SIPTU organises "Shop North" protest

MysticalRain

This must be the Union's equivalent of a banzai charge. I can't see it working out too well for them.

starbelgrade

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Oh dear. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. I live in Sligo & know for a fact that the cost difference on a lot of food shopping items is negated by 4 factors -

1. The cost of sterling (not HUGE, but €1 does not equal £1)
2. The cost of petrol
3. The price drop of food items in the likes of Tesco (sometimes a bit more expensive, sometimes similar & sometimes a little bit less).
4. Eniskillen shops are not stupid & have adjusted theri prices upwards in the last 18 months. Call it the southern tax.

Ok, so a 38 inch TV may be a good bit cheaper, but good luck with getting that onto a bus & if it ever breaks down, factor in the cost of dropping it back to the shop, driving home, then doing the round trip to pick it up again.

SeanW

Why don't they just have another strike? There were no shortage of public servants going North to stock up on booze and flat screen TVs that day ...

waitingforBB

posted:
To:sligo, genpres, fconnolly


Sirs,
Hoping there is no truth in this.

http://www.sligoweekender.ie/news/story/?trs=mhsngbmhkf&cat=news

Its idiotic, simplistic and rabble rousing.
I really dont think this is the right approach and shows very bad leadership
Regards,

Nody

I honestly think Christmas is coming early this year; no matter how much you argue no one can make the Unions look less relevant then themselves through their actions. I'll have to seriously considering signing up to them in Sligo simply to encourage them to continue being this stupid as it will be the fastest way to neuter them once and for all.

Xcellor

To describe this "plan" as idiotic would be too kind.

Riskymove

It is a completely idiotic idea, but symptomatic of the limited imagination of the PS Union leaders at present in trying to formulate any strategy

however, I would ask if people really think that vast numbers of residents in the border areas are not already shopping over the border (both private and public sector)?

the failure to see the connection between jobs and where you shop etc seems to be fairly widespread

Count Dooku

Sounds like a good reason fro retail businesses to stop paying taxes and do as much as possible for cash to minimize VAT and salary taxes
If PS unions leaders want a war, they must get it
I don’t see other way to describe to them that they are idiots, that VAT from overpriced retailers used to pay high salaries in public sector

murphaph

Riskymove wrote: »

It is a completely idiotic idea, but symptomatic of the limited imagination of the PS Union leaders at present in trying to formulate any strategy

however, I would ask if people really think that vast numbers of residents in the border areas are not already shopping over the border (both private and public sector)?

the failure to see the connection between jobs and where you shop etc seems to be fairly widespread

Absolutely true I'm sure, but a union which hails itself as the defender of jobs advocating the abandoning of such private sector employees just because the government, erm, governed for the first time in 20 years is a bit different.

murphaph

Dear Sir,
If what I read in the Sligo Weekender is true (your intention to bus loads of public sector workers into Northern Ireland to spend their wages there) then you are even more stupid than I thought.

Quite unbelievable. How much are you paid again Jack?

Regards,

gurramok

RGS wrote:

However can all those on this forum put hand on heart and state that they have never in the last 12 months crossed the border buying drink and groceries.

Count me out. Going tomorrow for 3rd time in 3 weeks. And I will still continue to go until i see value for money down here.

Riskymove wrote: »

the failure to see the connection between jobs and where you shop etc seems to be fairly widespread

You better look out who are resurfacing the roads these days in the south, hint is that they have yellow reg vehicles.

CityCentreMan

Sent:17 December 2009 10:45:50To: joe@rte.ie
Joe,
You have to check out this story in the Sligo Weekender. This is nearly as good as the Unions 12 Days Unpaid Proposal

SIPTU organises "Shop North" protest
SIPTU is organising a bus to take public servants shopping in the North:

Quote:
A PROPOSED "shop North" protest by public sector workers in reaction to pay cuts imposed in last week’s Budget is to go ahead despite being branded as "irresponsible" by a Sligo retailers group.

Trade union SIPTU is organising a bus to Enniskillen this week in a "you hurt us we will hurt you" response to the pay reductions imposed by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan.

Sligo SIPTU organiser John McCarrick said last Thursday that union members will go to Enniskillen to shop and will post their receipts from their purchases in Northern Ireland to the Minister for Finance to express their anger over the way in which their pay had been cut.

He said Mr Lenihan’s cuts "would backfire on him" as more public sector workers would now shop in the North in protest.

However, McCarrick’s comments provoked an angry reaction from the recently formed Fair Dealers campaign, which has been trying to encourage people to shop in Sligo rather than going across the border.

Phelim O’Neill, founder of the campaign, said that he was shocked that a trade union representative would condone such a move. He said he found Mr McCarrick’s call "ill-advised, poorly thought-out and irresponsible".

How can we take these guys seriously when they are intent on ruining the economy for everyone!

SIPTU Sligo lists amongst it's major local employers the "Connacht Gold Coop" which employs 550 people in the north West Region, many in retail positions. I wonder how these people feel about their jobs being jeopardised by SIPTU's actions!

Regards

BrianD3

While I am against an organised campaign of cross border shopping, I would be in favour of public servants boycotting ISME businesses in favour of non ISME business (if ISME members could be identified)

Funny how in all the screaming about the union protests, nobody says anything about ISME's outrageous threat to stop paying taxes if they didn't get their way in the budget. Funny how the unions need to be "smashed" for attempting to protest in legal manner, yet when another vested interest group proposes an illegal, outrageous tactic to bully the government into cutting public pay, nobody says anything aginst it or says that they need to be smashed.

Count Dooku

BrianD3 wrote: »

While I am against an organised campaign of cross border shopping, I would be in favour of public servants boycotting ISME businesses in favour of non ISME business (if ISME members could be identified)

Funny how in all the screaming about the union protests, nobody says anything about ISME's outrageous threat to stop paying taxes if they didn't get their way in the budget. Funny how the unions need to be "smashed" for attempting to protest in legal manner, yet when another vested interest group proposes an illegal, outrageous tactic to bully the government into cutting public pay, nobody says anything aginst it or says that they need to be smashed.

It will be interesting to see, who will win in situation, when ISME businesses will stop pay taxes and public servants will boycott them as revenge.

I think that as soon tax take will fall, nobody will not buy state bonds anymore, state will became bankrupt and PS payroll bill will have to be smashed by 70%
Do you really want this war?

murphaph

BrianD3 wrote: »

Funny how in all the screaming about the union protests, nobody says anything about ISME's outrageous threat to stop paying taxes if they didn't get their way in the budget. Funny how the unions need to be "smashed" for attempting to protest in legal manner, yet when another vested interest group proposes an illegal, outrageous tactic to bully the government into cutting public pay, nobody says anything aginst it or says that they need to be smashed.

I said something. I said it was a good idea. The private sector as the paymasters of the economy, are sick of being abused and used as wages generators for an overpaid public service. The public servants had no shame in withholding their labour, so why should small struggling firms have any shame withholding the public servants wages?!

amacachi

Again to me this just shows how little interest the higher-ups in the unions have in actually protecting their workers. They seem only to be interested in making political points, hence why despite representing more private than public sector workers they're "protecting" the public sector more so as to "get at" the government. If I were a member of SIPTU working in the border regions in retail I'd not be leaving them, why do that when you can stay in and vote against every idiotic thing they propse from now on?

Flex

murphaph wrote: »

I said something. I said it was a good idea. The private sector as the paymasters of the economy, are sick of being abused and used as wages generators for an overpaid public service. The public servants had no shame in withholding their labour, so why should small struggling firms have any shame withholding the public servants wages?!

Because the public sector are ENTITLED to that, of course :rolleyes:

bangersandmash

It looks like this story wasn't reported anywhere else apart from the Sligo Weekender article and oceanfm.ie last week. I'm guessing this hair-brained idea isn't gaining a lot of traction. Bit of a non-event really.

P. Breathnach

bangersandmash wrote: »

It looks like this story wasn't reported anywhere else apart from the Sligo Weekender article and oceanfm.ie last week. I'm guessing this hair-brained idea isn't gaining a lot of traction. Bit of a non-event really.

It also looks to me as if this is a solo run by one individual. Has there been any indication that the union endorses it?

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

gandalf

Well they have only read my email a few minutes ago so no reply yet. The ICTU have already replied saying its for SIPTU to reply to

P. Breathnach

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Yes. Have you seen any indication that the union endorses the action?

If we followed your way of approaching things, the entire Garda force would be condemned because of the shenanigans of a few individuals in your own county.

Bottle_of_Smoke

God I'm so annoyed at my face. My nose is in for it.

To:sligo@siptu.ie
Cc:
Bcc:
Add Cc | Add Bcc
Subject:Enniskillen shopping protest


"you hurt us we will hurt you" - getting your ideas from the Ulster Volunteer Force now? Perhaps you can have a few jars with them in Enniskillen after the shopping.

You utter fools.

gandalf

The thing is if I was a Private Sector Member or a Public Sector Member of SIPTU I would be extremely annoyed at the way they are acting if this is endorsed by head office.

If its a solo run by a branch leader then it begs the question what kind of discipline is there within the union ranks and what hair brained idea will one of the faithful run with next?

Idbatterim

Ah the old you hurt us we hurt you! by them taking more money out of the country, they are first going to hit the private sector and ergo themselves a few months down the line, hopefully in December again! the biggest crisis actually facing this country now and going foward is the unions!

Idbatterim

I was reading a good article in the SINDO the other day, basicly saying how the Government effectively acts as a referee between all the different sectors of society, ie. unemployed, private sector workers, public sector workers etc. Its not as if the PS unions werent there that they would be all in for a hiding! far from it! I just think that with the amount of legislation and emploee rights these days, the are actually causing serious damage to the entire country and ergo themselves! Especially when the Government here IS so concernred with fairness and not upsetting the apple cart! If I were in a PS union I would withdraw immediately, they only have power because their members allow them it and it has now been establisehd that alot of their members dont agree with their actions! So you know what to do dont you?

P. Breathnach

gandalf wrote: »

The thing is if I was a Private Sector Member or a Public Sector Member of SIPTU I would be extremely annoyed at the way they are acting if this is endorsed by head office.

As would I. It is an inappropriate action.

If its a solo run by a branch leader then it begs the question what kind of discipline is there within the union ranks and what hair brained idea will one of the faithful run with next?

I am interested in hearing what SIPTU head office has to say. While the piece in the Sligo Weekender said that SIPTU was organising it, I wonder if it is truly a trade union action, or the action of an individual who also holds a position in the union.

I would like clarification.

Idbatterim

Count Dooku in relation to your post about minimizing taxes. Here is an example I am self employed and have capped my pay at 35k, meaning I pay 20%! there is absolutely no point in paying the higher rate of tax, over 50% now correct? I reckon the taxes from the so called high earners are already so ridiculous why bother making any extra effort, just to pay over 50% to the Government and have them waste 100% of it? NO THANKS! Cut PS pay even more and actually make it worth the Private Sectors time to work!

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

gandalf

Forwarded the original mail onto Jack and Head Office as Sligo haven't responded.

Jack O'Connor
SIPTU General Email

As I haven't heard back from your Sligo branch I am wondering if this action is
sanctioned and supported by SIPTU as an organisation or has the Sligo branch lost its
discipline and decided to bat off its own set of rules?

Regards,

.