TEEU strike

mooseknunkle

With news this morning that the TEEU are going to strike on the 24th this month http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0207/502860-teeu-electricians-strike/ ,seen as all the big factorys in the industrial estate have employes in the union from general ops to fitters ,honeywell,b&l,teva,rexam.

If the strike goes ahead will it shut down the estate?

Finnbar01

mooseknunkle wrote: »

With news this morning that the TEEU are going to strike on the 24th this month http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0207/502860-teeu-electricians-strike/ ,seen as all the big factorys in the industrial estate have employes in the union from general ops to fitters ,honeywell,b&l,teva,rexam.

If the strike goes ahead will it shut down the estate?

I wonder what the average pay rate is for their members?

mooseknunkle

Finnbar01 wrote: »

I wonder what the average pay rate is for their members?

I think its around €22 per hour ,i know some who would be getting €30 minimum.

shockwave

**** them! they're the highest paid workers in the construction industry and they're looking for more:mad:

Finnbar01

Don't you have to have a card to work as an Electrician? ?If you don't have a card you can't work unless you're self-employed?

Western elec

Shock wave will you stop talking rubbish.im sick of all this "your lucky to have a job crap" and " the highest paid sector in construction industry"

1- an electrical apprenticeship is one of toughest there is.2of your block releases are in 3rd level colleges and its a tough 4years of study as well as work

2- unlike public sector or most other workers even if your a "permanent" employee you can be let go on a Friday and have very little job security.

3- throughout the so called "celtic tiger boom" I certainly didn't make thousands per week like block layers and plasterers did.

The electrical industry is being destroyed by agencies paying electricians 12-14 euro per hour and using the usual crap of "the prices are too low" or "the country is in recession". It's all being driven by greedy employers who won't pay there workers a fair wage.its a race to the bottom and quality of work and standards are going out the window.

Mugser

Western elec wrote: »

Shock wave will you stop talking rubbish.im sick of all this "your lucky to have a job crap" and " the highest paid sector in construction industry"

1- an electrical apprenticeship is one of toughest there is.2of your block releases are in 3rd level colleges and its a tough 4years of study as well as work

2- unlike public sector or most other workers even if your a "permanent" employee you can be let go on a Friday and have very little job security.

3- throughout the so called "celtic tiger boom" I certainly didn't make thousands per week like block layers and plasterers did.

The electrical industry is being destroyed by agencies paying electricians 12-14 euro per hour and using the usual crap of "the prices are too low" or "the country is in recession". It's all being driven by greedy employers who won't pay there workers a fair wage.its a race to the bottom and quality of work and standards are going out the window.

Very well said, If I could give multiple 'Thanks' I would!!

greenfield21

Western elec wrote: »

Shock wave will you stop talking rubbish.im sick of all this "your lucky to have a job crap" and " the highest paid sector in construction industry"

1- an electrical apprenticeship is one of toughest there is.2of your block releases are in 3rd level colleges and its a tough 4years of study as well as work

2- unlike public sector or most other workers even if your a "permanent" employee you can be let go on a Friday and have very little job security.

3- throughout the so called "celtic tiger boom" I certainly didn't make thousands per week like block layers and plasterers did.

The electrical industry is being destroyed by agencies paying electricians 12-14 euro per hour and using the usual crap of "the prices are too low" or "the country is in recession". It's all being driven by greedy employers who won't pay there workers a fair wage.its a race to the bottom and quality of work and standards are going out the window.

That's complete rubbish, you should be lucky to have a job. Quit complaining this bloody country got so f*cked wit the Celtic tiger. Electricians are part of construction to. Why does everybody think they can get still paid crazy money when it bloody is not there in the first place.

hardybuck

Western elec wrote: »

Shock wave will you stop talking rubbish.im sick of all this "your lucky to have a job crap" and " the highest paid sector in construction industry"

1- an electrical apprenticeship is one of toughest there is.2of your block releases are in 3rd level colleges and its a tough 4years of study as well as work

2- unlike public sector or most other workers even if your a "permanent" employee you can be let go on a Friday and have very little job security.

3- throughout the so called "celtic tiger boom" I certainly didn't make thousands per week like block layers and plasterers did.

The electrical industry is being destroyed by agencies paying electricians 12-14 euro per hour and using the usual crap of "the prices are too low" or "the country is in recession". It's all being driven by greedy employers who won't pay there workers a fair wage.its a race to the bottom and quality of work and standards are going out the window.

What sort of wage would a qualified electrician expect to earn in other European countries, or indeed the likes of Australia? Someone told me that there was an agreed rate of about €10 an hour in Germany - but that could be totally false.

To be honest, I don't expect that electricians will get too much sympathy. Most people who are newly qualified in their professions won't earn those kind of rates until many years into their career, if they indeed get to that level of income at all.

Also, correct me again if I'm wrong, but am I correct in saying that the current minimum rate is at the same level it was in 2007, i.e. when the construction sector was booming out of control, and manufacturing was flying? That would be madness if accurate given the huge reduction in demand for electrician's in the meantime.

deise blue

It should be pointed out that the putative 5% increase was recommended by the Labour Court in 2009 but was never implemented by employers.

Instead such employers are seeking via Tom Parlon & the Construction Federation a 10% decrease in the current rate - given the 15 % difference between the sides I think the TEEU have a point.

This nonsense about " lucky to have a job " plays directly into the hands of some employers seeking to cut their wage bill.

albert kidd

all this lucky to have a job nonsense is exactly that..nonsense.

they are entitled to the increase.

Captain Chaos

All the other construction trades got their increases years ago while electricians agreed to a pay freeze at the time on condition it will be paid later. No it's time. The standard of work out there really is dropping, but as they say, pay peanuts get monkeys. Good electricians will get the top rate they deserve either here or somewhere else. Irish electricians are held in high regard abroad for their skill base compared to other EU countries like Germany being one.

mooseknunkle

So does anyone know if this strike will have any effect on factories in the industrial estate?

JPA

mooseknunkle wrote: »

So does anyone know if this strike will have any effect on factories in the industrial estate?

Obviously if all members of that union go on strike it will affect the estate. It's a no brainer.

elecboy

Well said

elecboy

Disappointed at way strike action was announced on rte news. put electricians in a bad light. Made to look like money hungry group. All we want is to protect are rates of pay. Employers wont change thier costs and only stand to make more money.

Mugser

Typical!!!
Wouldn't expect anything else from RTE TBH, shower of yokes!!
Another similar example was when Dublin bus served strike notice, instead of leading the story with the real issue that was in hand they lead with: 'Commuters face major disruption' or something very similar.

Fudd_Man

I'm glad this is starting to gather momentum it's being coming for the last 18 months! The amount of these agency sparks working for 14 euro an hour is a joke! All we really want is a reconised rate of pay that we will get no matter where we work instead of being offered ****e money for a hard days work!

Intel might be our saving grace tho the shop stewards out there are adamant they won't be goin back to work until this is resolved!

wats the craic

anyone who goes on strike should be sacked on the spot . as a country we cant afford pay increases and thats a fact

elecboy

As a country we need to stand together and protect wat we have. The strike itself was balloted for because our rates of pay are being attacked. Only the bigger companies are still payin union rates. The rest have already began the race to the bottom. Nobody wants this strike.

fozz10

Fudd_Man wrote: »

I'm glad this is starting to gather momentum it's being coming for the last 18 months! The amount of these agency sparks working for 14 euro an hour is a joke! All we really want is a reconised rate of pay that we will get no matter where we work instead of being offered ****e money for a hard days work!

Intel might be our saving grace tho the shop stewards out there are adamant they won't be goin back to work until this is resolved!

there is a long list of trades (plastering,block laying ,carpentry,plumbing etc...) that you could argue are much harder trades. electrician is one of the lightest, handiest trades in construction, and they and plumbers have to be the highest paid tradesmen around currently.

Brick Session

elecboy wrote: »

As a country we need to stand together and protect wat we have. The strike itself was balloted for because our rates of pay are being attacked. Only the bigger companies are still payin union rates. The rest have already began the race to the bottom. Nobody wants this strike.

Ye can all stand together down at the dole office cos thats where strikes will end up.

It is economics lads, why pay €22 per hour for a job when the same work can be done to the same standard for €14 per hour. I hope your solidarity will pay your mortgages and do you honestly think that the TEEU officials that ye pay your weekly €6 or €7 to will lose any sleep over your unpaid mortgage.

You are not going to shop in Superquinn and pay over the top prices for frills you did not ask for when LIdl is across the road so why do you expect employers and companies to do the same?

Your strike is also going to effect the livelyhoods of much lower paid workers in numerous businesses and factories who have no say or vote in your actions and I am sure a lot of them would gladly work for €14 per hour.

Before I get attacked, I am a qualified painter and decorator who along with serving a four year apprenticship has 2 terms of block release done in college in Cork Institue of Technology, both junior and senior trades exams done and have my National Craft Certificate to say that I have served my apprenticship. No union ever gave a f*ck about me except to try and stop me working on the building of City Square even though I was an apprentice at the time. However, my trade is the very one that has been under threat for years cos every fella on the dole can pick up a paint brush and paint someones house for cash, that is what has the industry f**ked up in the first place, trying to compete with the black economy.

I changed profession and got a job in a factory on the Estate and guess what before I could start work, I had to join the TEEU and give them a ransom every week and again when they were leaving us go even though the company was taking on at a sister plant on the estate the TEEU didn't want to know.

elecboy

Sorry to hear that. Maybe if u had a union and stood together things wouldnt have gotten so bad. Ur a good example why we should stick together and stand up for our rights against greedy employers.

elecboy

Sorry to hear that. Maybe if u had a union and stood together things wouldnt have gotten so bad. Ur a good example why we should stick together and stand up for our rights against greedy employers.

hardybuck

elecboy wrote: »

Sorry to hear that. Maybe if u had a union and stood together things wouldnt have gotten so bad. Ur a good example why we should stick together and stand up for our rights against greedy employers.

It's a bit of a clash with cultures. Capitalist v Socialist.

The way I'd look at is that the market should dictate the price which are paid for goods and services in most cases.

If you took accountants for example, we've probably got as many of them in the country as we do electricians. Do accountants have a Trade Union? No. They have an Association which regulates standards and accredits who can and cannot call themselves an accountant, but they don't involve themselves in negotiating pay and conditions for their members. Accountants seem to do ok regardless though don't they?

The employer will advertise a vacancy, estimate what they need to pay to attract the desired candidate and that's it. If the candidate they are looking for is in shorter supply, or isn't prepared to work for that sort of money, they'll need to pay more.

The TEEU in this case are trying to control the market, and the price which is paid for electrician's services. This is akin to a cartel dictating prices.

Most companies coming into Ireland these days won't recognise Trade Unions, and you can't blame them.

elecboy

Employers advertise wat they need to pay! Employers will only ever want to pay min wage. They still price their jobs on higher rates. All that does is higher their profit margins. All electricians should be on the same rates of pay across the board. Electrical companies price jobs on same rates then look to higher lads on 14 euro an hr who are stook for work and have no choice. Using these lads to make more profits for themselves. Wats the pt doing an apprenticeship when u can earn more doing general operative work with no experience needed

Finnbar01

elecboy wrote: »

Employers advertise wat they need to pay! Employers will only ever want to pay min wage. They still price their jobs on higher rates. All that does is higher their profit margins. All electricians should be on the same rates of pay across the board. Electrical companies price jobs on same rates then look to higher lads on 14 euro an hr who are stook for work and have no choice. Using these lads to make more profits for themselves. Wats the pt doing an apprenticeship when u can earn more doing general operative work with no experience needed

No they don't. If employers only want to paid minimum wage then why aren't the majority of people on minimum wage?

elecboy

Big employers price jobs on full rates for electricians. They then sub out the contracts to subcontractors who pay rates of 15 euro an hr to their certain amount of staff. Then sub contractors hire agency staff on 10 euro an hr. It all boils down to employers tryin to make a cheap buck. Where does it end?Standards of work also drop along the way aswell

gifted

elecboy wrote: »

Big employers price jobs on full rates for electricians. They then sub out the contracts to subcontractors who pay rates of 15 euro an hr to their certain amount of staff. Then sub contractors hire agency staff on 10 euro an hr. It all boils down to employers tryin to make a cheap buck. Where does it end?Standards of work also drop along the aswell

To price for state work you have to be registered with the CIF but there is nothing stopping the CIF registered company who gets the contract to sub contract it to another company who isn't CIF registered and that's where the rates start getting really low. Tom Parlon is complaining about this strike but if the CIF closed off the huge loophole then the sub contractor rates wouldn't be so low.

Finnbar01

elecboy wrote: »

Big employers price jobs on full rates for electricians. They then sub out the contracts to subcontractors who pay rates of 15 euro an hr to their certain amount of staff. Then sub contractors hire agency staff on 10 euro an hr. It all boils down to employers tryin to make a cheap buck. Where does it end?Standards of work also drop along the way aswell

And why do you think big employers do that?

elecboy

To make money.

Brick Session

Exactly, to make a profit.

Do you honestly think that any business is in business to provide employment and look after employee welfare as it number one priority. The number one objective of each and every business is to make a profit and to maximise on those profits. Plain and simple.

200motels

Brick Session wrote: »

Exactly, to make a profit.

Do you honestly think that any business is in business to provide employment and look after employee welfare as it number one priority. The number one objective of each and every business is to make a profit and to maximise on those profits. Plain and simple.

But do you notice that the employers like say Google who look after their employees are the ones that keep going from strength to strength.

hardybuck

elecboy wrote: »

All electricians should be on the same rates of pay across the board.

Really? Even where you might be an excellent electrician, and you colleague next to you is rubbish? Would someone with 10 years experience expect to earn the same as a person with no experience? That's not very common at all.

elecboy wrote: »

Wats the pt doing an apprenticeship when u can earn more doing general operative work with no experience needed

To use the accounting analogy again, what's the point of spending 3 or 4 years in college before embarking on another 3-4 years of painstaking exams if you can earn more doing general operative work with no experience needed!? The market dictates how valuable your skills are, and pays you the resulting wage.

hardybuck

200motels wrote: »

But do you notice that the employers like say Google who look after their employees are the ones that keep going from strength to strength.

They provide free food, comfortable surroundings etc. on the understanding that you hit your targets. You can play pool for a couple of hours and be in until 11pm every night of the week if that's what it takes to get your job done. If you don't, you're gone.

They also have huge staff turnover, way higher than most other companies.

Brick Session

200motels wrote: »

But do you notice that the employers like say Google who look after their employees are the ones that keep going from strength to strength.

You won't ever see a strike in Google!

Finnbar01

200motels wrote: »

But do you notice that the employers like say Google who look after their employees are the ones that keep going from strength to strength.

Of course they do, that's why very little people work on minimum wage.

Finnbar01

elecboy wrote: »

To make money.

Yes exactly and when you purchase anything, whether it's a loaf bread or a new mobile phone you want the best cheapest price as possible.

elecboy

Anyone know offical word on teeu talks at LRC today? Wats the outcome?

wellboytoo

Decision could not be reached as the power was out.

waterford

Electricians must be on strike so ?