Crazy electrical unions

Scawgeen

Jip wrote: »

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.

I'm glad someone else heard the 'brother' bit I thought I was hearing things.

gflood

Unions are a fu**ing scourge to this country. What will happen is that companies and contractors will get in contract electricians and then keep those and say goodbye to the current ones. And its their own fault.

AdamusAdonis

mickoneill30 wrote: »

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

Hells yeah, tired of hearing about ridiculous strikes.

dub_skav

Electricians were not hit as badly by the construction collapse as builders / brickies. They do most of their work on large projects and industrial work.

They were promised a pay-rise which they did not get. They are now being asked to take a pay cut. Their (not unreasonable) position was to call it quits and leave things as they are. Employers refused.

I have no problem with them feeling hard done by.
What I do have a problem with is people crying and wailing "But there's a recession on". This seems to justify very profitable employers fucking the workers over with paycuts, redundancies and worse conditions.

I realise that some companies need to take drastic measures, but huge numbers are just saying "Well they're getting away with it, why don't we try".

The mentality that we should be happy to have ajob and take whatever **** they dish out is very naive in my opinion.

ixoy

Companies are chopping works left, right, and centre due to high costs and these guys want to increase their costs and thus, in turn, push other businesses further to the brink and reduce the potential for the electricians to get further work?

Even the Underpant Gnomes had a better business plan than this.

Spudmonkey

ixoy wrote: »

Even the Underpant Gnomes had a better business plan than this.

1. Steal Underpants
2. ???
3. Profit

turgon

Im sure the electricians were more than happy to take a pay rise during the good times, its a pity their too damn arrogant to have a consistent position.

dub_skav

turgon wrote: »

Im sure the electricians were more than happy to take a pay rise during the good times, its a pity their too damn arrogant to have a consistent position.

They would have been more than happy, but it was withheld

big b

I was wiring a plug & put all 3 cables into the live terminal.

now that was a crazy electrical union.

The_Conductor

Let me get this straight ontop of their regular pay (of around EUR20 an hour -electricians get:

- Travel time (I take it this is paid time to travel to their different jobs)
- Overtime
- Shift rates
- Subsistence
- Mileage
- Other (as may be determined on a per job basis)

and many forms of remuneration and they're still bitching?

K-9

smccarrick wrote: »

Let me get this straight ontop of their regular pay (of around EUR20 an hour -electricians get:

- Travel time (I take it this is paid time to travel to their different jobs)
- Overtime
- Shift rates
- Subsistence
- Mileage
- Other (as may be determined on a per job basis)

and many forms of remuneration and they're still bitching?

That's just minimum wages too.

General Zod

They were promised a pay rise. It was withheld from then, despite being court mandated. since 2006.

Now they are being asked to take a 10% pay cut.

How are people misunderstanding this position?

well horse

I hope these greedy arseholes dont get the rise they're after.
In fact, they could do with taking another cut.
SMEs around the country are struggling to keep on their workers and make ends meet and these greedy, selfish people think they can bully their way into getting a pay rise with little regard for the increased energy costs that would be placed on the SMEs.

What was going on in 2006 has no bearings in what should be happening now.

SEPT 23 1989

i hope other workers on sites who realise they are lucky enough to have jobs pass the picket

General Zod

well horse wrote: »

What was going on in 2006 has no bearings in what should be happening now.

If you were withheld a raise for 3 years and then were asked to take 10% cut instead, you'd accept it? I know things aren't great but that doesn't mean employers can ride roughshod over their employees.

mickoneill30

General Zod wrote: »

If you were withheld a raise for 3 years and then were asked to take 10% cut instead, you'd accept it? I know things aren't great but that doesn't mean employers can ride roughshod over their employees.

If it was agreed then it should be paid. Will the unions go on strike if a lot of electricians are let go because of the increased wages?

General Zod

the unions would be happy to forgo the raise in exchange for no 10% cut. Is that unreasonable?

Lockstep

General Zod wrote: »

They were promised a pay rise. It was withheld from then, despite being court mandated. since 2006.

Now they are being asked to take a 10% pay cut.

How are people misunderstanding this position?

BEat me to it.

There is a recession on and there is a general consensus that belts need to be tightened. However, it seems that anytime any objections are raised to conditions/pay there are cries of "you're damn lucky to have a job."

mickoneill30

General Zod wrote: »

the unions would be happy to forgo the raise in exchange for no 10% cut. Is that unreasonable?

I've no idea. If the businesses employing electricians are making profit then I suppose it is unreasonable to ask for a cut. If they're not then I'd say it's reasonable.

Are the businesses profitable?

Morlar

IvySlayer wrote: »

It's absolutely shocking.

Jesus, I just got that one now.

dotsman

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?

Are they your fake boobs They're pretty nice (but fake-looking)

On Topic. They are paid very well - too well. I empathise with their dissapointment about not getting their promised pay rise, but guess what, I didn't either. Instead I got a pay-cut. Am I happy? Not really? Am I bitching about it? No. Am I going to go on strike and fcuk up an already fckued up situation. Hell no! I have intelligence, humility and a realistic appreciation of the current economic climate.

bonzos

The likes of the TEEU are only interested in collecting money from members every week...they are a total disgrace and do not represent the ordinary spark who wants to put food on the table and keep a roof over his families head. A lot of the guys who involved in the union in a big way are useless workshy [EMAIL="w@nkers"]w@nkers[/EMAIL] who want to be well protected when questioned about their own quality of work!

thebman

General Zod wrote: »

They were promised a pay rise. It was withheld from then, despite being court mandated. since 2006.

Now they are being asked to take a 10% pay cut.

How are people misunderstanding this position?

Yeah I was already to yell **** but the above makes it seem like they have been very reasonable with employers that are just trying to take the piss.

I think most people posting here probably haven't even read the thread and I think union spokespeople generally make disputes look worse for their members in almost every situation.

irish_bob

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

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

+1 times 10,000 , still her grilling of this union head was undercooked compared to the roasting matt cooper gave him this evening , everyone knows RTE has a soft spot and then some for unions

ps

in my area for the last 10 years , any time the leaving cert results came out , being a small town , you would hear how people done , the next thing you would hear is , joe or jim or conor is getting an apprentice as a sparky , seriously , every second young fella when finished school chose this profession where i live , i woud wager they make up the bulk of proffesions on the dole right now and after this nonesene , thier will be another few signing on

stackerman

kickoutthejams wrote: »

BEat me to it.

"you're damn lucky to have a job."

Because you are !

Whiskey Devil

They are basically looking for a freeze on current conditions so they don't end up in a situation where they're forced into taking huge pay cuts. Good luck to them.

The Al Lad

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.

We were due a rise last year and the year before,

We never got it, so basically we are down 4k a year without it,

Then they wanted qualified electricians to take a 10% pay cut

4th year apprentices to take a 30% pay cut

3rd years to take 20% pay cut

and so on and so on

Wertz wrote: »

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...

Do you not think we tried this ??? We have been in court countless times recently and it was approved that employers LEGALLY had to give us our rise...

Employers said, if we have to give you the rise we will not be able to afford to stay afflat and there fore have to let you all go, so here's your rise and here's your P45

mickoneill30 wrote: »

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

And this is more than likely what will happen

Wertz

The Al Lad wrote: »

Do you not think we tried this ??? We have been in court countless times recently and it was approved that employers LEGALLY had to give us our rise...

Employers said, if we have to give you the rise we will not be able to afford to stay afflat and there fore have to let you all go, so here's your rise and here's your P45

Okay so you've tried this and it's not worked...those pay awards were made during the end of the boom, back when we were all supposedly making money hand over fist...the time to be striking and kicking up a fuss about the money you were legally owed was back when there was money to pay you with...I know, I know, some people decided to drag the sh*te out of it and tie it up in labour court time to try and defer the payments....then this recession bit and now it's a different financial landscape.
People who had shares in banks or pension funds tied to stock prices are after getting owned by the turn in events...similarly anyone that bought a house in the last 3 yrs...people like you and your union are going to have to see that you've been caught in the storm and may well have ot take the hit : ie no extra money or no job.
Those are the breaks. Striking may be the only way you guys see out of this...you seek the attention and support of the public....but seem unaware that the landscape has changed so much that your claims (legitimate or not) fly in the face of an awful lot of people out there who have suffered in other ways due to the downturn; they may see your union's actions as greedy and unrealistic.

Do you think I enjoy working for substantially less than what I did this time 18 months back? Do you think anyone else who has had to take a hit wanted to?
Sorry but IMO half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.

The Al Lad

Wertz wrote: »

Okay so you've tried this and it's not worked...those pay awards were made during the end of the boom, back when we were all supposedly making money hand over fist...the time to be striking and kicking up a fuss about the money you were legally owed was back when there was money to pay you with...I know, I know, some people decided to drag the sh*te out of it and tie it up in labour court time to try and defer the payments....then this recession bit and now it's a different financial landscape.
People who had shares in banks or pension funds tied to stock prices are after getting owned by the turn in events...similarly anyone that bought a house in the last 3 yrs...people like you and your union are going to have to see that you've been caught in the storm and may well have ot take the hit : ie no extra money or no job.
Those are the breaks. Striking may be the only way you guys see out of this...you seek the attention and support of the public....but seem unaware that the landscape has changed so much that your claims (legitimate or not) fly in the face of an awful lot of people out there who have suffered in other ways due to the downturn; they may see your union's actions as greedy and unrealistic.

Do you think I enjoy working for substantially less than what I did this time 18 months back? Do you think anyone else who has had to take a hit wanted to?
Sorry but IMO half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.

Look,

when a job is priced, they say ok that site we are gonna price at €10 Million and that will cover everything from wages to materials for that particular job, so the companies have all this accounted for, now they want us to take a pay cut basically to put more money in their pockets,

they are hungry cnuts basically

also through previous recessions and hard times in the 80's there was never a strike from electricians nor a pay cut

it is just now that employers are becoming more scaby and want us to take a cut in pay

Boggle

Look,

when a job is priced, they say ok that site we are gonna price at €10 Million and that will cover everything from wages to materials for that particular job, so the companies have all this accounted for, now they want us to take a pay cut basically to put more money in their pockets,

they are hungry cnuts basically

also through previous recessions and hard times in the 80's there was never a strike from electricians nor a pay cut

it is just now that employers are becoming more scaby and want us to take a cut in pay

Some employers may be scabby (the big boys on the big contracts) but those are a world away from the small guys bidding for granny's extension and other discretionary projects.

If the price is too high granny simply wont do the extension and there'll be no work. Why do people refuse to see this?


Also, when quoting for new state contracts who will win - the Irish or the Northern Irish (with pay rates much much lower) company??