Crazy electrical unions

Jip · 03-07-2009 8:49am #1

Ayone hear the fruit cake on RTE news this morning ? How out of touch could a designate rep or whatever he is be with the country and economy at the moment ? He said they're going to strike no matter what and picket basically any major facility that would use electricians. Doesn't care about how this will affect anyone who works in those places.

He needs a good kicking to knock some sense into him.

IvySlayer · 03-07-2009 8:56am

It's absolutely shocking.

Wertz · 03-07-2009 9:00am

Jeez I was raging listening to that guy...the intransigence and bombast is almost laughable...if we weren't in the mess we are.
I say that as someone self employed, with none of the perks these guys get and got, who's had to drop my rates by about 20-25% just to make sure I keep steady work on my book. Unlike the union guy I didn't get a pay raise in 2006 (in fact new construction sector pension contributions meant I effectively took a cut)...
I understand these guys feel hard done by...they got their pay rise and employers held on to it (WTF?) but don't they read the papers? The well is dry, people ahve lost jobs and in some cases careers, nevermind incomes or part thereof.
The whole sub infrastructure of the country can be effected by these guys and I can't see how they are gonna win so looks like it's time to stock up on canned goods and batteries...

Nelson Muntz · 03-07-2009 9:01am

On the news last night they said they were looking for a 10% pay increase. WTF? Typical union idiots demanding more money when there is no money.

Wertz · 03-07-2009 9:04am

Nelson Muntz wrote: »

On the news last night they said they were looking for a 10% pay increase. WTF? Typical union idiots demanding more money when there is no money.

They say the reward was already made but that employers and contractors are collecting the increase but have not passed it on...as I said above; WTF? If I got a pay rise legally awarded I'd be making damn sure it was reflected in next months pay packet, not waiting 2+ yrs to get my money...

mickoneill30 · 03-07-2009 9:06am

Simple enough to fix. Give them their 10% pay rise and let 10% of them go.

Jip · 03-07-2009 9:13am

He said that every worker in the country back in 2006/2007 got a pay raise. Waffle, maybe unionised workers or those in the public sector, but I'm pretty sure most people in the private sector only got raises to reflect their performance.

As he's a designate I'm pretty sure he's only doing this to flex his muscles for his members to show how great he is, but he is one person the rest of the country can do without. It's the wrong time to be pulling this crap.

stovelid · 03-07-2009 9:14am

In fairness, Aine Lawlor's Paxman-lite badgering doesn't (ever) help.

The guy was intransigent enough with going all attack-dog and trying to goad him into greater levels of Citzen Smithism, which was obviously her motive.

mike65 · 03-07-2009 9:43am

She was right, that guy need horsewhipping. The number of jobs that these gready bearded commies could put under immidiate threat runs into thousands.

WindSock · 03-07-2009 10:11am

They haven't had a pay rise since 2006, were due one but it never happened, court ruled that they will get it, still didn't happen and on top of that there will be a 10% cut.

Contrary to popular belief, electricians don't get paid as much as plumbers or brickies, even though their work is more dangerouser.

mike65 · 03-07-2009 10:20am

WindSock wrote: »

more dangerouser.

:eek:

They are on 21 an hour which is over 800 a week if working 40 hours and I bet they do.

WindSock · 03-07-2009 10:22am

Here is a copy of their pay now, what they currently get, what they were supposed to get, and what they will get if they have a 10% cut.

They were told they would get a raise and didn't then told they will get a 10% cut instead. Why shouldn't they strike?

mike65 · 03-07-2009 10:27am

I really don't give a fcuk what they think they are due, only that no-one can plausibly pay it in the current (geddit?) circumstances.

stackerman · 03-07-2009 10:36am

Unions dont give a toss about their members, its all bull s..t. They are only into looking after their own cushy jobs. Example -
A friend of a friend (you might have seen it in the papers) is a blocklayer and was out of work for 5/6 mths.
Eventually got an offer of a few mths work and was due to start the following week.
Got a call from his boss to say that he got a call from the union and he could not take him on as he was not a member.
The guy contacted the union to explain that he was a memeber, to which he was told that he had not paid his sub for 6 mths, and so not a member :mad:
He could barely pay his bills but the union couldnt give a ****e ! Only interested in the subs !!!!!
Unions me ARSE

stovelid · 03-07-2009 10:49am

mike65 wrote: »

She was right, that guy need horsewhipping. The number of jobs that these gready bearded commies could put under immidiate threat runs into thousands.

His gruffness and vintage wurker manner did suggest a luxuriant beard, but one can't always be sure.

I don't know the ins and outs of the dispute, and while I accept that everybody is getting shafted, I'm getting tired of the increasing evidence (even amongst my acquaintances) that some employers are attempting to make unnecessary cuts to wages and conditions while masking it with public implorations to 'consider Stephen' and the 'rest of the country'.

WindSock · 03-07-2009 10:51am

mike65 wrote: »

I really don't give a fcuk what they think they are due, only that no-one can plausibly pay it in the current (geddit?) circumstances.

Grand if they don't get their raise, but they definatley shouldn't get a cut without the raise.

Cheeble · 03-07-2009 11:07am

WindSock wrote: »

Here is a copy of their pay now....

A good wage by most non-irish measures. e.g. http://www.sjib.org.uk/documents/2008-2009-2010-Wage-Rates.pdf

hal9000 · 03-07-2009 11:49am

WindSock wrote: »

Here is a copy of their pay now, what they currently get, what they were supposed to get, and what they will get if they have a 10% cut.

They were told they would get a raise and didn't then told they will get a 10% cut instead. Why shouldn't they strike?

Wow I didnt know electricans get weekly boobs(fake)!!

BraziliaNZ · 03-07-2009 11:50am

I love Aine Lawlor's voice, it's so sexy

Darragh29 · 03-07-2009 11:51am

WindSock wrote: »

They haven't had a pay rise since 2006, were due one but it never happened, court ruled that they will get it, still didn't happen and on top of that there will be a 10% cut.

Then they should go back to court and seek an enforcement order.

toiletduck · 03-07-2009 12:05pm

Wertz wrote: »

If I got a pay rise legally awarded I'd be making damn sure it was reflected in next months pay packet, not waiting 2+ yrs to get my money...

Yeah, why have they waited so long?

stovelid · 03-07-2009 1:04pm

toiletduck wrote: »

Yeah, why have they waited so long?

The rise was awarded on a Irish-tradesman's-expected-date-of-showing-up-for-appointments basis.

ronbyrne2005 · 03-07-2009 1:11pm

They get 21 euro an hour. Wages for all trades are falling now as they went excessively high due to the property bubble which was a one off. 21euro an hour is great for a tradesman. Graduates dont get that pay for several years after graduating. Electricians i know all do tax free nixers and have investment properties too. Get real union headbangers, you'll be lucky to be getting 14euro and hour by time this recession is over.

Jip · 03-07-2009 2:32pm

This character Eamon Devoy is on Joe Duffy at the moment, what an arrogant smug, errggh, there's so many things I could describe this person as and not one of them pleasant.

He'll be happy to see the country go down the tube, I'm thinking his ideal scenario is that we all become peasants and live in a communist era state.

bullpost · 03-07-2009 2:40pm

I heard him this morning and to be honest I don't think he really believes what he was saying and that this is really just a way of "Putting it to the Man!".

mike65 · 03-07-2009 2:43pm

He's on liveline right now, if he doesn't have a beard with elbow patches I'll be surprised.

Jip · 03-07-2009 2:48pm

mike65 wrote: »

He's on liveline right now, if he doesn't have a beard with elbow patches I'll be surprised.

Ha Ha Ha

http://www.netskillnet.com/aa_images_netskillnet/eamon_devoy.jpg

SEPT 23 1989 · 03-07-2009 2:48pm

mike65 wrote: »

He's on liveline right now, if he doesn't have a beard with elbow patches I'll be surprised.

he does have a beard

mike65 · 03-07-2009 2:50pm

I knew it! (I didn't know before honest, you really can tell these fellas are from a different geolithic era)

Jip · 03-07-2009 2:54pm

Could he get anymore stereotypical ? He just called another guy who's in his union "brother".

He needs to be consigned to the 70s where his mentality and syle resides.

K-9 · 03-07-2009 3:10pm

I thought there was a recession on and a construction sector collapse.

Must have imagined it all.

"Boss, can I've my 5 day week and 20% pay cut back? While your at it, throw in a 10% pay rise"

Crazy electrical unions

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