attendee at a CATU presentation in Brussels the last weekend of November. The three of us had prepared for exploring the unions history and exchanging experiences and challenges – I don’t think we were ready to explain CATU’s understanding of class politics, power dynamics and capitalism within the last 10 minutes of the lecture. That’s another hour long session. 

 CATU Cabra met with new branch members and with their neighbors in the Stonybatter/Grangegorman branch. They did outreach on the NCR knocking on doors and spoke to lots of future members!

<<Read more here >>

CATU Maynooth was also doing outreach in their community!

<< See more pictures of the event here >>

ACORN International board members, supported by their staff, convened in a first global Zoom call today. ACORN leaders from 15 countries and 20 affiliates joined the call and participated using translators and translation software.