Who will withdraw IFA subs?

locky76

Can we have a pole to see what action people will take after the scandalous actions of the ifa were uncovered?
1- No action
2- Don't renew membership
3- Cancel meat & dairy deductions
4- Don't renew membership & Cancel meat & dairy deductions
I am absolutely disgusted by this and also by how the whole Irish agri sector is poisonously incestuous, all scratching each other's backs at the expense of the poor primary producers. The Cap reform is yet another example of this.

merryberry

See no poll...u can sent one up

mahoney_j

Beef and dairy deductions already gone ,will continue with membership though

orm0nd

mahoney_j wrote: »

Beef and dairy deductions already gone ,will continue with membership though

snap

rangler1

orm0nd wrote: »

snap

Waste of time, if everyone does that it'll go back to what it was before the levies....that is, no EU representation, that's what the levies were put in place for originally. to have the office in Brussels,
No income from levies will cut the service by half, income from membership would probably run the heating in FarmCentre. as I said before better to close it

ganmo

rangler1 wrote: »

Waste of time, if everyone does that it'll go back to what it was before the levies....that is, no EU representation, that's what the levies were put in place for originally. to have the office in Brussels,
No income from levies will cut the service by half, income from membership would probably run the heating in FarmCentre. as I said before better to close it

Rangler the membership feels betrayed, they're asking themselves if the organisation could afford to spend 500k on one lads salary do they need my few pound

royaler83

ganmo wrote: »

Rangler the membership feels betrayed, they're asking themselves if the organisation could afford to spend 500k on one lads salary do they need my few pound

Got it in one

rangler1

ganmo wrote: »

Rangler the membership feels betrayed, they're asking themselves if the organisation could afford to spend 500k on one lads salary do they need my few pound

I'm saying close it, taking €500k off the costs is €5 member, I'm thinking of the voluntary officers if the expenses have to be cut, I didn't need expenses but some do. This is the first year since 2007 to put any surplus into emergency fund so it's tight....so close it.
it'll still cost approx. €2 -3 member to fund the gen sec

farmerjj

mahoney_j wrote: »

Beef and dairy deductions already gone ,will continue with membership though

How do you stop the dairy and beef deductions??

Buford T. Justice XIX

I'm letting things as they are for the time being. Nothing worthwhile was ever decided in a knee jerk.

I'll be looking for answers at the branch AGM next week and a damn good explanation and change in the way things are done before I decide what I will do.

They have allowed some flustercluck to develop instead of sorting it out before it became an issue.

frazzledhome

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

I'm letting things as they are for the time being. Nothing worthwhile was ever decided in a knee jerk.

I'll be looking for answers at the branch AGM next week and a damn good explanation and change in the way things are done before I decide what I will do.

They have allowed some flustercluck to develop instead of sorting it out before it became an issue.

Same as that. Not stopping anything yet based on what I've read to date.

Have some questions though and the answers to them will make up my mind.

To stop your contributions, contact your milk purchaser, factory and mart and inform them. It was always voluntary.

I'd ask that people stop and ask questions if their reps before stopping and if not happy then stop them.

orm0nd

rangler1 wrote: »

Waste of time, if everyone does that it'll go back to what it was before the levies....that is, no EU representation, that's what the levies were put in place for originally. to have the office in Brussels,
No income from levies will cut the service by half, income from membership would probably run the heating in FarmCentre. as I said before better to close it

so what

turn off the f%cking heat, I'm sick & tired of bursting my bolliz to feed fat pigs

had a lengthy phone chat from a ex co chair. last night ( not my co. but an ex acquaintance whom I have remained very friendly with)

the man was literally in shock

thers a lot more that needs to come out in the open before I regain confidence in the organization

they're hoping the smith saga will push the rest of the sh1t under the carpet

Brown Podzol

I'll toughen it and see what will happen. I won't be cancelling my membership but will see about the levies. To be fair to IFA over the years I've seen some initial proposals by EU and Irish gov that bore no resemblance to the final regulations when they emerged after lobbying by IFA, the only exception I can remember are the nitrates proposals.

frazzledhome

Brown Podzol wrote: »

I'll toughen it and see what will happen. I won't be cancelling my membership but will see about the levies. To be fair to IFA over the years I've seen some initial proposals by EU and Irish gov that bore no resemblance to the final regulations when they emerged after lobbying by IFA, the only exception I can remember are the nitrates proposals.

To be fair Teagasc were the crowd that fecked the Nitrates

limo_100

rangler1 wrote: »

I'm saying close it, taking €500k off the costs is €5 member, I'm thinking of the voluntary officers if the expenses have to be cut, I didn't need expenses but some do. This is the first year since 2007 to put any surplus into emergency fund so it's tight....so close it.
it'll still cost approx. €2 -3 member to fund the gen sec

Any one that was helping the IFA as a volunteer must feel like the biggest fools in the country these last few days, they run round getting people to sign up, fundraising and go to all the meetings for no money and the men at the top sitting round all day in there 1000s of euros worth of suits eating prawn sandwichs and caviar laughing at the whole thing collecting there huge salaries and doing sweet f*ck all infairness

frazzledhome

limo_100 wrote: »

Any one that was helping the IFA as a volunteer must feel like the biggest fools in the country these last few days, they run round getting people to sign up, fundraising and go to all the meetings for no money and the men at the top sitting round all day in there 1000s of euros worth of suits eating prawn sandwichs and caviar laughing at the whole thing collecting there huge salaries and doing sweet f*ck all infairness

I couldn't agree more. It's the honest to god guys who must feel so betrayed

blue5000

OP you should have put another option on the poll:
same as the last line+put rangler on your ignore list.:D

grassroot1

Cant vote but no action yet looking forward to the branch AGM. The way the issue has been handled will be studied as a masterclass in bad damage limitation in a crisis.

farawaygrass

mahoney_j wrote: »

Beef and dairy deductions already gone ,will continue with membership though

In the same as you, no mart/factory deductions but will keep up membership. He is entitled to a good wage I suppose, but let's even say 150k a year. That shy of 3k a week, 2884 to be exact. That's still a hell of a wage to live off.

Western Pomise

Won't take any action till the dust settles a bit and more is comes out from top echelons on expenses etc that likes of Downey are on.

Thought Downey came across v poorly on news the other night when asked how the huge wage was justified and arrived at,one of his comments was that Smith was 'a good negotiator'!

Base price

Western Pomise wrote: »

Won't take any action till the dust settles a bit and more is comes out from top echelons on expenses etc that likes of Downey are on.

Thought Downey came across v poorly on news the other night when asked how the huge wage was justified and arrived at,one of his comments was that Smith was 'a good negotiator'!

+1
I may not agree with some IFA actions or non-actions but I do believe that they are the strongest organisation to represent us at EU level. As I said on a previous thread they (head honchos) now have an opportunity to get back in touch with the grass root membership. I will sit on the fence and see what efforts they make in the next few weeks/months before making a final decision.

alps

rangler1 wrote: »

Waste of time, if everyone does that it'll go back to what it was before the levies....that is, no EU representation, that's what the levies were put in place for originally. to have the office in Brussels,
No income from levies will cut the service by half, income from membership would probably run the heating in FarmCentre. as I said before better to close it

The levies will have to stop. They can never been seen as anything other than a conflict of interest. Whether they are or not is irrelevant. It's what the membership can feel secure about, what they will respect, and to believe that the organisation will back farmers fully irrespective of any eventuality.

A new mechanism will need to be found to replace this source of income. ..

Ranger , how much can an office in Brussels cost to run?

A premesis as 3 staff?

120k plus 2x50k for staff plus 100k rent and running costs.and a bit of entertaining. ..

You'd get a lot for 500k. .....only €5 per member as you say...

Unless there's a lot more here on monopoly figures...

Bass Reeves

Cancelled subs a good few years ago. Cancelled EIF levies about 18 months ago. I have seen this day coming for a while. No new blood coming in to the organisation. Too many there too long in a lot of counties. Too often the Presidency has been seen as a stepping stone to a political career with incumbents hardly waiting to leave to throw had in ring with one or other party.

There should be a stipulation that no President can enter politics for 24 months after leaving office. Too much conflict of interest.

Sam Kade

farmerjj wrote: »

How do you stop the dairy and beef deductions??

You simply write a letter or sign a form at mart or co-op that will stop them

kowtow

Don't we already pay an expensive minister and his department to lobby Europe?

Although it's clear that the IFA never came back empty handed from the Brussels - they learned a lot about salaries & expenses for starters.

Base price

kowtow wrote: »

Don't we already pay an expensive minister and his department to lobby Europe?

Although it's clear that the IFA never came back empty handed from the Brussels - they learned a lot about salaries & expenses for starters.

Ouch

oneten

farmerjj wrote: »

How do you stop the dairy and beef deductions??

Don't know about dairy but with meat factories you ring 'em and tell them no ifa levies and no eif levies, same with the mart tell them in the office before you sell.
You can also reclaim the levies the ifa have already taken, just ring your nearest ifa branch office , tell them what you intend to do and they will ask you for the original kill dockets from the factory or sales dockets from the mart, photocopy them and keep the copies ,post the originals by registered post and don't be put off by the spiel you'll get from t'other end.
You'll get back the originals when they send you the cheque.

rangler1

alps wrote: »

The levies will have to stop. They can never been seen as anything other than a conflict of interest. Whether they are or not is irrelevant. It's what the membership can feel secure about, what they will respect, and to believe that the organisation will back farmers fully irrespective of any eventuality.

A new mechanism will need to be found to replace this source of income. ..

Ranger , how much can an office in Brussels cost to run?

A premesis as 3 staff?

120k plus 2x50k for staff plus 100k rent and running costs.and a bit of entertaining. ..

You'd get a lot for 500k. .....only €5 per member as you say...

Unless there's a lot more here on monopoly figures...

Close down IFA , end of

pedigree 6

rangler1 wrote: »

Close down IFA , end of

Don't be winding everyone up or indeed that's what may happen.

bogman_bass

kowtow wrote: »

Don't we already pay an expensive minister and his department to lobby Europe?

His job is to get what's best for the state. Thats not always whats best for farmers.

Who is going to lobby hime if there is no IFA? ICMSA?

rangler1

pedigree 6 wrote: »

Don't be winding everyone up or indeed that's what may happen.

All of a sudden everyone wants the cannon fodder to stay in place.
you can't half pay them and expect them to work

Miname

rangler1 wrote: »

All of a sudden everyone wants the cannon fodder to stay in place.
you can't half pay them and expect them to work

Half pay is 200k rangler.

rangler1

Miname wrote: »

Half pay is 200k rangler.

I'd hope the voluntary officers would tell you exactly where to stuff your half pay.....most of us didn't need it anyway

Bullocks

rangler1 wrote: »

I'd hope the voluntary officers would tell you exactly where to stuff your half pay.....most of us didn't need it anyway

Why would volunteers care about pay ?

rangler1

Bullocks wrote: »

Why would volunteers care about pay ?

County chairmen and county reps get expenses, ie co officers.
They would be days away from the farm.
If revenue dropped they're the only one's probably not on contract.
Speaking of breaking contracts I'd love to know how much smith took to leave

Miname

rangler1 wrote: »

I'd hope the voluntary officers would tell you exactly where to stuff your half pay.....most of us didn't need it anyway

Rangler your backs up on this one and I'm not having ago at you but even you must feel pissed at over 400k being paid out and volunteers running around taking all the abuse.

darragh_haven

I'd be happy to continue with the IFA structure and paying my membership if it was gaurenteed that no person in it as a full time job, received in excess 150k. If this doesn't happen - adios IFA
The part-timers or voluntary people have to have expenses (subsistence, overnights, 100 euro a day for labour on their home farm while their away, even a car) as expenses are exactly that, costs the individual incurred due to doing work for the IFA

I want transparency of the payment given to all full time staff of the IFA.
The foot soldier are doing a good job and deserve everything they get (even if they get a junket once or twice a year)

Bullocks

rangler1 wrote: »

County chairmen and county reps get expenses, ie co officers.
They would be days away from the farm.
If revenue dropped they're the only one's probably not on contract.
Speaking of breaking contracts I'd love to know how much smith took to leave

I'd say he got a nice package to take with him , I'm sure if anyone can find out what he got you can rangler. In fact I'm surprised that you wouldn't have known his wages aswell ( surprised and borderline don't believe that more of ye didn't ask/know about his remuneration )

rangler1

Miname wrote: »

Rangler your backs up on this one and I'm not having ago at you but even you must feel pissed at over 400k being paid out and volunteers running around taking all the abuse.

Anyone can make a mistake and do a wrong deal and when you do, you have to ride it out and smith only took what was offered to him. What really maddens me is that the top table and jer bergin told us lies. farmers cannot trust them again and they should go. To see the county chairmen circling the wagons means that they're getting away with it again

rangler1

Bullocks wrote: »

I'd say he got a nice package to take with him , I'm sure if anyone can find out what he got you can rangler. In fact I'm surprised that you wouldn't have known his wages aswell ( surprised and borderline don't believe that more of ye didn't ask/know about his remuneration )

Hindsight is always 20 20, misplaced trust in Jer Bergin and I suppose Derek Deane and Padraig Walshe that was involved in the employment of Smith

Bullocks

rangler1 wrote: »

Hindsight is always 20 20, misplaced trust in Jer Bergin and I suppose Derek Deane and Padraig Walshe that was involved in the employment of Smith

Going forward will you be questioning things like this more ?

rangler1

Bullocks wrote: »

Going forward will you be questioning things like this more ?

No, doesn't really affect me now, worst that can happen here now is devaluing my assets going into retirement.

MF290

rangler1 wrote: »

Hindsight is always 20 20, misplaced trust in Jer Bergin and I suppose Derek Deane and Padraig Walshe that was involved in the employment of Smith

Maybe DD and PW misplaced trust in Smith? In fairness to Downey and Bergin they took his salary down a fair chunk in one year, but how and when did it get that high is what I'd like to know....