Do they ever pick up the phone?

Fionn MacCool

Tried to ring the Welfare office in Galway City 5 or 6 times now and never got through. Apart from once when someone picked up (at half 4?!), asked what part of Galway I was in, presumably put me through to another number and the phone just rang for about 5-10 mins.

Do I really have to walk 30 mins in the freezing cold, to sit down and queue for 1 hour every time I have a small enquiry?

Nolanger

Send them a fax @ 9521909

January

They've a work to rule going on at the moment which means they "can't" answer the phones. So yep, you've to trek half an hour if you want to ask them a simple question.

The_Conductor

Get the name of the EO or HEO and their e-mail address.
The current embargo is only on answering phones- e-mail is different matter.....

Fionn MacCool

smccarrick wrote: »

Get the name of the EO or HEO and their e-mail address.
The current embargo is only on answering phones- e-mail is different matter.....

How can I do this do you know?

Just rang there and got some bull**** message about industrial action. I am all for workers rights and the right to strikes but they are ****ing over working class people here, thoughtless ****ers.

bladespin

Office in Navan wasn't answering phones last March, nothing has changed.

bigeasyeah

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

How can I do this do you know?

Just rang there and got some bull**** message about industrial action. I am all for workers rights and the right to strikes but they are ****ing over working class people here, thoughtless ****ers.

Saddle up your high-horse and trot down to the office.

Fionn MacCool

They'd cut down on so much of the queues if they just picked the phone up. I had to queue for an hour last week and I was literally at the desk for under a minute for them to tell me the DO had pissed off on a course. She hardly needs to go on a course for my application, I was on the dole last year and nothing has changed apart from the fact I have even less money to my name!

Fionn MacCool

bigeasyeah wrote: »

Saddle up your high-horse and trot down to the office.

You can understand why I'm not all "oh well I'll just pop in hey!" seeing as I've already been there 3 times, had to queue for over an hour, and all just for minor queries that could be answered in a small email or quick phone call.

Max Power1

Work To Rule.

There - that explains it (although they didnt answer the phones before that in DSFA anyway)

bigeasyeah

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

You can understand why I'm not all "oh well I'll just pop in hey!" seeing as I've already been there 3 times, had to queue for over an hour, and all just for minor queries that could be answered in a small email or quick phone call.

First of all Im not having a go at you personally but its not bad money for queueing for a hour or so.The state is giving money to sustain its citizens and its up to the citizen to keep their affairs in order.The whole attitude of self-righteous entitlement is unhealthy and childish.
The Welfare office have it pretty bad in Galway City and they deserve better.

Fionn MacCool

bigeasyeah wrote: »

First of all Im not having a go at you personally but its not bad money for queueing for a hour or so.

Maybe I'll agree with that when I see any of it

The_Conductor

Apparently there is a coordinated action this afternoon between the different unions- and phones are not being answered at all. The clerical staff meanwhile have voted for all-out strike action.........

Fionn MacCool

As I said, I'm all for the right to strike but I really don't see the benefit of this. All they're doing is ****ing over people like myself who have no money and rent to pay. I've already been delayed weeks because the Deciding Officer went on "a course", all I want to do is ask them how my claim is coming along and when I can hope to have a cent to my name. It seems this < 2 minute query is going to have to take 2+ hours.

bigeasyeah

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

It seems this < 2 minute query is going to have to take 2+ hours.

How long have you been posting on boards today? About two hours?
You d have been there and back again!

Nehaxak

Maybe if they all spent some time on the dole themselves they'd think different about carrying out this rediculous work to rule rubbish which is only punishing those that they should be seeking support from in their actions.

Either go on strike or don't but either way stop with the childish nonsense of not answering the phones.
The phones are rarely if ever answered as it is, so for a lot of the public there's no difference other than having to hear about it all like it's a big action when really it's just another excuse not to do any more than they were already doing, which was basically nothing at all.

Government should be strong as hell with them, sack them all and employ people straight off the dole to do their jobs, bit of training and it's all good.
Not like it takes a rocket scientist to open a hatch and talk to people, help fill in a few forms and crack a smile once in a while for a bit of comforting customer service toward people who for the most part are already going through hell trying to get a job and make ends meet with what they get from the dole.

Sorry but I've absolutely no pity on the public service, especially those in social, they get paid well more than enough and they should just shut the hell up and do their jobs and stop complaining about every little thing that's cut into their wages and stop with this nonesense work to rule carry-on which is only punishing the average person trying to get some help.

The_Conductor

In all fairness- the counter staff at DSFA offices are not in well paid jobs- despite what the media would have you believe. In the vast majority of cases according to a recent ESRI report by Alan Barrett, the staff themselves are at income levels which entitle them to social welfare benefits (most notably the FIS benefit, but also Mortgage Interest Support and in some cases medical cards).

I'm sure some of them have been on the dole themselves in the past- or are old enough to remember just what it was like here in the 80s.......

Times are hard- but they're hard across the board for everyone. Simply because the counter staff in the DSFA have a job- does not mean its any easier for them to put food on the table than anyone else......

Ps- I think the industrial action is a complete and utter waste of time, and that any unions who propose or support it, should be disbanded and their leaders sent into some sort of re-education programmes.......

It suits the government to have a 3 way fight between the public sector, the private sector and the unemployed in the media. It diverts attention from the appalling mess they have made of the economy. This does not excuse the ridiculous behaviour of unions though.

Fionn MacCool

bigeasyeah wrote: »

How long have you been posting on boards today? About two hours?
You d have been there and back again!

Like I said, the last time I did that all I got was "the Officer is on a course". I walked 40 mins into town in the freezing cold, sat doing nothing for an hour, and walked back and I was no better off. I'm not saying I shouldn't have to do anything, but for small queries like this you should be able to get your answer over the phone. In fact I honestly cannot believe that none of this system is online in this day and age. Even if it was just a facility where you input your PPSN and can track the status of your claim.

cee_jay

Lads, this is not Politics - if you want to argue against the work to rule take it there. Anymore posts about that will receive an infraction. Please read the charter before posting again. This is not a forum for critiscizing Government Departments.

Fionn MacCool

Ha, I rang my local health office there because I needed to forward an email to my Community Welfare Officer and didn't have her address. I got an answer from them but the email bounced so I phoned back and for some reason the wench of the phone got really wound up, fobbed me off with an excuse about "the things are being worked on so you know there could be a you know" and then a "in fact I shouldn't even be answering my phone until after 2 so bye bye". An out standing display of manners and a credit to the public service, no wonder we can't get jobs when there are such rising stars currently in employment!

TCP/IP_King

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

...An out standing display of manners and a credit to the public service, no wonder we can't get jobs when there are such rising stars currently in employment!

Well Fionn my girl you were a whippersnapper in nappies back in 1980-88 or so when Ireland last went through the pangs of a society waking up to the fact that some parties with access to our governing elite were sticking parts into the private parts of the rest of us and getting away scot free. And now 30 years later the same parties are doing the same things while they watch the rest of us eat our young and they still get away scot free.

Talk to some others who have been there before you, and were where you are now, and then get some perspective.

Then exercise your vote - while you still have a choice.

Fionn MacCool

TCP/IP_King wrote: »

Well Fionn my girl

Fionn isn't a girls name. Not that I'd expect a Dub to know anything of Irish culture.

TCP/IP_King

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

Fionn isn't a girls name. Not that I'd expect a Dub to know anything of Irish culture.

A regretfully condescending descent with tongue in cheek - not that I'd expect a Fionna to understand a supercilious statement like that !!

cee_jay

I have already given one warning on this thread.
Thread locked as users don't seem to be able to be civil to one another.