Community Action Tenants Union

Community Action Tenants Union is a national tenants' union in Ireland. Established in 2019, it is a mass membership organisation of "renters, council tenants, mortgage holders and people in emergency & precarious living situations".
CATU is affiliated to ACORN International.

Structure

CATU members are organised in local branches across the island of Ireland, with committees elected by local members. A national committee coordinates the work of local branches. CATU organises campaigns at local and national level, and its work is grounded in principles of direct action.
The union's modelled after the Scottish tenants' union Living Rent, as well as being influenced by the work of the National Association of Tenants Organisations.

History

CATU has its roots in advocacy groups, as some housing rights activists sought to move beyond advocacy and towards organising tenants. Some worked with other organisations such as the Scottish tenants' union Living Rent to learn from their tactics. In addition to this, organisers were also inspired by the National Association of Tenants Organisations which had represented tenants in Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s, and lead a national rent strike in the early 70s. From these international and historical inspirations, the Community Action Tenants Union was founded in October 2019.
CATU's membership increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the union called for the Republic of Ireland to extend its COVID-19 eviction ban.
In 2023, a CATU branch in Derry was established.