| Description | Interview with Mr McTaggart, a member of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU). He discusses his involvement in the union since 1922, his work as a docker and shipyard worker, the decline of industry in Derry and his feeling that this was a deliberate policy. He discusses the policy of the union against religious discrimination and its determination to stay outside political and religious disputes, and the religious backgrounds of most of the dockers. He goes on to talk about living as a Catholic in a middle class, predominantly Protestant area, having friendly neighbours, the separation of Catholic and Protestant children in different schools, and his employment history. He thinks it would have been better for Catholic and Protestant communities and housing areas to be mixed but talks about the problems created by the Unionist government and gerrymandering. He feels, however, that he would prefer his own children to attend a Catholic school and discusses the funding of Catholic schools. He talks about his children having Protestant friends and gives his opinion about the source of sectarian tensions in Derry, which he thinks are exacerbated by the Protestant marches. He talks about the policies of the trade union movement to treat every man alike, regardless of religion and discusses his own political views. He thinks that younger people are more militant in their political activities, particularly in their protests against the police and talks about the possible reasons for this. He gives his opinion about the current dockers strike, the 1688-1689 siege of Derry and other events in the city's history, and the religious tensions provoked by Rangers v Celtic football matches. He goes on to talk about the need to avoid religious prejudice as a trade union official and gives his opinion about the recent disturbances in the Bogside and the activities of the civil rights movement (tracks 1-14).
Total: 34.37 mins
Dubber's reference number: PLA KF565D0077680 |