Jack O'Connor and austerity

Freddie59 · 24-02-2012 1:58pm #1

Is this chap for real? The Labour Party (who are responsible for implementing the said austerity) is in power and he criticises the ESRI for pointing out the obvious?:rolleyes:

No protest marches then Jack? Typical.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0224/economy.html

In its latest quarterly economic commentary, the ESRI said that while austerity measures are having a damping effect on economic activity, the Government has few policy options to stimulate growth.
SIPTU President Jack O'Connor has criticised the ESRI for its view that austerity is working.

Mr O'Connor said: "How could any rational intelligent or independent economist suggest that austerity is working while simultaneously projecting a further fall in jobs?
"Today's report is a further example of the ESRI's sycophantic subservience to the bankrupt orthodoxy which is ruining the lives of millions of people across Europe."

Just change ESRI to the Labour Party and its about right.:rolleyes:

micropig · 24-02-2012 2:07pm

Jack is the man who knows all about austerity;)

Auvers · 24-02-2012 2:10pm

poor auld jack with his 120k+ salary a year, he must be really suffering

Freddie59 · 24-02-2012 2:12pm

Auvers wrote: »

poor auld jack with his 120k+ salary a year must be really suffering

Jack has the power to pressure the labour Party not to vote in these measures. Why is he not using it?

mikemac1 · 24-02-2012 2:13pm

sycophantic subservience to the bankrupt orthodoxy

Why do union officals speak like this

. Mr O'Connor isn't alone with these lofty phrases

Sure are fond of using ten words when one or two would do

micropig · 24-02-2012 2:13pm

Freddie59 wrote: »

Jack has the power to pressure the labour Party not to vote in these measures. Why is he not using it?

Ah he'll need a bonus for that sort of thing:p

SEPT 23 1989 · 24-02-2012 2:15pm

Maybe if Jack and the rest of his fellow elites drained less money from the public purse with their disgusting bloated wages then maybe there would be less need for such austerity in the country:mad:

Auvers · 24-02-2012 2:15pm

Freddie59 wrote: »

Jack has the power to pressure the labour Party not to vote in these measures. Why is he not using it?

didn't receive enough of these

henryporter · 24-02-2012 2:15pm

micropig wrote: »

Ah he'll need a bonus for that sort of thing:p

He could always dip into the slush fund that SIPTU has

Fishooks12 · 24-02-2012 2:16pm

Freddie59 wrote: »

Jack has the power to pressure the labour Party not to vote in these measures. Why is he not using it?

he does in his hole. The labour party are powerless themselves. They've assumed the same role as the greens did in the last Government

Sacrificing their core party ethos for the approval of the daddy in the coalition

Fishooks12 · 24-02-2012 2:17pm

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Maybe if Jack and the rest of his fellow elites drained less money from the public purse with their disgusting bloated wages then maybe there would be less need for such austerity in the country:mad:

There would. The money that goes toward the wages of elected officials is just a tiny fraction of what we owe sadly n

micropig · 24-02-2012 2:19pm

Auvers wrote: »

didn't receive enough of these

more like a few more of these

Spacedog · 24-02-2012 2:23pm

The ERSI is a semi-state funded organisation and cannot be considered independent for this reason and for their track record of providing an economic buffer of re-assurance to successive government's policies.

Economists in general are no better than fortune tellers or at best primitive meteorologists. they attempt to predict the future based on a limited set of information presently available. So any bias, no matter how small in economic analysis, can dramatically affect the result.

Atilathehun · 24-02-2012 2:32pm

Hundreds of thousands of workers, and their extended families, along with several other hundreds of thousands of unemployed and under privelaged, people in this country, fall asleep each night, safe in the knowledge that Jacko, is standing firm in the "bearna baoil", defending their rights and entitlements.
I forsee a time, when a great statue will be erected in his honour, in the Phoenix Park. Future generations of Irish people, will gather there at every opportunity, to pay homage to this great patriot.

woodoo · 24-02-2012 3:10pm

Leave poor aul Jack alone

Pete M. · 24-02-2012 3:28pm

Spacedog wrote: »

The ERSI is a semi-state funded organisation and cannot be considered independent for this reason and for their track record of providing an economic buffer of re-assurance to successive government's policies.

Economists in general are no better than fortune tellers or at best primitive meteorologists. they attempt to predict the future based on a limited set of information presently available. So any bias, no matter how small in economic analysis, can dramatically affect the result.

Agreed. Even Richard Toll, a recently resigned associate prof with the ERSI has said the same pretty much...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0102/1224309715732.html

blackwhite · 24-02-2012 3:45pm

sycophantic subservience to the bankrupt orthodoxy which is ruining the lives of millions of people across Europe

Whilst Jack has long suffered from sycophnatic subservience to the doctrines of Karl Marx, a failed and bankrupt orthodoxy which resulted in the loss of lives of millions of people across Europe, and the ruination of millions more...... :rolleyes:

Gunmonkey · 24-02-2012 4:51pm

Atilathehun wrote: »

Hundreds of thousands of workers, and their extended families, along with several other hundreds of thousands of unemployed and under privelaged, people in this country, fall asleep each night, safe in the knowledge that Jacko, is standing firm in the "bearna baoil", defending their rights and entitlements.
I forsee a time, when a great statue will be erected in his honour, in the Phoenix Park. Future generations of Irish people, will gather there at every opportunity, to pay homage to this great patriot.

*takes off cloth cap, wipes tear from eye*

Sure isn't he an inspiration to us all.

micropig wrote: »

Ah he'll need a bonus for that sort of thing:p

More like "Eh that wasn't part of me original contract so I will be needing a little top-up of a couple grand per year for this new training and such there boss"

micropig · 24-02-2012 4:55pm

Gunmonkey wrote: »

*takes off cloth cap, wipes tear from eye*

Sure isn't he an inspiration to us all.

More like "Eh that wasn't part of me original contract so I will be needing a little top-up of a couple grand per year for this new training and such there boss"

Is he like the guy who presents the Eurovision in Fr. Ted, one accent in public & another in private?:p

Pay rises all round - A great bunch of lads:D

I vote we change the national anthem somehow to include him

buck65 · 24-02-2012 5:43pm

Unions are cnuts.

Mickey Dazzler · 24-02-2012 5:56pm

I begin to shake with rage when that horrible little cnut starts to talk.

Fcuk you Jack.

nacimroc · 24-02-2012 6:06pm

What Mickey said! Whats all this with Unions stickin their noses into the economy and household charges etc? Unions should Pi$$ off back to bitching and moaning getting civil servants overpaid jobs causing the mess they are bitching about!!

micropig · 24-02-2012 6:08pm

About the English Labour party but may be applicable to our own:D

Sonnenblumen · 24-02-2012 6:30pm

Poor Jack earning c € 200k p.a. would know alot about austerity. Dare say he might even know a bit about union slush funds and misappropriated HSE monies.

Get off the stage Jack.

Sonnenblumen · 24-02-2012 6:32pm

Pete M. wrote: »

Agreed. Even Richard Toll, a recently resigned associate prof with the ERSI has said the same pretty much...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0102/1224309715732.html

Glad he's gone, a complete tulip. He even managed to slag off the country (most unprofessional) before leaving, what an idiot.:(

micropig · 24-02-2012 6:33pm

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Poor Jack earning c € 200k p.a. would know alot about austerity. Dare say he might even know a bit about union slush funds and misappropriated HSE monies.

Get off the stage Jack.

That's €80,000 more than he was earning at the start of this thread:eek::p

Well deserved pay rise for Jacky boy!

Edit: Wage figure at start of thread may not have included payment for the 13th month...;-)

Red Alert · 24-02-2012 7:00pm

No austerity in Jack's "Trophy house" then I guess...

Popeleo · 24-02-2012 7:12pm

Atilathehun wrote: »

Hundreds of thousands of workers, and their extended families, along with several other hundreds of thousands of unemployed and under privelaged, people in this country, fall asleep each night, safe in the knowledge that Jacko, is standing firm in the "bearna baoil", defending their rights and entitlements.

I forsee a time, when a great statue will be erected in his honour, in the Phoenix Park. Future generations of Irish people, will gather there at every opportunity, to pay homage to this great patriot.

Wouldn't it be easier having the statue in Sydney if the majority of our future generations are living in Oz?

gigino · 24-02-2012 9:13pm

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Poor Jack earning c € 200k p.a. would know alot about austerity. Dare say he might even know a bit about union slush funds and misappropriated HSE monies.

Get off the stage Jack.

By being one of the main trade union men responsible for the doubling of public sector wages in the space of ten years in this country, O'Connor will go down in history as the man who cost the country tens of billions of euro. There are a lot of private sector workers who were not on your gravy train O'Connor and who would love to meet you down a dark alley one night.

Zen65 · 24-02-2012 11:01pm

mikemac1 wrote: »

Why do union officals speak like this . Mr O'Connor isn't alone with these lofty phrases

Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness.

A substitute for deep thought & insight!

Zen65 · 24-02-2012 11:08pm

Spacedog wrote: »

Economists in general are no better than fortune tellers or at best primitive meteorologists.

Both fortune tellers and meteorologists are more interesting to listen to. Their art can be considered entertainment. An economist has little to offer by way of entertainment.

Pacifist Pigeon · 24-02-2012 11:11pm

The word "austerity" is highly subjective.

I'd call it a free market intensive if it wasn't for the fact it's being used as a government money saving mechanism to pay off private debt.

Freddie59 · 25-02-2012 12:18am

woodoo wrote: »

Leave poor aul Jack alone

Why?

woodoo · 25-02-2012 12:27am

gigino wrote: »

By being one of the main trade union men responsible for the doubling of public sector wages in the space of ten years in this country, O'Connor will go down in history as the man who cost the country tens of billions of euro. There are a lot of private sector workers who were not on your gravy train O'Connor and who would love to meet you down a dark alley one night.

Show me where public sector wages doubled since 2002.

Social welfare in 2002 - 9.52 billion
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Policy/ResearchSurveysAndStatistics/Pages/2002stats.aspx

Social Welfare bill 2011 - 21 billion.
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/AboutUs/Documents/JOC05102011.pdf

Who can you meet down a dark alley over that gigino?

micropig · 25-02-2012 12:34am

Freddie59 wrote: »

Why?

Jackie is our man, he's doing all he can*

*To the theme tune to val falvey

Doc Ruby · 25-02-2012 1:06am

Pete M. wrote: »

Agreed. Even Richard Toll, a recently resigned associate prof with the ERSI has said the same pretty much...

Thank god he's gone, at best he was a dangerous muppet.

Gunmonkey · 25-02-2012 1:15am

micropig wrote: »

I vote we change the national anthem somehow to include him

How about "Jack O'Connor Jack O'Connor Jaaaaack O'Connnnorrrrr" to the same tune as the current national anthem.

Sure most of us dont even know the existing words anyways

micropig · 25-02-2012 1:20am

Gunmonkey wrote: »

How about "Jack O'Connor Jack O'Connor Jaaaaack O'Connnnorrrrr" to the same tune as the current national anthem.

Sure most of us dont even know the existing words anyways

Well if we're changing it.....Ole, Ole mixed with give it a lash jack is a more catchy tune:D

crafty dodger · 25-02-2012 1:32am

Jack O'Connor ha ha
He popped his head up (out of 'where did all the HSE money go') to give us his version of ' I hear something from a a group of economists and I dont agree with it'
Yeah right Jack
Why dont you stay in Liberty hall when it is demolished?

gigino · 25-02-2012 2:00am

crafty dodger wrote: »

Jack O'Connor ha ha
He popped his head up (out of 'where did all the HSE money go') to give us his version of ' I hear something from a a group of economists and I dont agree with it'
Yeah right Jack
Why dont you stay in Liberty hall when it is demolished?

himself and bertie, they cost the taxpayer ( net contributer to the government ) tens of billions.

For Forks Sake · 25-02-2012 2:20am

Doc Ruby wrote: »

Thank god he's gone, at best he was a dangerous muppet.

Agreed. Decided to toss his toys right out of the pram on his way out the door. Classy.

Freddie59 · 25-02-2012 1:46pm

micropig wrote: »

Jackie is our man, he's doing all he can*

*To the theme tune to val falvey

The word sheeple comes to mind. Jack's being a good boy and not upsetting Happy Gilmore & Co. Amazing how things change, given how vociferous he was when FF were in office.:rolleyes:

mikemac1 · 25-02-2012 1:49pm

gigino wrote: »

By being one of the main trade union men responsible for the doubling of public sector wages in the space of ten years in this country, O'Connor will go down in history as the man who cost the country tens of billions of euro.

There are a lot of private sector workers who were not on your gravy train O'Connor and who would love to meet you down a dark alley one night.

Why bring public/private into it?

SIPTU is mostly a private sector union
They represent some groups like firemen but almost all their members are in the private sector

Your friends who want to meet him down a dark alley are free to get organized and join SIPTU

micropig · 25-02-2012 1:51pm

Freddie59 wrote: »

The word sheeple comes to mind. Jack's being a good boy and not upsetting Happy Gilmore & Co. Amazing how things change, given how vociferous he was when FF were in office.:rolleyes:

nice word, I had to google it, but describes the situation perfectly

All kissing each others as*es to keep on the gravy train:eek::eek::eek:, surely not::D

gigino · 26-02-2012 12:28am

mikemac1 wrote: »

SIPTU is mostly a private sector union

but the unions are mostly effective in the public service. Its why most public servants are union members, and most private sector workers are not. A lot of people who work in the private sector cannot go on strike - people would just shop elsewhere or whatever if they did.
O'Connor and the other union bosses pay themselves 3 and 4 times the average private sector wage. They were responsible for doubling the public sector pay + pensions bill from 9 billion to 18 billion in the space of just 10 years.

queensinead · 26-02-2012 12:50am

gigino wrote: »

but the unions are mostly effective in the public service. Its why most public servants are union members, and most private sector workers are not. A lot of people who work in the private sector cannot go on strike - people would just shop elsewhere or whatever if they did.
O'Connor and the other union bosses pay themselves 3 and 4 times the average private sector wage. They were responsible for doubling the public sector pay + pensions bill from 9 billion to 18 billion in the space of just 10 years.

But Union Leaders are not paid from the public purse, so in that sense unions are "private sector" organisations.

The taxpayer does not pay Jack O'Connor's salary any more than it pays the salary of any overpaid CEO in the private sector.

gigino · 26-02-2012 12:56am

queensinead wrote: »

But Union Leaders are not paid from the public purse.

A lot of their money comes from the overpaid public sector who do get their money from the public purse.

tigger123 · 26-02-2012 1:56am

gigino wrote: »

A lot of their money comes from the overpaid public sector who do get their money from the public purse.

Unions receive contributions from their members, not the members employers.

gigino · 26-02-2012 2:16am

tigger123 wrote: »

Unions receive contributions from their members, not the members employers.

And as one of the German public servants here said to his Irish counterpart (who was paid half as much) :And vere do you think ze public service workers get zeir wages?

woodoo · 26-02-2012 2:17am

tigger123 wrote: »

Unions receive contributions from their members, not the members employers.

Exactly and its the employees choice to pay. Gigino just likes to drone on about the public sector and the big bad unions.

gigino · 26-02-2012 2:22am

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Poor Jack earning c € 200k p.a. would know alot about austerity. Dare say he might even know a bit about union slush funds and misappropriated HSE monies.

Get off the stage Jack.

+1, and well said. Lets drone on about Jack O'Connor instead, woodoo's hero.

Maybe you ARE Jack O'C. I cannot see many other people supporting him. Him + Ahern were cosy "social partners" of the bubble and feathered their nests accordingly.

Jack O'Connor and austerity

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