OPINION POLL: Are the unions correct to strike on the 24th?

zootroid

Do I support the strike? Absolutely not. The country simply can't continue to borrow 20 billion a year. Cuts must be made everywhere, public sector pay and numbers, and social welfare.

All this talk of what's fair, who caused the recession etc is irrelevant. The country can't afford it. That's the bottom line.

DeVore

I normally support workers rights and certainly unions in developing countries but we cant continue with a situation where no one can be fired, massive pay excesses in certain quarters and no measure of work-output. Thats absolutely ridiculous.

We need this strike to happen because its the start of Irelands second civil war in a way. We need to break the unions and radically root-and-branch reform the PS. Starting with the healthcare executives and the management.

Sorry, but its true.

DeV.

Bert Hanley

Maybe they have a point but screwing the rest of the country wont help fix the problems.
have jsut comeback from Switzerland where services are amazing but public servants get LESS than ours and they have performance related pay too.
funny how you all want all the benefits of the private sector without any of the risks.
come on lads...grow up and let the country get off its knees before giving it a kicking.

Munsterbloke

My wife is a Civil Servant, Previously there were 2 people in her department, my wife working 5 days the other 4. She was transfered and replaced with a girl who worked 2 days. She has since left and has not replaced. This now means that my wife has to do 9 days work in 5 days, or put another way increased her producivity by 80%. No employer or union would ask any worker to strive to acheive this target, but she does.
There are many other Public Servants in similar situations. I beleive that they are right to strike. If the Government gets away with pay cuts and changes in Terms and Conditions, it will make way for employeers to do the same. Private sector workers need to support the Public Sector, in the long term they will protect themselves.

Riskymove

Bert Hanley wrote: »

have jsut comeback from Switzerland where services are amazing but public servants get LESS than ours and they have performance related pay too.

30,000 demonstrate over crisis and public services
1 October 2009
The VPOD/SSP public services federation took part in the demonstration of over 30,000 people in Bern on 21 September. Trade unions had organised the march in protest at attempts by employers and the government to make workers pay for the crisis. The VPOD/SSP stressed the need to maintain public services particularly at a time of recession and called for measures to improve public services such as an investment in improved childcare. Read more at > VPOD (DE) And at > SSP (FR)

bridgitt

nuac wrote: »

I do not think public servants should go on strike. Most have reasonable working conditions, a certain job, and great pensions.

+1

alastair

Munsterbloke wrote: »

My wife is a Civil Servant, Previously there were 2 people in her department, my wife working 5 days the other 4. She was transfered and replaced with a girl who worked 2 days. She has since left and has not replaced. This now means that my wife has to do 9 days work in 5 days, or put another way increased her producivity by 80%. No employer or union would ask any worker to strive to acheive this target, but she does.
There are many other Public Servants in similar situations. I beleive that they are right to strike. If the Government gets away with pay cuts and changes in Terms and Conditions, it will make way for employeers to do the same. Private sector workers need to support the Public Sector, in the long term they will protect themselves.

A few points that come to mind:

1. Have you wife's hours worked per week actually changed at all?
2. How do we know that your wife's workload in the two-person workplace was actually fully productive?
3. If your wife is indeed tasked with an unacceptable productivity goal, and fails to achieve it, what are the consequences?
4. I don't think being asked for additional productivity on a salary freeze / pay cut is exactly news to many in the private sector.
5. How have your wife's employment terms and conditions changed?

diverdriver

This now means that my wife has to do 9 days work in 5 days, or put another way increased her producivity by 80%.

One of the problems with the public service is that all too often there are ten people doing a job that only requires five. Without knowing the circumstances it could be that they don't actually need 2 people doing the job. Or maybe they do. Then what they really need is to transfer in one of the surplus staff from another department. In the private sector that's what would happen only there are often no surplus staff because surplus staff get laid off.

The point is that if what you say is true then it's impossible to do the job properly and they need someone there part time. If not then your wife has increased her productivity by 80% but she wasn't working very hard until then.

My last job was in a big multinational. When I started it was a two person job but they were kept busy. The work declined and I ended up doing it alone but it was non stop, literally non stop to the point where I skipped breaks. The managers in their genius decided to merge my job and the previous step. It was impossible and I refused as I was leaving anyway. My replacement, an excellent woman tried very hard to do both. It was impossible and eventually she refused too.

If your wife is in the same predicament then she should call a halt. If she still has time for breaks and doesn't work late then frankly it's a one woman job.

heebusjeebus

Munsterbloke wrote: »

This now means that my wife has to do 9 days work in 5 days, or put another way increased her producivity by 80%.

I'm in the private sector and to cut costs our team has been nearly halved in the last 9 months even though we're still as busy as ever (I'm multi-tasking as is write this ).
We didn't complain or strike, we got on with the job to ensure our company sees the end of this recession. I don't know if I'll have this job next year but I'm going to work as hard as I can to keep it.
Can you see the parallels between my employer and your wife's? The PS need a change in attitude and cannot expect to breeze through the recession without taking a hit.

Martin 2

The OP asked the question are the Unions right to strike today but I'd prefer to give my opinion on the question, is an individual Union member right to strike today?

- If the individual is striking against pay cuts in the public service, then I would say no. There is no choice but to make cuts given the government deficit and that we are well paid compared to our EU15 equivalents. Additionally pay cuts would also go some way to restoring Irish competitiveness which will ultimately help to reduce unemployment. I'm not against increasing tax rates but only where they are likely to give increased returns, however increasing taxes can only be done conjunction with public service pay cuts, not instead of.

- If an individual is striking as a way of expressing anger with the government and our/their current predicament then I would say okay. Anger is a natural and often necessary transitionary step before acceptance of a reality; in this case, that cuts are unavoidable. Venting that anger in a controlled fashion such as a strike is preferable to suppressing it.

For the record, I am a public servant and I'm working today.

nesf

Martin 2 wrote: »

- If an individual is striking as a way of expressing anger with the government and our/their current predicament then I would say okay. Anger is a natural and often necessary transitionary step before acceptance of a reality; in this case, that cuts are unavoidable. Venting that anger in a controlled fashion such as a strike is preferable to suppressing it.

For the record, I am a public servant and I'm working today.

What about venting it in large public demonstrations like the Marches that were held? Surely this is the best solution, no disruption to public services but no one is left in any doubt over whether the public sector workers are angry about the pay cuts and the state of the country in general?

Martin 2

nesf wrote: »

What about venting it in large public demonstrations like the Marches that were held? Surely this is the best solution, no disruption to public services but no one is left in any doubt over whether the public sector workers are angry about the pay cuts and the state of the country in general?

Agreed, that would be more considerate but the unions seem to want a mixture of mass demonstrations and strikes

.

Nightwish

I'm a public sector worker and I don't agree with any of the strikes. I'm not in any union. I find the rhetoric they spew to be embarrassing to be honest. I work in a department where I am doing my own work and the work of a person on maternity leave. To be honest I wont complain as my job is not secure. I don't have permanent tenure. I will have to go unpaid leave again if this second pointless strike goes ahead.

Sizzler

Munsterbloke wrote: »

My wife is a Civil Servant, Previously there were 2 people in her department, my wife working 5 days the other 4. She was transfered and replaced with a girl who worked 2 days. She has since left and has not replaced. This now means that my wife has to do 9 days work in 5 days, or put another way increased her producivity by 80%. No employer or union would ask any worker to strive to acheive this target, but she does.
There are many other Public Servants in similar situations. I beleive that they are right to strike. If the Government gets away with pay cuts and changes in Terms and Conditions, it will make way for employeers to do the same. Private sector workers need to support the Public Sector, in the long term they will protect themselves.

At the end of the day she cant and wont be fired. She gets paid for a 35 hour week(?), thats all she needs to do, simple.

If its too much apply for a job in the private sector and see if it gets any easier and report back to us and let us know?

nesf

Right, thread closed and unstuck as no more good can come from it.