Public Service Strike Thread

Tusky

Is there any chance this will be called off ? Ive a college assignment due in on Tuesday. if it the strike is on, its not due in until Wednesday. Need to know so I can manage my time!

herya

HollyEvans wrote: »

On Tuesday the garda are not going to fine me for doing 51kmph in a 50 or even do me for being late on the lights.

Could they go on strike full time?

They won't fine a 150kmph in a 50 or jumping the red light at full speed either. Do you really want it full time just so that you get away with your petty inattention?

HollyEvans

herya wrote: »

They won't fine a 150kmph in a 50 or jumping the red light at full speed either.?

I'd imagine the stupidity of these actions would rule out any possibility of wither occuring.

herya wrote: »

Do you really want it full time just so that you get away with your petty inattention?

Yes.

Wertz

Special K wrote: »

As a side note, I think paying 50c per prescription is a great idea. In fact, I'd put it up to €2 or €3 - those old people are getting a pension, free phone, free bus pass and what have you, and they're in and out to the doctors with the slightest sniffle. I love old people, but they can certainly afford two quid for a prescription! Great way of income I think.

So instead of trying to cut what are, in most cases, outrageous costs of buying the drugs issued under the GMS and administering the system so that the actual cost to the taxpayer of healthcare for pensioners goes down to a more reasonable figure, you'd prefer to apply yet another stealth tax to the system as a discouragement and a source of income?
Typifies the non-reality many of you seem to be living in as far as I can see.

Special K wrote: »

Fine. Keep fighting the battle. But I won't have any sympathy for you when it all ends up pear shaped. I fully believe there will be further cuts with Public Sector spending in the next budget. But I'll go North for all my xmas shopping. To hell with this government and this arrogant, idiotic attitude of some people in the private sector.

So with your salary, which is part funded by tax revenues and part funded by government borrowing on the global bonds markets (to the tune of €400M a week), you intend to spend a fair sized portion of it in the run up to christmas, outside of the State? You do of course realise that once that money is spent outside the state, it's gone...no VAT or income tax to revenue.ie, no wages to private sector workers, whose wages contribute to tax also, no sales for Irish suppliers, etc..
That you'd do this to save money I can't argue with, particularly if the budget comes down hard on you...that you'd do it out of some sort of spite toward private sector workers is dowright contemptible...


BTW just as a general answer to those saying that if/when the government manage to lower the PS wage biill that they'll be back to the private sector for more, let them come....as it stands, there's very little left to give and if they push too hard they'll merely chase any remaining foreign investment and jobs providers to other eurozones, whilst crippling any remaining indigenous companies and employers to the point where they'll merely cutback to skeleton crew levels and we all end up with even lower tax takes for the revenue...and then we're back where we started and it's back to the pub/sec for even more cuts...

Raze_them_all

Wertz wrote: »

So instead of trying to cut what are, in most cases, outrageous costs of buying the drugs issued under the GMS and administering the system so that the actual cost to the taxpayer of healthcare for pensioners goes down to a more reasonable figure, you'd prefer to apply yet another stealth tax to the system as a discouragement and a source of income?
Typifies the non-reality many of you seem to be living in as far as I can see.





So with your salary, which is part funded by tax revenues and part funded by government borrowing on the global bonds markets (to the tune of €400M a week), you intend to spend a fair sized portion of it in the run up to christmas, outside of the State? You do of course realise that once that money is spent outside the state, it's gone...no VAT or income tax to revenue.ie, no wages to private sector workers, whose wages contribute to tax also, no sales for Irish suppliers, etc..
That you'd do this to save money I can't argue with, particularly if the budget comes down hard on you...that you'd do it out of some sort of spite toward private sector workers is dowright contemptible...


BTW just as a general answer to those saying that if/when the government manage to lower the PS wage biill that they'll be back to the private sector for more, let them come....as it stands, there's very little left to give and if they push too hard they'll merely chase any remaining foreign investment and jobs providers to other eurozones, whilst crippling any remaining indigenous companies and employers to the point where they'll merely cutback to skeleton crew levels and we all end up with even lower tax takes for the revenue...and then we're back where we started and it's back to the pub/sec for even more cuts...

Which will lead to more threads condeming the public Sector as being over paid and lazy.

WaltKowalski

Sorry - this probably isn't the most appropriate place to post - but, I'm in the civil service and wondering where I stand if I decide not to strike?
The union rep at work won't give me any definite information but has left me under the impression that I won't be allowed to work on Tues.
I voted against strike action. Do I have to picket?

Kevin Bacon

Well said Wertz.

Special Ks comments on pensioners is absolutely ridiculous. How could anyone be that heartless, many of these pensioners are solely relying on state pensions which is sweet f*ck all at the moment how could you expect them to pay for prescriptions.

Kevin Bacon

WaltKowalski wrote: »

Sorry - this probably isn't the most appropriate place to post - but, I'm in the civil service and wondering where I stand if I decide not to strike?
The union rep at work won't give me any definite information but has left me under the impression that I won't be allowed to work on Tues.
I voted against strike action. Do I have to picket?

May take it up with your union rep at where ever you work tomorrow. To be honest I would be very surprised if you were allowed work.

RacoonQueen

WaltKowalski wrote: »

Sorry - this probably isn't the most appropriate place to post - but, I'm in the civil service and wondering where I stand if I decide not to strike?
The union rep at work won't give me any definite information but has left me under the impression that I won't be allowed to work on Tues.
I voted against strike action. Do I have to picket?

We were told on Wednesday that anyone who is in a union and doesn't strike/turns up for work will have disciplinary action taken on them by the union. Seems a bit unfair to me, your reasons for being in the union are your own and you should be able to choose if you go on strike or not.

herya

Wertz wrote: »

So with your salary, which is part funded by tax revenues and part funded by government borrowing on the global bonds markets (to the tune of €400M a week), you intend to spend a fair sized portion of it in the run up to christmas, outside of the State? You do of course realise that once that money is spent outside the state, it's gone...no VAT or income tax to revenue.ie, no wages to private sector workers, whose wages contribute to tax also, no sales for Irish suppliers, etc..
That you'd do this to save money I can't argue with, particularly if the budget comes down hard on you...that you'd do it out of some sort of spite toward private sector workers is dowright contemptible...

You nailed it. Sometimes I can't believe what I read on boards. A public sector worker opposes paycuts, so they will go up North and remove the money from the economy when this is exactly the money (in tax) that funds their salaries.

Also, people bitch about the markup used by British retailers in Irish stores, so they'll go up North and hand in all their money to said British retailers, instead of just the difference in markup (or none at all if they can be bothered to find better value here).

Cut off your nose to spite your face personified.

Cian92

Kevin Bacon wrote: »

They pretend to look out for workers but if your not paying your dues or you haven't the opportunity to join a union they couldn't give a toss about you.
Pretending to have socialist ideals when there are as guilty of money grabbing as anyone else in power really grinds my gears.

Well if you have difficulty paying your union dues, really is the union working for you? You arent being paid enough or the union dues are too high. Those who arent unionised, there is no doubt that this is unfortunate, but at least the government set up JLCs for these people.

Kevin Bacon

At least all these union workers are not completely out of touch with reality..

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1122/breaking26.htm

Some deferring strike due to helping out with flood problems basically.Fair play to whoever doesn't strike in fairness.

Kevin Bacon

Cian92 wrote: »

Well if you have difficulty paying your union dues, really is the union working for you? You arent being paid enough or the union dues are too high. Those who arent unionised, there is no doubt that this is unfortunate, but at least the government set up JLCs for these people.

Well I was really getting at the attitude of unions and there say in political matters or rather the fact they have too much say.

thebman's post after mine really nailed what I was trying to get across.

Personally I wouldn't join a union regardless of the amount of dues they wanted I just don't agree with the inefficiency they create and as I said their political swing. Although Micheal O'Leary is an utter twat I do agree with his policy on unions wholeheartedly. Yeah unions can be a great advantage in personal disputes with management and such but, I think the bad seriously outweighs the good.

donojono

pajodublin wrote: »

You've no idea what Public servants have to put up with on a daily basis. from being threatened in local offices, to people waiting for them after work.
It has happened and still does.

It is horrible for the PSW who gets 42k a year after 4 years service to sit in the train station hut and serve tickets to anyone who does not know how to work the ticket machine. So horrible...

Its a sad day when you see that Joe soap a PWS gets paid this much in the train station booth, but Mother Teresa in the emergency ward helping to save your life, does it for under 30k.

Odysseus

WaltKowalski wrote: »

Sorry - this probably isn't the most appropriate place to post - but, I'm in the civil service and wondering where I stand if I decide not to strike?
The union rep at work won't give me any definite information but has left me under the impression that I won't be allowed to work on Tues.
I voted against strike action. Do I have to picket?

Well if you are part of the union, your vote was counted. However, it appears that not enough of you collegues agreed with you. So if you want to be part of the union, the short answer is yes [I think]. You may have your memdership revoked if you attend for duty. [I could be wrong]

However, as a citizen of this land you are completely entitled to report for duty on Tuesday if you so wish. Contact your Line Manager, for example I work for the Addiction Services all our buildings will be closed. However, our Admin HQ will be open on that day, and if I wanted to I could report there for duty, and I was informed I would have work allocated to me.

It will mean you will have to cross a picket line, but that is your ethical decision to make. From what I was told by a family member who was on strike recently the picket line is legally allowed to prevent you from crossing it by blocking traffic ect but only for a minimal amount of time 15-20 sec.

Alot of people are in a similar position I know quite a few who left the union following what they felt as a lack of action over the pension levy. So its a difficult call for them too. At the end of the day its your decision, contact your line manger, the the union to find out the consequences on your membership if you decide to report for duty. Then you can make an informed decision.

Odysseus

Special K wrote: »

As a side note, I think paying 50c per prescription is a great idea. In fact, I'd put it up to €2 or €3 - those old people are getting a pension, free phone, free bus pass and what have you, and they're in and out to the doctors with the slightest sniffle. I love old people, but they can certainly afford two quid for a prescription! Great way of income I think.

God that is just sad, these being the people who helped to build this State and paid their way all the way through their working life and no longer have the opportunity to develop further income. Most old people try to aviod going to the doctor, its a generalisation yes but they become phobic at a certain point and are afraid of being told they have something seriously wrong with them. It says alot of the mental of the country if we want to take form the weakest members. Maybe we should get them all to sign DNR's prior to admission, that would said afew quid.

WaltKowalski

Odysseus wrote: »

You may have your memdership revoked if you attend for duty.

I want to quit anyways but our union reps are so agressive. Really amn't happy with the "service" being provided.
I'll look into it more tomorrow.
Thanks for the advice.

You Suck!

A large % of the public sector are in fear of losing their jobs aswell - even some on permanent contracts.

If your on a contract, then you are by the very means of the definition of the word a contractor. I was once a contractor for a Government agency and as such did not enjoy any of the wonderful covers those who were in got. Point being that contractors are not actually part of the public sector, by law they are private individuals providing professional services based on a contractual agreement, ie private sector.

They do not receive union cover, sick pay various forms of leave and quite a bit else I cannot think off.

I hope you don't mind, but I feel you are reading it wrong. People are not pissed off at support or frontline staff such as yourself, what they are pissed off at the multitude of selfserving mid level professional staff among all the various govt departments who have been taking the piss for so long and who have been held to little accountability.

What you should note is that these are the same people who control the coffers and will more then gladly sacrifice the support level contractors and services while not touching their own budgets or pay levels. And no doubt they pay the unions coffers.

My favourite story from working with the govt being the time a lad in our department had to work under a flickering florescent tube, because a useless prick insisted that only OPW staff were allowed to change the bulb!

Our highly taxed tax euros at work!

Mayoegian

Does this mean that schools will operate as normal on Tuesday? Are the teachers still going on strike?

Odysseus

WaltKowalski wrote: »

I want to quit anyways but our union reps are so agressive. Really amn't happy with the "service" being provided.
I'll look into it more tomorrow.
Thanks for the advice.

If you want to quit, ring head office and tell them so, never mind the "reps". Then inform payroll to stop the payments, easliy done. I support the Day of Action, but have little faith in the unions, I have had quite a number of issues over the years, and I have always been the one to address them problem and get it sorted. I have been it two minds about my membership for quite awhile.

pajodublin

im sick of this, "i pay your wages arguement"
i've never seen so much bull**** in my entire life
If you knew how an economy works, you would see that, we all pay each others wages.
Gobsheens

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Hells Belle wrote: »

I will, I have to take a days holidays (out of my measley 20 - not 150 like teachers get) to look after the childers. I was hoping to save it for a shopping or hangover day before Christmas, fair enough if they want to protest, thats their right, but do it on a bloody Saturday. Its the taxi protests all over again, but instead using our children as pawns.

Teachers if I could use the language to describe how I feel I want to I'd be banned. Wasters.

A few of my teachers are saying that there could well be another one before Christmas.

pajodublin

WaltKowalski wrote: »

I want to quit anyways but our union reps are so agressive. Really amn't happy with the "service" being provided.
I'll look into it more tomorrow.
Thanks for the advice.

one thing that i do hate in life, SCABS!!!!!!!!!
i'm in the union, i dont like the union after the messed me about a few years back. But even if i wasnt in the union i would never cross a picket..NEVER

Only scabs do that....

If you do cross the picket, prepare for peoples opinion of you to change immediately.....

Poccington

pajodublin wrote: »

one thing that i do hate in life, SCABS!!!!!!!!!
i'm in the union, i dont like the union after the messed me about a few years back. But even if i wasnt in the union i would never cross a picket..NEVER

Only scabs do that....

If you do cross the picket, prepare for peoples opinion of you to change immediately.....

Someone that crosses a picket isn't a scab.

I'd imagine they're someone that wants to work and doesn't want to do anything that may well threaten their job.

WaltKowalski

pajodublin wrote: »

one thing that i do hate in life, SCABS!!!!!!!!!
i'm in the union, i dont like the union after the messed me about a few years back. But even if i wasnt in the union i would never cross a picket..NEVER

Only scabs do that....

If you do cross the picket, prepare for peoples opinion of you to change immediately.....

It's not about losing a days pay. I don't agree with the action the union are taking. I don't see a strike achieving anything. I don't want to picket and I don't want to cross a picket but I'm not allowed to use a days annual leave on a strike day. i don't mind losing a days pay on the day that's in it but I do not want to march for a cause I don't entirely believe in. And I don't see why I should have to.

Staff in senior management positions are due in work on Tuesday. they'll have to cross pickets. And apparently, if you work in a building where all staff will be on strike, you don't have to picket as there's no-one to picket.

Degsy

Poccington wrote: »

Someone that crosses a picket isn't a scab.

I'd imagine they're someone that wants to work and doesn't want to do anything that may well threaten their job.

So they're selfish as well as being scabs.
Nobody wants to strike but something needs to be done.

drkpower

pajodublin wrote: »

one thing that i do hate in life, SCABS!!!!!!!!!
i'm in the union, i dont like the union after the messed me about a few years back. But even if i wasnt in the union i would never cross a picket..NEVER

Only scabs do that....

If you do cross the picket, prepare for peoples opinion of you to change immediately.....

So if you disagree completely with why they are striking, if you think it will do endless damage to the country and to you personally, you should not cross the picket.....?

Do you normally not think for yourself?

Odysseus

WaltKowalski wrote: »

And apparently, if you work in a building where all staff will be on strike, you don't have to picket as there's no-one to picket.

That's correct as I understand it, my building will be closed, so I will be on picket duty elsewhere.

Poccington

Degsy wrote: »

So they're selfish as well as being scabs.
Nobody wants to strike but something needs to be done.

So those folk that are striking aren't being selfish? Unions are trying to hold the country to ransom when the PS wage is simply too large to be sustainable in the future.

Yet, the people crossing pickets are the selfish ones?

Lollipops23

Anyone know if public transport will be affected?

Degsy

Deleted User wrote: »

We're not in this together.
You're a teacher with a guaranteed job.
I work in a job where already one guy on my team of six has lost his job.

Their ludicrous spending is the public sector wage bill which is clinging onto bench-marking set years ago.. Wasn't it shown recently that the average public sector wage was twenty something percent higher than the private sector? When you add job security and the fact that you yourself work less that 3/4s of the year, how can you say we're in this together.

12 people in my department have gone in the last year,a further six before january and they will not be replaced.
150 people applied for a permanent job last year..working from 5pm-8pm for peanuts..anybody who thinks that "average" wages are so much higher should try getting by on 19 grand a year which is what most of the younger people in my dept are earning.

francosp

Odysseus wrote: »

If you want to quit, ring head office and tell them so, never mind the "reps". Then inform payroll to stop the payments, easliy done. I support the Day of Action, but have little faith in the unions, I have had quite a number of issues over the years, and I have always been the one to address them problem and get it sorted. I have been it two minds about my membership for quite awhile.

I quit my union last Oct and have no intention of striking on Tuesday.

Degsy

Poccington wrote: »

So those folk that are striking aren't being selfish? Unions are trying to hold the country to ransom when the PS wage is simply too large to be sustainable in the future.

Yet, the people crossing pickets are the selfish ones?

No,the govt are the ones holding the country to ransom..they've been criminally stupid in thier mismanagement of the ecnomy..they stuffed this notion of a "property ladder" down people's throats and made sure they were mortaged to the oxters when all this crap went down..anybody in the public service would have already been hit by the pension levy AND the income levy and the clowns in govt want to hit them further?
The unions are the only people who can mobilise some defiance to this victimisation of ordinary working people with bills to pay and mouths to feed.
They public sector wage bill isnt bleeding the country white..its the govt's commitment to NAMA and the bailing out of banks and proerty developers.
Personally i dont agree with striking,i think a better solution would be to burn down leinster house and puta bullet in the head of every fianna failer in this country.

pajodublin

Poccington wrote: »

Someone that crosses a picket isn't a scab.

I'd imagine they're someone that wants to work and doesn't want to do anything that may well threaten their job.

Striking will not threaten their job as its an all out strike....

WaltKowalski wrote: »

It's not about losing a days pay. I don't agree with the action the union are taking. I don't see a strike achieving anything. I don't want to picket and I don't want to cross a picket but I'm not allowed to use a days annual leave on a strike day. i don't mind losing a days pay on the day that's in it but I do not want to march for a cause I don't entirely believe in. And I don't see why I should have to.

So basically you are FOR paycuts to the lower paid. you said you dont agree with the action, so what action would you take? Bend over and take it up the arse, because thats not a solution either

Degsy wrote: »

So they're selfish as well as being scabs.
Nobody wants to strike but something needs to be done.

EXACTLY!!!

drkpower wrote: »

So if you disagree completely with why they are striking, if you think it will do endless damage to the country and to you personally, you should not cross the picket.....?

Do you normally not think for yourself?

NO MATTER WHAT, I WOULD NEVER CROSS A PICKET..
i was brought up that way...
Even when argos were striking a few years back. the workers were outside as i was about to walk in, seen they were striking and thought better of it...

Its not like we're striking to keep our fat handsome salaries to ourselves. i said already, i'm not completely against pay cuts. I am against unfairness....

Odysseus

francosp wrote: »

I quit my union last Oct and have no intention of striking on Tuesday.

Completely your choice, I'm not sure why your quoting my post though?

RacoonQueen

pajodublin wrote: »

one thing that i do hate in life, SCABS!!!!!!!!!
i'm in the union, i dont like the union after the messed me about a few years back. But even if i wasnt in the union i would never cross a picket..NEVER

Only scabs do that....

If you do cross the picket, prepare for peoples opinion of you to change immediately.....

That's just pathetic. Some of my department aren't in a union and will be crossing the picket line. I won't treat them any differently on Wednesday.

WaltKowalski wrote: »

I'm not allowed to use a days annual leave on a strike day.

Nor are we, which I find really stupid, some people aren't in a union but would still like to strike but can't do so without their union membership. Surely it would be better for them to strike on their own time rather than the hospitals.

dresden8

Degsy wrote: »

No,the govt are the ones holding the country to ransom..they've been criminally stupid in thier mismanagement of the ecnomy..they stuffed this notion of a "property ladder" down people's throats and made sure they were mortaged to the oxters when all this crap went down..anybody in the public service would have already been hit by the pension levy AND the income levy and the clowns in govt want to hit them further?
The unions are the only people who can mobilise some defiance to this victimisation of ordinary working people with bills to pay and mouths to feed.
They public sector wage bill isnt bleeding the country white..its the govt's commitment to NAMA and the bailing out of banks and proerty developers.
Personally i dont agree with striking,i think a better solution would be to burn down leinster house and puta bullet in the head of every fianna failer in this country.

Testify!

drkpower

pajodublin wrote: »

NO MATTER WHAT, I WOULD NEVER CROSS A PICKET..
i was brought up that way...
Even when argos were striking a few years back. the workers were outside as i was about to walk in, seen they were striking and thought better of it...

You were brought up to blindly support something that you vehemently disagree with? Your parents were wonderful people, Im sure.

If the Argos workers were striking to reinstate one of their employees who was sacked for downloading child pornography, would you respect the picket??

Degsy

One thing the social partners have been campaigning for for years is a third tax band for people earning over 100k a year..will the govt introduce it?Will they ****..its the rich that this govt have been seeking to insulate from this recession while they quite happily rape ordinary workers and get them to blame each other...Fianna Fail are a cabal who look after thier cronies while the rest of the country rots.

Bandit12

Degsy wrote: »

One thing the social partners have been campaigning for for years is a third tax band for people earning over 100k a year..will the govt introduce it?Will they ****..its the rich that this govt have been seeking to insulate from this recession while they quite happily rape ordinary workers and get them to blame each other...Fianna Fail are a cabal who look after thier cronies while the rest of the country rots.

And this is news to some people?

Dyr

Bandit12 wrote: »

And this is news to some people?

Look at the last two election results, no shortage of people who were too thick to figure it out. They're probably the same f**wits who are now moaning about the recession when they were only too happy to elect corner boys like ahern and cowen back then

Luap

Are the teachers going on strike on Tuesday or what?

RacoonQueen

Maloney_o9 wrote: »

Are the teachers going on strike on Tuesday or what?

Yes.

mad m

Maloney_o9 wrote: »

Are the teachers going on strike on Tuesday or what?

Yes....

Luap

Then why have I heard that floods or something wil stop them from going on strike

mad m

My wife is picketing from 8-10am, my mother is more or less the same. Then she is in work, doing emergency cover because its a childrens hospital. She will be there till someone relieves her and that will probably be around 4-5pm. She will not be paid.

She doesn't mind actually but knows it has to be done...

mad m

Maloney_o9 wrote: »

Then why have I heard that floods or something wil stop them from going on strike

Thats only in Galway,clare,cork and its only applied to staff who work outside helping with the emergency..The rest will still strike...

Luap

mad m wrote: »

Thats only in Galway,clare,cork and its only applied to staff who work outside helping with the emergency..The rest will still strike...

But I thought that every public sector worker wants to strike on the one day together to make it serious if thats the way I should put it?

magicianz

mad m wrote: »

Thats only in Galway,clare,cork and its only applied to staff who work outside helping with the emergency..The rest will still strike...

But teachers are still on strike right?

mad m

Maloney_o9 wrote: »

But I thought that every public sector worker wants to strike on the one day together to make it serious if thats the way I should put it?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1122/weather.html