Workers Solidarity Movement

New Beginings a group of lawyers and professionals who have been directly helping mortgage holders in legal battles with lenders, are planning a series of meetings across the state to sign up hard pressed householders to a national campaign.

The move has come as a result of the volume of calls for help the group are receiving and the failure of the government to act in any substantive fashion to address the crisis for the many thousands of families and individuals under severe pressure to pay mortgages many of whom are in serious arrears.

Spokesperson David Hall said "We had a very serious turning point a few weeks ago when the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance told the banks to pass on the interest rate cut and the banks said no. Some are still saying no. If the most powerful politicians in the state have no influence on the banks, what chance does an individual borrower?"

Two groups who have already declared their support for the initiative are Irsih Homeowners Unite and the Defend Our Homes League.  The call is sure to find a echo with others, members of ICTU floated the idea of a mortage strike during the Summer and other groups have been springing up.  Recently we saw the emergence of the  Anti-Eviction Task force. A strike is not on the cards yet, the hope is weight of numbers might make the banks see sense. Other avenues are to get a proper bankruptcy option in place for private individuals to threaten banks with.

Whatever tactics emerge will be hopefully decided through the democratic decisions of the membership. It is important therefore that people should join up and insure the nature of this important departure is founded on a grassroots democratic model. If only quarter or half of those 100,000 with distressed mortgages signed up it could be a mighty movement. Unity is strength as Caroline Lennon-Nally of the Irish Homeowners Unite group said  "It’s the only way forward. Until people unite in a very real way and send a very strong message to lenders and the Government, people will be picked off one by one."

Details of the meetings will be advertised through facebook and twitter.