Croke Park II? (119)

The public sector Unions and government have sat down to start trashing out a deal for a new agreement. It is rumoured the government are looking for pay cuts for higher grades, to working longer hours for the same pay, to reductions in premium pay.

Rosters, increments, more flexible redeployment, and performance based contracts for management grades are also to be discussed.

Personally I cant see much wrong with that. We all know the high earners in the public service earn too much and the fact some people work a week as short as 32 hours is wrong. All the government want is for people to do a 40 hour week like the private sector and bring the pay of high earners in line with the private sector.

I cant believe they have not asked for a reduction in the large pensions and this golden handshake crap when you're leaving!

But as usual the high earning union men are saying its too much to give.

Very few public servants earn the type of monopoly money being mentioned in the media. The bulk of us earn an average enough wage. By the time all my deductions are taken off my wages and rent and bills are taken into account, I have about €250 a week to live on. Not quite breadline but hardly villa in Spain territory either is it?

My increment every year is worth about a tenner a week to me in real terms, I fail to see how stopping our increments will substantially reduce the wage bill. It is things like the special allowances that the top guys get and the ridiculous notion of severance pay for TDs who lose their seats that really does the damage, but as per usual these guys will not bear the brunt of the pain it is the average Joes and Janes who will suffer.

There was a Labour TD on TV last night and he claimed they were not looking to hit anyone on under 40k a year so I think you should be alright. According to a recent report our Public Sector are the second highest paid in the EU apart from Greece. Spain and Italy are just behind us. I think that tells a story on it's own.

Do you not think it's fair to ask someone to work a full 40 hour week for their money and that we get rid of golden handshakes and HIGH Earners take a hit on their wages?

I'm not going to shed a tear for high earners, but the reality is the last time there was a pay cut it was lower earners who were hit disproportionately, I don't trust the government not to do the same this time. Not sure what you mean by golden handshakes. Your pension is an entitlement that you pay for, so if that's what you mean, I don't see your point.

Well the Huge pensions some High earners are walking away with is just wrong. But thats another story. I am talking about the years wages people get when they retire. No job in the private sector does that. Grand your pension is due but why give someone a whole years salary when retiring or leaving?

The high earners have to be pulled in in the public service. There are people earning huge money for stress free jobs basically doing a 32 hour week. I think in these times if the unions fight trying to keep a lower working week than 40 hours they are totally wrong. Also there are reports than in some cases 2 people are doing the job of one person and because they cant target redunduncies they have no power to change that. That's just wrong. Savings need to be made across the board and people need to step up...work their 40 hour week and realise the free ride has ended.

When Germany had money problems in the mid 90's the whole public sector voted to go on a 3 day week rather than let people lose their jobs.

It's quite simple, private companies are designed to generate profit, so private companies employment policies are based on maximising profit. The public service is there to provide a service, trying to judge the public sector by Private sector standards is nothing short of absurd.

Ah no I was thinking more Michael O Leary!