NIPSA member's election pitch suggests serving 'socialist sugar snacks' with 'a dash of cyanide' for billionaires
A candidate in elections to the general council of Northern Ireland’s main public sector union has suggested that “a dash of cyanide” could be served to billionaires as part of his pitch to members.
Nipsa member and civil servant Danny Lowry’s election manifesto is a recipe for ‘Socialist Sugar Snacks’, which he describes as “revolutionary biscuits” for the workers.
The union has declined to comment on the matter in light of the ongoing elections to its general council, however one member described Mr Lowry’s manifesto as tongue-in-cheek, saying his pitch is always “colourful”.
The ‘recipe’ includes red food colouring, edible gold dust and vodka – and calls for the snacks to be cut into star shapes. The text concludes with the statement: “Share with your comrades. Alternatively, add a dash of cyanide and serve to billionaires …”
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has written to Nipsa general secretary Carmel Gates about the matter. He said that references to poisoning in an official union publication – even if framed as a joke – are “wholly inappropriate”.
“Nipsa is not a fringe political organisation. It is a union with an important role in representing workers across Northern Ireland’s public services,” he said – arguing it should not “provide a platform” for such content.
Each year, Nipsa members elect a general council which consists of 25 members. Candidates are allowed to submit an election address of 100 words. Nipsa said that under trade union laws candidates are responsible for the content of the messages.
Speaking at last year’s Civil Service Group Conference, Danny Lowry – a member of Nipsa’s ‘Branch 13’ – spoke in opposition to a NI Civil Service ‘hybrid working’ policy which forced most civil servants back into offices.
“Members are already strapped [for cash] and they're going to have to incur increased commuting costs, their work-life balance is going to be damaged,” he said.
A Nipsa newsletter records that he thought “pushing” the workforce and making their working life more difficult was a “bizarre” management tactic.
The News Letter asked Nipsa why it approved Mr Lowry’s pitch in its publication, but it did not respond. Mr Lowry has been approached for comment.