Revenue/Tax office industrial strike?

Fido loves 7up · 15-02-2010 2:24pm #1

Ive looked at my usual source (breakingnews.ie) and nothing there but when I ring their offices it says they are on strike. How long has this been going on and how long is it set to last?

MaybeLogic · 15-02-2010 2:26pm

Fido loves 7up wrote: »

Ive looked at my usual source (breakingnews.ie) and nothing there but when I ring their offices it says they are on strike. How long has this been going on and how long is it set to last?

It's just the woman from the Automated Voice Service who's on strike, not the Tax Office.

Fido loves 7up · 15-02-2010 2:29pm

MaybeLogic wrote: »

It's just the woman from the Automated Voice Service who's on strike, not the Tax Office.

But seriously. How long is it set to last? A day? A week?

That_Guy · 15-02-2010 2:30pm

Fido loves 7up wrote: »

Ive looked at my usual source (breakingnews.ie) and nothing there but when I ring their offices it says they are on strike. How long has this been going on and how long is it set to last?

Must not have gotten any Valentine's cards.

Senna · 15-02-2010 2:30pm

Is this just the work-to-rule boll0x?

Fido loves 7up · 15-02-2010 2:34pm

That_Guy wrote: »

Must not have gotten any Valentine's cards.

Ah come on lads, this is important and Google and breakingnews.ie are both coming up short.

bonerm · 15-02-2010 2:36pm

So does this mean we won't have to pay any tax for the foreseeable future? Nice!

MaybeLogic · 15-02-2010 2:36pm

Fido loves 7up wrote: »

Ah come on lads, this is important and Google and breaking news are both coming up short.

I can't find anything online.
Have you tried ringing the Tax office and making enquiries there? Maybe they'll know something.

Fido loves 7up · 15-02-2010 2:41pm

MaybeLogic wrote: »

I can't find anything online.
Have you tried ringing the Tax office and making enquiries there? Maybe they'll know something.

Of course. Automated Voice Lady only

ibarelycare · 15-02-2010 2:55pm

Fido loves 7up wrote: »

Ah come on lads, this is important and Google and breakingnews.ie are both coming up short.

They've been on a work-to-rule for the past couple of weeks but they were in more talks today so maybe they've just decided to go on strike. What section of the tax office were you trying to ring? I was onto a few different regions this morning and got through after the usual few minutes wait.

Edit: Just rang the Dublin PAYE section and got a very bored man telling me that this section is currently on strike!

helimachoptor · 15-02-2010 3:08pm

ibarelycare wrote: »

Edit: Just rang the Dublin PAYE section and got a very bored man telling me that this section is currently on strike!

Trying to get through to these clowns aswell!

HardyEustace · 15-02-2010 4:39pm

report in times now

Staff banned from answering phones

MARTIN WALL Industry Correspondent

Public service trade unions have put in place a ban on staff answering telephones across all government departments this afternoon.

The move forms part of the current campaign of industrial action in protest at pay cuts introduced in the Budget.

Up to now civil service staff, who are members of the CPSU union, have held rolling telephone bans in different Government departments and agencies.

However CPSU general secretary Blair Horan said that telephones are not being answered in all departments since lunchtime. He said that the action was being taken in conjunction with members of another civil service union, the PSEU.

Earlier today, trade unions said they would defer the escalation of their campaign of industrial action in the public service for up to a month to allow the Government decide if it wants to re-engage in talks.

Speaking following a meeting of the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions this morning, Tom Geraghty, general secretary of the PSEU said that it had identified various actions that could be taken as part of an escalation of the campaign.

However he said that the committee was of the view that unions should hold off for four weeks before taking the action to a situation where it had a significant impact on the public.

Mr Geraghty said that said that the purpose was to ensure that the Government would avail of the opportunity to re-engage with the trade unions if that was its wish.

"The purpose of this action is not to impact on the public but rather to create the circumstances in which we could have a meaningful engagement", he said.

Mr Geraghty declined to comment on the nature of the planned escalation of the campaign of industrial action.

In the meantime the relatively low-level industrial action in the public service in protest at pay cuts introduced in the Budget, which has been underway for several weeks, is to continue.

The industrial action has seen unions close public offices at certain times during the day and put in place bans on answering phones in Government departments and offices on a rolling basis.

My personal favourite is

The purpose of this action is not to impact on the public but rather to create the circumstances in which we could have a meaningful engagement", he said.

Not enough rolly eyes in the world

Riskymove · 15-02-2010 4:42pm

Fido loves 7up wrote: »

Ive looked at my usual source (breakingnews.ie) and nothing there but when I ring their offices it says they are on strike. How long has this been going on and how long is it set to last?

they just are not answering phones this afternoon, they are not on strike

ring in the morning

dvpower · 15-02-2010 4:46pm

Fido loves 7up wrote: »

Ah come on lads, this is important and Google and breakingnews.ie are both coming up short.

You really think After Hours is going to do any better?

Edit: Its probably just the Work To Rule. Did you ring at lunchtime or something?

TobyZiegler · 15-02-2010 4:46pm

Court offices have been the same for the past week as part of the work to rule. They dont answer the phone in the afternoon, and some (if not all?) court offices are closed to the public in the afternoon too.

ejmaztec · 15-02-2010 4:51pm

Is Mary Coughlan expressing her solidarity by also doing feck all, for the mornings as well as the afternoons?

ixoy · 15-02-2010 4:51pm

It's not really "work to rule" though, is it? Part of their duties would be to answer the phones. It's a step beyond "work to rule", a slight escalation.
It's not the first time, by the way - it's just on a larger scale. A bit irritating too.

ejmaztec · 15-02-2010 4:53pm

ixoy wrote: »

It's not really "work to rule" though, is it? Part of their duties would be to answer the phones. It's a step beyond "work to rule", a slight escalation.
It's not the first time, by the way - it's just on a larger scale. A bit irritating too.

Tough on them if Dominos has to ring them because there's a problem with a pizza order.

highgiant1985 · 15-02-2010 5:03pm

ixoy wrote: »

It's not really "work to rule" though, is it? Part of their duties would be to answer the phones. It's a step beyond "work to rule", a slight escalation.
It's not the first time, by the way - it's just on a larger scale. A bit irritating too.

As its not specifically stated in contracts the unions will argue it is work to rule but anyone with common sense knows it will be expected of them in practically any job you do, public or private sector.

I've heard it mentioned that some sites will stop flexitime for staff it this continues as apparently the flextime isn't stated in employees contracts either. Not sure it this will happen but if it does its sure to kick things off in a big way.

prinz · 15-02-2010 5:08pm

Been on and off the last while, they are "working to rule" which seems to mean a different thing to different sections etc. some of them aren't taking any calls, some are taking calls but aren't dealing with queries, some are dealing with queries but won't transfer the call if it's not their area/scope of work.

DonJose · 15-02-2010 5:11pm

Ye bollix!!! I rang up the local revenue office to listen to the strike message and somebody answered the phone, I mubbled something and put the phone down!!!

ixoy · 15-02-2010 5:23pm

highgiant1985 wrote: »

As its not specifically stated in contracts the unions will argue it is work to rule but anyone with common sense knows it will be expected of them in practically any job you do, public or private sector.

What exactly is stated in these contracts about their duties? It seem far too ill-defined. Surely there's some clause in there about being expected to perform extra tasks from time-to-time which has been in every single private sector contract I've ever signed.

I've heard it mentioned that some sites will stop flexitime for staff it this continues as apparently the flextime isn't stated in employees contracts either. Not sure it this will happen but if it does its sure to kick things off in a big way.

I think it would be a fair approach. I've also heard that some unions would want this anyway - no flexitime would mean that the offices are only open at strict hours.

Long term, the public will only get screwed over as there's next to no chance of the government backing down on the ridiculously idea that their measures are "draconic".

Revenue/Tax office industrial strike?

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