Single party FG government a "recipe for disaster" says O'Connor

Permabear

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GSF

And we thought that Jacko had gone uncharacteristically quiet recently. He hasn't gone away you know!

kincsem

Translation: End of the line. The gravy train has hit the buffers.

OmegaRed

QFT -

Permabear wrote: »

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ressem

There was a snippit on the radio where he states that Fine Gael in their previous incarnation as Cumann na nGaedheal in the 20's laid the foundations for the following 60 years of economic stagnation.

No responsibility on FF and Labour then? I think we had a deficit of 50% at the time after the civil war and in the union's eyes all those army men should have been kept on till retirement?
edit:
(expenditure cut from 42 million to 28 million, income tax cut from 25% to 15% according to http://www.theirishstory.com/2011/01/25/life-and-debt-%E2%80%93-a-short-history-of-public-spending-borrowing-and-debt-in-independent-ireland/)

ouch. that would terrify a union.

Permabear

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DeVore

The unions in the PS have been a disaster. Anything that causes them pain is good in my book. Sorry if you are front line but if you insist on being used as a human shield for the overpaid slouches in head office, you get what you deserve. Get out of the way. Stop standing with them.

I've seen inside the HSE. Its rotten to the core.

DeV.

jmayo

Permabear wrote: »

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Ah poor jack.
Oh wait he isn't poor. :rolleyes:
He has nice little earner as head of siptu, then there was his gig at the congress and I can't recall if he was on any state boards/quangoes like mcloone ?

Perhaps he subscribes to the gerry adams school of thought where we can magic up the necessary 20 billion per annum to keep his members in lifestyles he has become accustomed to ?

EoghanConway

What an odd thing to say. He must surely be aware that a significant proportion of voters are biased against public sector/unionised workers. Perhaps he is trying to split the floating voters evenly between Labour and FG?

Permabear

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gandalf

If Jack O'Connor is saying this then FG are doing something right. If people want a party to tackle the whole PS mess and decouple the unions from them then it is FG. What is really worrying Mr. O'Connor and the other leaders of unions is the reduction in subscriptions meaning they will have to reduce their exorbitant wages.

As DeVore says if you have ever dealt with the HSE in a business capacity at all then you will have seen the absolutely mess it is in, with managers who do not want to take responsibility for their actions at all.

Rubik.

Permabear wrote: »

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And what about Labour's surge in The Herald's Dublin poll? O'Connor need not worry - FG is not going to get an overall majority.

steelcityblues

Bringing up C na G too, as if it has any relevance to the 2011 election.

The PS gravy train may be curtailed, and he knows it.

jimmycrackcorm

It would probably suit FG to have Labour in with them otherwise they might suffer the same fate as FF in the next election as we're not going to solve our problems in the next five years.

DonalK1981

Is there any way we as a nation can leave the notion of party politics?
Public servants serving the public? The policy-makers working for the people not for themselves. A national parliament of local representatives who vote on issues as they arise rather than singing from a party hymn sheet, that way there is a more realistic connection to what the people want rather than the party leaders personal wants or needs, whatever motivates them...

Mr.Micro

Single party FG government a "recipe for disaster" says O'Connor

unless its Labour?

PeterIanStaker

Is bringing up Cumann na nGaedheal all the way from 1927 (I think, correct me if I'm wrong) the best he can do?
He'd nearly make me swing towards FG. :eek:
All he wants is his nice little earner, he's more of a politician than a union guy.

eagle eye

The amount of anti-Union propoganda on this site is quite frightening. I'm not supporting Siptu here, its just an observation.

Fine Gael's belief that they can cut the public service by 30% without compulsory redundancy is ridiculous to say the least.

barrackali

Because I despise Jack O'Connor and SIPTU...I will now give my preference to FG

Mr.Micro

barrackali wrote: »

Because I despise Jack O'Connor and SIPTU...I will now give my preference to FG

FF, Banks and the unions too have had a hand in where we find ourselves. Crikey I am beginning to sound like a politician ( minus the salary or big fat pension), it must be all the politics in the media.

alejandro1977

Mr.Micro wrote: »

FF, Banks and the unions too have had a hand in where we find ourselves. Crikey I am beginning to sound like a politician ( minus the salary or big fat pension), it must be all the politics in the media.

the difference is that the unions are now making out like they never had their snouts in the trough...

Gravy Train? not us!

gizmo555

eagle eye wrote: »

Fine Gael's belief that they can cut the public service by 30% without compulsory redundancy is ridiculous to say the least.

They should do it by compulsory redundancy.

For example, the HSE head of HR is on the record as saying he has 2,000 staff and only needs 700 to 800.

Why would anyone take voluntary redundancy from a situation where they're getting the full salary for doing, on average, slightly more than one third of a job?

ei.sdraob

What is required is a government that can mobilise the entire country, he said.

I knew it

ressem

No wonder that they want Labour in. I'm going through the labour manifesto and while they mention 'amalgamating' quangos, they are certainly up for creating a lot more.

Labour's strategic investment bank, Innovation strategy agency, International content services centre (lets call it mediahub), commercial rents ombudsman, NetCo, semiannual national culture night initiative, constitution convention, office of public sector reform (Doesn't each dept already have one ineffectual one?), judicial council, local education boards, the "new vhi" non-profit insurer, personal debt management agency.
And all the others that they are going to change the nameplate of.

Lots of nixers on the boards of these for union bosses.

Sergeant

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

It would probably suit FG to have Labour in with them otherwise they might suffer the same fate as FF in the next election as we're not going to solve our problems in the next five years.

I've no doubt that the indiscretions of FF will all be forgotten in 5 years by a significant proportion of the populace. It's not like they haven't brought financial ruin to this country before, they just did it in a more spectacular fashion this time.

FG should release this comment as a press release. Should be good enough for another few percentage points of first preferences.

Long tea breaks in Liberty Hall these days.

steve9859

Permabear wrote: »

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Have you never watched Animal Farm??? George Orwell got it spot on but I never thought I would see it in Ireland!!

"Every animal is equal but some animals are more equal than others!" Begg and O'Connor are the pigs wearing the farmers clothes and eating at their table!

ei.sdraob

:eek:

meglome

eagle eye wrote: »

The amount of anti-Union propoganda on this site is quite frightening. I'm not supporting Siptu here, its just an observation.

Personally I'm angry at the unions for having their heads firmly planted in the trough of the celtic tiger. During those years I (and many others) thought that many public sector workers were poorly paid and needed the big wage hikes to catch up with the private sector. I wasn't a fan of the unions but I took them at their word that these wages increases were fair and necessary. It turns out though that most of the poor mouthing was bull and really they were the worst kind of vested interest group, happily screwing the majority of the Irish people.

eagle eye wrote: »

Fine Gael's belief that they can cut the public service by 30% without compulsory redundancy is ridiculous to say the least.

It'll have to happen. Even if they ultimately make it compulsory, so be it.

mike65

The beetroot peeling collectives of the North Caucasian Federation send their strength and best wishes* to the upright comrades of Ireland.















* oh and they some beetroot as frankly there is only so much one can jar in a season, do svidaniya!.

nesf

I'm dearly hoping that this press conference by the unions blows up in their faces. Dearly.

Cian92

I don't like O Connor, but he is dead right.

irishh_bob

barrackali wrote: »

Because I despise Jack O'Connor and SIPTU...I will now give my preference to FG

i suspected o,connor,s comments would have that effect

meglome

Cian92 wrote: »

I don't like O Connor, but he is dead right.

Maybe you can explain it to me cause I'm not used to Jack O'Connor being right.

bonzos

JOC has done more for FG today than any amount of media work done by the party!People will vote against whatever JOC says because he protects wasters at a time when people are crying out for jobs. 450k people are unemployed in this country yet you still can only get served in a SW office between 10-12, (then its lunch for 2hrs) and 2-4...its a disgrace!!!!not to mention the fact that nobody has answered a bloody phone in the last 6 months because its in in their job description.

steve9859

Cian92 wrote: »

I don't like O Connor, but he is dead right.

I assume you are trolling!!

Flimbos

This could well backfire on O'Connor and turn more voters towards Fine Gael. I'd imagine Ruairi Quinn and others in Labour election HQ might not be too pleased with O'Connor's statement.

"Recipe for disaster"...? Disaster for Jack's bank balance perhaps?

thebman

Mr O’Connor said his union had not advised members how to vote but its analysis was that their interests would be served by voting for the Labour Party and continuing their preferences for parties committed to social solidarity.

Eh that is advising them their Mr O'Connor. Saying to someone, it is in your interest to vote for this party is advising them which party to vote for.
Mr O’Connor said his union had not advised members how to vote but its analysis was that their interests would be served by voting for the Labour Party and continuing their preferences for parties committed to social solidarity.
Unless your lying and trying to cover it up in the one sentence. Though I'm sure he isn't doing that as it would be ridiculously obvious and make him look a fool :pac:

femur61

The Unions are exactly the reason I'd never vote Labour not just because negotiated totally inflated and undeserving pay for for some of their members but without people being forced to join unions they wouldn't get paid.

nesf

femur61 wrote: »

The Unions are exactly the reason I'd never vote Labour not just because negotiated totally inflated and undeserving pay for for some of their members but without people being forced to join unions they wouldn't get paid.

What's bad for Labour is that they were doing a decent job in recent years in distancing themselves from their old tight relationship with the unions but this kind of press conference just makes it look like smoke and mirrors and the unions have a vested interest in having Labour in power. Hopefully it's a one-sided wish and that Labour are genuinely distanced from them.

Davypat

irishh_bob wrote: »

i suspected o,connor,s comments would have that effect

You would do well to find out what the last FG one party government did before you vote!!

gizmo555

Davypat wrote: »

You would do well to find out what the last FG one party government did before you vote!!

Since that was 79 years ago the relevance to today's circumstances is, shall we say, limited.

CDfm

Permabear wrote: »

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Ok, yawn,

So tell me the story about the Social Partnership just one more time :pac:

Monty Burnz

"Millionaire union boss objects to anything that would see his members face economic reality"

That's how I'd have titled the article.

Monty Burnz

steve9859 wrote: »

Have you never watched Animal Farm??? George Orwell got it spot on but I never thought I would see it in Ireland!!

"Every animal is equal but some animals are more equal than others!" Begg and O'Connor are the pigs wearing the farmers clothes and eating at their table!

Which of them was on the board of the Central Bank for donkey's years and never raised a whisper about the property bubble? I forget.

raymon

These overpaid union leaders are afraid that their snouts will be booted out of the taxpayers money trough. These people do not represent the working man.

Disgusting if you ask me

CDfm

There is an interesting article here from the Kerry Public Service Worlers Alliance

http://kpswa.wordpress.com/2010/10/22/partnership%E2%80%9D-and-the-corruption-of-the-irish-trade-unions/

insight_man

Permabear wrote: »

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Single party government is a bad thing for Ireland. They can do practically anything they want and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Much too dangerous.

Look at the insane decisions made by FF towards the end of last year. Luckily the greens eventually decided to get out under pressure. If FG or anyone else had total power we would all be like slaves. No thanks

lugha

Oddly enough I think Jack might be right, but for the wrong reasons. Were FG to achieve an overall majority they would quickly realise that a sizable number of their TDs would have won seats that they would very likely lose at the next GE (much like FF in 77). And you could imagine that a rump like that might be less whole-hearted in their support of a government taking unpopular decisions.

A sizable FG + Labour coalition would render said rump impotent thus giving a more stable government.

Of course said stability would be at a cost of FG having to seriously compromise with Lab.

Monty Burnz

insight_man wrote: »

Look at the insane decisions made by FF towards the end of last year. Luckily the greens eventually decided to get out under pressure. If FG or anyone else had total power we would all be like slaves. No thanks

Remember that Fianna Fail were in coaltion right through the start of the bubble in 1999 until the current government collapsed. Perhaps coalitions are too dangerous as parties know they can each blame the other one if things go wrong? (or in FFailure's case, blame the opposition )

gizmo555

CDfm wrote: »

There is an interesting article here from the Kerry Public Service Worlers Alliance

http://kpswa.wordpress.com/2010/10/22/partnership%E2%80%9D-and-the-corruption-of-the-irish-trade-unions/

Do you think you could give us even a hint at what it's about and why you think it's interesting?

SnowY32

Going to be a long year of strikes i think... about fcuking time!