I remember well the days when I was looking for a job in the early 1970s, having come back from England where I’d been for four years.
I lived in Sion Mills. I was aware then that someone like me, born in Ballindrait, Lifford, Co.Donegal, and outside the northern state, needed to apply for a work permit to work in N. Ireland. The Stormont law that was in place then was that anyone born outside N.Ireland had no right to work in N.Ireland (and that included the Scots, Welsh and English). I knew that if I got an interview and was successful that I would have to apply for said permit. A wait of about six weeks to see if it would be granted was the norm.
I was successful in getting a job in the spinning mill in Sion Mills and after the long wait I commenced employment. After a year or so the notion came on me again to head back to England, and so I did. I was there for one day and I got a job and started the next. No problem.
Three years later I came home again to live in Strabane. I applied for a job in a local store and was successful. On the following Monday I presented myself to the manager, eager to begin my new job. I was called into the office and told I would have to wait again to see if the permit application was successful and I could not start. Six weeks passed, then I got a letter saying I had been refused a permit.
I appealed on the grounds that my father and mother were born in Ireland in 1914 and 1915 respectively. My thinking was that I would suggest to them that both my parents were born in what was a British state and as such I should be allowed to work. The manager said he would keep the vacancy open until the appeal went through the process. I was aware that an under-manager came every day from Enniskillen to fill the gap. He did that for six weeks. Imagine my delight when I got a letter saying that Stanley Orme had looked at my case and although I was not British I would be granted a permit on ‘sympathetic’ grounds.
I presented myself to Wellworth’s and was told that because the appeal had taken too long, the vacancy had been filled.
Off I went and got another interview and another job. Another application for a work permit. ( Each job had to have a separate work permit). It was something to do with a Unionist law put in place to ‘protect the workers of N.Ireland’. The coming of the EU changed all that and freedom of movement was born. Now I can see it happening all over again to young people wishing to come in from the Republic (thank God I’m retired).
There are people from Lifford and other places in Donegal already working in places like Strabane/Derry/ Omagh who must be feeling a bit unsure of their future in this time of Brexit. What of people that travel over that border to work and then back every day from work? What of people from the Republic married and settled in the north – where do they stand? Will the DUP and Unionism push for the draconian measures I mentioned earlier? I dearly hope not. Perhaps the powers that be in Stormont will clarify the situation
…. and here’s me think try thinking where does he get time to write in a blog and play hurling for Galway too.
Hi Joe, Good article. At present I am ‘you’ now. Both me and my wife live in the South and work in the North. We are bought old enough to remember our road closed off in the early 90’s. Funnily, I am originally form the South with 2 miles of the border. She is originally from the North within 800 metres of the border. She actually lived on the same road as me, but the road was discontinued/blocked for 30 years or so because of the troubles.
We both now live just South, in times of great peace.
We never really thought of the border at all until this Brexit thing to scare us all this summer. To be honest, and it must be as a result of the GFA etc, I have never experienced any discrimination in the work place being from the South. But I do know in times gone by, your times, I probably wouldn’t have had this job im in now because simple I would be the ‘wrong type’.
Seriously unionist power has massively diminished. Look at the lame flag protest for example. I think there are now more Catholics in the work place. I would say this Brexit vote is unionists last great hope of control, but unfortunate for them – they really need the south.
Anyway yes, this weekend I was greatly worried my Brexit. I attended one of the protests on the border at the weekend. But this morning after hearing the news, Brokenshire wants the checkpoint and everything done at the ports, im relieved. I know its not a done deal, but I feel there wont be any hard border at all.
They built a lovely shiny bridge over the river blackwater, where im from. There was no bridge there from 30 years, it was blowen up. I couldn’t imagine that happening again.
“The Stormont law that was in place then was that anyone born outside N.Ireland had no right to work in N.Ireland (and that included the Scots, Welsh and English)”
This is patently untrue as the Stormont government wouldn’t have had the power to enforce work permits within the UK. It leads one to be sceptical about the factual basis of the article.
“It was something to do with a Unionist law put in place to ‘protect the workers of N.Ireland’.”
What law was this?
“The coming of the EU changed all that and freedom of movement was born. Now I can see it happening all over again to young people wishing to come in from the Republic (thank God I’m retired).”
Nonsense. This won’t happen.
“What of people that travel over that border to work and then back every day from work? What of people from the Republic married and settled in the north – where do they stand?”
They stand as not being regarded as aliens and treated as though they were UK citizens.
“Will the DUP and Unionism push for the draconian measures I mentioned earlier?”
No.
I owe Joe an apology.
While I was right that Stormont did not legislate (and didn’t have the power to legislate) to require work permits for people from GB (nor indeed did it have the power re ROI nationals) – Joe was right that there were such restrictions on GB migrants. But the legislation was passed at Westminster not Stormont. The Safeguarding of Employment Act 1947. It was an extension of wartime arrangements.
Thanks to Joe for promoting me to look into this.