Public Service Strike Thread

ecom

Anyone know how much the country will be saving by not paying the wages of the strikers next week?

Might be worthwhile them going on strike a few times a year. May not need any pay cuts then!

Jesus Wept

They don't get paid when they strike?

ecom

well in other Industries people losa a days pay for every day they strike. I presume its the same in the public sector

Dartz

Public servants will stop working...

.... And nobody will notice any difference.

Zulu

I was under the impression that the first thing discussed and agreed on was the issue of back pay?

Caoimhín

The-Rigger wrote: »

They don't get paid when they strike?

No. Jaysus if they did get paid to strike that would be the last fecking straw, there would be blood on the streets.

Hells Belle

Dartz wrote: »

Public servants will stop working...

.... And nobody will notice any difference.

I will, I have to take a days holidays (out of my measley 20 - not 150 like teachers get) to look after the childers. I was hoping to save it for a shopping or hangover day before Christmas, fair enough if they want to protest, thats their right, but do it on a bloody Saturday. Its the taxi protests all over again, but instead using our children as pawns.

Teachers if I could use the language to describe how I feel I want to I'd be banned. Wasters.

Mossy Monk

I sometimes wish that the the IMF would come in and sort them out. They wont know what hit them.

faceman

It's almost like a form of social terrorism. Without the guns

Buceph

I'm in UCC. A couple of lectures, up until today have said that they'll be breaking the strike and coming in for lectures on Tuesday anyway. Good on them. But what happens then? The security guards are going on sympathy strike so the whole place will be shut down.

pajodublin

Zulu wrote: »

I was under the impression that the first thing discussed and agreed on was the issue of back pay?

well your impression is wrong...
Completely ridiculous statement....

If its done on a saturday it wont be noticed
People like yourselves have been taken in by the media perception of the public service.
You need to take a step back and look at it for what it really is.
the front line staff who are on little more than the minimum wage are getting further reductions
Income Levy, which everyone has to pay
Pension levy, which is a ridiculous name as even temp workers pay this even though they dont have a pension to pay into..
and now further reductions in pay, it will nearly wont be worthwhile working
Before you share your tabloid views be sure to check the facts first

Degsy

Mossy Monk wrote: »

I sometimes wish that the the IMF would come in and sort them out. They wont know what hit them.

Sort out the dole scroungers while they're at it.

Hells Belle

pajodublin wrote: »

well your impression is wrong...
Completely ridiculous statement....

If its done on a saturday it wont be noticed
People like yourselves have been taken in by the media perception of the public service.
You need to take a step back and look at it for what it really is.
the front line staff who are on little more than the minimum wage are getting further reductions
Income Levy, which everyone has to pay
Pension levy, which is a ridiculous name as even temp workers pay this even though they dont have a pension to pay into..
and now further reductions in pay, it will nearly wont be worthwhile working
Before you share your tabloid views be sure to check the facts first

Why won't it be noticed? I don't see how holding our children/students to ransom is going to do anything for their cause. They can get their message across and not alienate the parents of Ireland who incedently pay their wages by paying taxes by taking to the streets on a Saturday. Hell parents might even join them. I'm not anti public service at all I think most of them do a great job but when it comes to my childrens education I'm like most mums, I want them to actually GET ONE.

Nurses, Gardai, any Emergency Services fair enough they get hammered day in day out saving lives but feckin teachers and lecturers, you don't see them saving lives on Christmas day or a weekend day or any day during the 2-3 months during summer!!! I've taken a paycut and 2 other peoples jobs and I'm not out on the street cause I know it has to be done to get this business back to making money, SOME of the public service don't seem to grasp that.

pajodublin

Hells Belle wrote: »

Why won't it be noticed? I don't see how holding our children/students to ransom is going to do anything for their cause. They can get their message across and not alienate the parents of Ireland who incedently pay their wages by paying taxes by taking to the streets on a Saturday. Hell parents might even join them. I'm not anti public service at all I think most of them do a great job but when it comes to my childrens education I'm like most mums, I want them to actually GET ONE.

Nurses, Gardai, any Emergency Services fair enough they get hammered day in day out saving lives but feckin teachers and lecturers, you don't see them saving lives on Christmas day or a weekend day or any day during the 2-3 months during summer!!! I've taken a paycut and 2 other peoples jobs and I'm not out on the street cause I know it has to be done to get this business back to making money, SOME of the public service don't seem to grasp that.

first of all, the whole point of the strike is to put pressure on the government to not cut the already decreased wages of public servants
The government wouldn't bat an eyelid if this was done on a Saturday as it wouldn't affect services on a whole.
I'm sorry that it hampers parents but this is a necessary evil.

People are under the impression that there has not been job losses in the Public Service. I am a civil servant and several colleagues have left departments and their positions have not been filled, therefore more work for the remaining staff, just like yourself.

100% of public servants have taken pay cuts and further pay cuts and now biffo and pals want to cut us again.
I'm not against reducing the public spending. As its obvious it needs to be done to rescue the country from our current predicament.
But the majority of the cuts has been disproportionate in the lower paid staff, some of which are now on the breadline and could possibly be better off on the dole.
I could on and give you more examples on how the previous cuts have hampered public servants but i could be here all day...

granturismo

Buceph wrote: »

I'm in UCC. A couple of lectures, up until today have said that they'll be breaking the strike and coming in for lectures on Tuesday anyway. ..The security guards are going on sympathy strike so the whole place will be shut down.

Those lecturers probably arent in a union (IFUT) and therefore have to attend lectures as the universities are open for business as normal. Non attendance without a medical cert, previously arranged leave or a preexisitng agreement to work at home/off campus will result in a loss of the days pay.

The security guards and all other sections of staff are not going out in sympathy, they have voted for strike action as members of a seperate union (SIPTU).

Hells Belle

pajodublin wrote: »

first of all, the whole point of the strike is to put pressure on the government to not cut the already decreased wages of public servants
The government wouldn't bat an eyelid if this was done on a Saturday as it wouldn't affect services on a whole.
I'm sorry that it hampers parents but this is a necessary evil.

People are under the impression that there has not been job losses in the Public Service. I am a civil servant and several colleagues have left departments and their positions have not been filled, therefore more work for the remaining staff, just like yourself.

100% of public servants have taken pay cuts and further pay cuts and now biffo and pals want to cut us again.
I'm not against reducing the public spending. As its obvious it needs to be done to rescue the country from our current predicament.
But the majority of the cuts has been disproportionate in the lower paid staff, some of which are now on the breadline and could possibly be better off on the dole.
I could on and give you more examples on how the previous cuts have hampered public servants but i could be here all day...

No its not, this method is choosen to cause maximum chaos to the ordinary worker who had no part in making this crisis and have no part in fixing it either. I never said there hasn't been job losses in the PS - we are semi state and 3/4 of our staff have or are being made redundant. We are not out protesting but we are taking our paycuts, short working weeks, all overtime is gone, milage has been halved etc so the few lucky ones of us left are doing the jobs of the people who have lost theirs for NO EXTRA and we don't expect it either. When tax and the rest of the levies are taken out most of us would be better off on the dole as well but we choose to get this country out of this recession rather than making it worse. Again I'm not against protesting but do it in your own bloody time, not mine.

Degsy

Can we put a stop to these Public service threads..they're getting nobody anywhere.

pajodublin

Hells Belle wrote: »

No its not, this method is choosen to cause maximum chaos to the ordinary worker who had no part in making this crisis and have no part in fixing it either. I never said there hasn't been job losses in the PS - we are semi state and 3/4 of our staff have or are being made redundant. We are not out protesting but we are taking our paycuts, short working weeks, all overtime is gone, milage has been halved etc so the few lucky ones of us left are doing the jobs of the people who have lost theirs for NO EXTRA and we don't expect it either. When tax and the rest of the levies are taken out most of us would be better off on the dole as well but we choose to get this country out of this recession rather than making it worse. Again I'm not against protesting but do it in your own bloody time, not mine.

but do you understand that the government wont take a blind bit of notice if it doesnt affect "their people". As i said already doing it on a saturday will not dent public services. This is what needs to be done to show them we are not gonna lie down and take it.

I'm not a teacher so i cant speak for them.
But 1 thing i will say. Expect to take a few more days off in the coming months to look after the kids... It doesnt end on 24th November.

Royal Seahawk

Dartz wrote: »

Public servants will stop working...

.... And nobody will notice any difference.

You won't be saying that if on that day your house catches fire, or if you have a family member involved in a car accident.

granturismo

Royal Seahawk wrote: »

You won't be saying that if on that day your house catches fire, or if you have a family member involved in a car accident.

Emergency services are providing the same cover as christmas day

Pdfile

Caoimhín wrote: »

No. Jaysus if they did get paid to strike that would be the last fecking straw, there would be blood on the streets.

only when college students strike that happens

Hells Belle

pajodublin wrote: »

but do you understand that the government wont take a blind bit of notice if it doesnt affect "their people". As i said already doing it on a saturday will not dent public services. This is what needs to be done to show them we are not gonna lie down and take it.

I'm not a teacher so i cant speak for them.
But 1 thing i will say. Expect to take a few more days off in the coming months to look after the kids... It doesnt end on 24th November.

Thats my bugbear, its not the govt thats effected, its the kids and the sick people and the ordinary workers. It makes me ashamed tbh, why can't some of you spam mail/snail mail the govt all day every day, keep all their phones ringing all day, transfer all your avoidable work to your relevent Govt dept by any method of communication - would that not affect them and leave the rest of us to go on and try and rebuild this country. Holding the country to ransom did so well for the taxi's, PS are heading the same way IMO.

hooradiation

Degsy wrote: »

Can we put a stop to these Public service threads..they're getting nobody anywhere.

If we put a stop to one kind of impotent Internet rage, we'd have to stop them all.

Then AH would be a barren and desolate wasteland.

Degsy

hooradiation wrote: »

If we put a stop to one kind of impotent Internet rage, we'd have to stop them all.

Then AH would be a barren and desolate wasteland.

They've banned toilet threads and match threads..precedent has been set

pajodublin

Hells Belle wrote: »

Thats my bugbear, its not the govt thats effected, its the kids and the sick people and the ordinary workers. It makes me ashamed tbh, why can't some of you spam mail/snail mail the govt all day every day, keep all their phones ringing all day, transfer all your avoidable work to your relevent Govt dept by any method of communication - would that not affect them and leave the rest of us to go on and try and rebuild this country. Holding the country to ransom did so well for the taxi's, PS are heading the same way IMO.

thats just passing the buck to others like myself and will have no affect.
I'm sorry if i come accross as insensitive to the parents of the nation but this strike is unavoidable and collateral damage of a government that penalises the lower paid rather than taxing the fat cats.

My colleagues all have kids and have the same problems as yourself. But they will be picketing on the day and have to organise alternative arrangements for their kids.
We are all in the same boat.
Finally, PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE NOT THE ENEMY THE MEDIA PORTRAYS US AS!!!!

hooradiation

Degsy wrote: »

They've banned toilet threads and match threads..precedent has been set

Ok, I'll trade you "dole scroungers" for "public service" threads. Two birds, one stone.

amacachi

pajodublin wrote: »

thats just passing the buck to others like myself and will have no affect.
I'm sorry if i come accross as insensitive to the parents of the nation but this strike is unavoidable and collateral damage of a government that penalises the lower paid rather than taxing the fat cats.

My colleagues all have kids and have the same problems as yourself. But they will be picketing on the day and have to organise alternative arrangements for their kids.
We are all in the same boat.
Finally, PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE NOT THE ENEMY THE MEDIA PORTRAYS US AS!!!!

Just out of interest what percentage cut have you had in your THP in the last year?

BlackWizard

As long as they don't cheat during the protests, I don't see why not.

Mal-Adjusted

BlackWizard wrote: »

As long as they don't cheat during the protests, I don't see why not.

what do you mean by "cheat"/

CreepingDeath

Anyone know... are "all" public sector workers going on strike ?
Well, in particular Dublin bus ?

funkyjebus

Hells Belle wrote: »

I will, I have to take a days holidays (out of my measley 20 - not 150 like teachers get) to look after the childers. I was hoping to save it for a shopping or hangover day before Christmas, fair enough if they want to protest, thats their right, but do it on a bloody Saturday. Its the taxi protests all over again, but instead using our children as pawns.

Teachers if I could use the language to describe how I feel I want to I'd be banned. Wasters.

Since when do teacher get 5 months off a year, if you can't cope with your 20 days off a year, get a better job. That's not the teachers fault. If you want 3 months off, you should have been a teacher, why didn't you think of that.

How do you strike on a Saturday, when your hours are M2F. That's not striking, that's just a group of teachers hanging around together on a Saturday. They,re not doing anything to your children, it is clear from your attitude you see them more as babysitters than educators. How are teachers waster, you genuinely believe this,you mean to tell me you send your kids to get an education by wasters, you should change schools.

The only valid point you make here is that it is their right to strike (and your obligation to look after your kid), which it is. It is, for teachers, imperative that they strike to ensure they are not hit with any further cuts (soemthing that you, or anyone her would do in their situation, and if your wouldn't, your stupid). Have your read the new proposed teaching agreement and the changes that would most likely come into effect if the teachers don't show they're not pushovers??

Taking days off work for these types of things, it all part and parcel of being a parent.

FYI - I am not teacher, I just read all the facts and leave presumptions out of it.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Degsy wrote: »

Sort out the dole scroungers while they're at it.

You're some sort of dole claimer hunter type... Everywhere you can, you come out with that comment. Someone on the dole, BURN THEM...

Lux23

To be honest its unlikely to effect me directly so I won't be moaning about it anyone. If I worked in the public service I would be pretty annoyed if I was getting another pay cut. I can understand where they are coming from but I really don't agree with teachers/emergency services coming out as well. It does nothing for their cause, a small portion from each area should come out to represent teachers etc but the rest should keep doing their jobs and people would have alot more sympathy.

funkyjebus

Hells Belle wrote: »

Thats my bugbear, its not the govt thats effected, its the kids and the sick people and the ordinary workers. It makes me ashamed tbh, why can't some of you spam mail/snail mail the govt all day every day, keep all their phones ringing all day, transfer all your avoidable work to your relevent Govt dept by any method of communication - would that not affect them and leave the rest of us to go on and try and rebuild this country. Holding the country to ransom did so well for the taxi's, PS are heading the same way IMO.

No it would not affect them at all. Its Simple, politics. The heads that be, don't care about the person in the govt office having to take all those calls. It never reaches that people who make the decisions, it stops well short. Nobody it holding anyone for ransom, Teachers have taken exessive pay cuts, and wish to ensure that the govt looks elsewhere for the next ones. It really very simple. You as a parent should also be worried about changes being made for the teachers, but your not, your ill informed.

Teachers can no longer take discretion day (days the make up in the summer, max 3 per annum). Instead they they wish to take off a day like you (hangover, wedding, etc) they will (as would you) call in sick. Sick days no longer get a sub teacher in, so for a day your kids get no education at all. This effects your child and you. that is just one small part of a large change trying to be inforced.

Poccington

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Anyone know... are "all" public sector workers going on strike ?
Well, in particular Dublin bus ?

The Defence Forces is one part of the PS that won't be striking.

Haven't a clue about Dublin Bus though.

Degsy

Trevor Old Ladyfinger wrote: »

You're some sort of dole claimer hunter type... Everywhere you can, you come out with that comment. Someone on the dole, BURN THEM...

Its them thats bankrupting the country not the paye workers in the public Sector..200 quid a week for doing nowt.

Lu Tze

Degsy wrote: »

the public Sector..200 quid a week for doing nowt.

The public sector gets paid more than that surely

Hells Belle

funkyjebus wrote: »

Since when do teacher get 5 months off a year, if you can't cope with your 20 days off a year, get a better job. That's not the teachers fault. If you want 3 months off, you should have been a teacher, why didn't you think of that.

How do you strike on a Saturday, when your hours are M2F. That's not striking, that's just a group of teachers hanging around together on a Saturday. They,re not doing anything to your children, it is clear from your attitude you see them more as babysitters than educators. How are teachers waster, you genuinely believe this,you mean to tell me you send your kids to get an education by wasters, you should change schools.

The only valid point you make here is that it is their right to strike (and your obligation to look after your kid), which it is. It is, for teachers, imperative that they strike to ensure they are not hit with any further cuts (soemthing that you, or anyone her would do in their situation, and if your wouldn't, your stupid). Have your read the new proposed teaching agreement and the changes that would most likely come into effect if the teachers don't show they're not pushovers??

Taking days off work for these types of things, it all part and parcel of being a parent.

FYI - I am not teacher, I just read all the facts and leave presumptions out of it.

And that doesn't include making sure they get an education??? I did not state I saw them as babysitters so I don't know why you assumed that and you know what they say about people who assume... I find them as educators which strangely is what they are paid to do, is it not? I've said previously I've nothing against protests but do it on your time.

Also secondary school teachers get 3 mths off at Summer, 2 weeks at Easter, a week at Halloween, 2 weeks at Christmas and a few days here and there for mid terms so its close enough to 5 months, if i've missed any please feel free to fill me in. Primary teachers get about 20 less.

Also as I've said above we are going through very hard times in my work and we are all pulling together, I used to get 32, I get 20 now, am I bitching and holding up the country - no - I'm working to get it fixed.

Lux23

Degsy wrote: »

Its them thats bankrupting the country not the paye workers in the public Sector..200 quid a week for doing nowt.

So what do you suggest doing with someone who is unemployed? You would think there were loads of jobs out there by the way you are going on.

Hells Belle

funkyjebus wrote: »

No it would not affect them at all. Its Simple, politics. The heads that be, don't care about the person in the govt office having to take all those calls. It never reaches that people who make the decisions, it stops well short. Nobody it holding anyone for ransom, Teachers have taken exessive pay cuts, and wish to ensure that the govt looks elsewhere for the next ones. It really very simple. You as a parent should also be worried about changes being made for the teachers, but your not, your ill informed.

Teachers can no longer take discretion day (days the make up in the summer, max 3 per annum). Instead they they wish to take off a day like you (hangover, wedding, etc) they will (as would you) call in sick. Sick days no longer get a sub teacher in, so for a day your kids get no education at all. This effects your child and you. that is just one small part of a large change trying to be inforced.

Incorrect, my son had a sub teacher all last week so maybe you are the one who is ill informed. I'm not anti teacher at all, I think some do a great job but thats what they are paid for. My children are my main concern, not that some teacher can't buy a new car next year, I resent my boys being used as pawns. If that makes me a bad mother than so be it. They weren't out protesting that the kids were and still are freezing in prefabs were they? They weren't protesting that their raises over the last few years could have been better used to pay for facilities were they? No they took it didn't they? Its all about their money not education.

For someone who is not a teacher you seem to be, to put a word on it, biased :rolleyes:

dub_skav

Hells Belle wrote: »

Incorrect, my son had a sub teacher all last week so maybe you are the one who is ill informed. I'm not anti teacher at all, I think some do a great job but thats what they are paid for. My children are my main concern, not that some teacher can't buy a new car next year, I resent my boys being used as pawns. If that makes me a bad mother than so be it. They weren't out protesting that the kids were and still are freezing in prefabs were they? They weren't protesting that their raises over the last few years could have been better used to pay for facilities were they? No they took it didn't they? Its all about their money not education.

For someone who is not a teacher you seem to be, to put a word on it, biased :rolleyes:

Were you? Seems more your problem than theirs

Raze_them_all

Degsy wrote: »

Its them thats bankrupting the country not the paye workers in the public Sector..200 quid a week for doing nowt.

I lost my job, moved home.

I can tell you not everyone on dole is on 200 a week. Or anything near it.

Hells Belle

dub_skav wrote: »

Were you? Seems more your problem than theirs

Yes we were, and we were ignored. Batt the Thief basically told us we'd have everything fixed, we are still waiting..... There isn't even a place to pull in off a busy duel carraige way to drop the children. Imagine, the cheek of us asking for heat and water and a proper roof in the school, and sweet jebus a bit of safety for our loved ones. We should be ashamed of ourselves. :mad:

We did however manage to get a pedestrian crossing so our kids weren't mashed by trucks, the parents I mean, not the teachers.

dub_skav

Hells Belle wrote: »

Yes we were, and we were ignored. Batt the Thief basically told us we'd have everything fixed, we are still waiting..... There isn't even a place to pull in off a busy duel carraige way to drop the children. Imagine, the cheek of us asking for heat and water and a proper roof in the school, and sweet jebus a bit of safety for our loved ones. We should be ashamed of ourselves. :mad:

We did however manage to get a pedestrian crossing so our kids weren't mashed by trucks, the parents I mean, not the teachers.

So you raised your issues and were ignored, or worse fobbed off with lip service. If only there were some way to raise the profile of your objections, some striking message you could send to the powers that be

CreepingDeath

Poccington wrote: »

The Defence Forces is one part of the PS that won't be striking.

Haven't a clue about Dublin Bus though.

So I can get a helicopter to work ?

Wood

amacachi wrote: »

Just out of interest what percentage cut have you had in your THP in the last year?

I can help you with that one, before May this year I was taking home 463 per week, when May came around the pay for me was 396 per week. A loss of 67 euro.

I'm nearly 6 years in the civil service.

ElaElaElano

Every time I read one of these threads I just think wow, what a masterclass in divide and conquer tactics from the government.

Stop blaming each other and think about the real culprits.

Kipperhell

Hells Belle wrote: »

... so its close enough to 5 months, if i've missed any please feel free to fill me in. Primary teachers get about 20 less...

You said 150 days off which is as actually 7+ months.
Days off in a week is 5 days
150/5=30weeks
4 weeks in a month means
30/4=7.5months.

I hope the work you are doing to fix the country doesn't involve calculations:D

They should be able to strike but the unions should also have more interests than their own members.

Kipperhell

ElaElaElano wrote: »

Every time I read one of these threads I just think wow, what a masterclass in divide and conquer tactics from the government.

Stop blaming each other and think about the real culprits.

You mean the people who borrowed outrageously? The entire world wide capitalist model? The people who don't use the green bins?

Oooor do you want to blame

A) The government
The banks
C) The greedy developers

It is never personal responsibility with some people

Conor108

Day off school....excellent

amacachi

Wood wrote: »

I can help you with that one, before May this year I was taking home 463 per week, when May came around the pay for me was 396 per week. A loss of 67 euro.

I'm nearly 6 years in the civil service.

A 14% fall? I really would like to know what's been the make-up of it since if you were on 300k a year you'd still only be taxed 9.6% on the pension levy.