Will the public service strike now?

04-02-2009 09:59AM #1

Heres my take on the situation.

SFA, IBEC and the Govt were in cahoots all along on this.

Whatever happens to the public sector, will happen to the private sector in time. So far only about 10% of the private sector have been hit. This will now increase to the same percentage as the public sector effected.

BAsically the govt ask for twice as much in pension levies as they think they can reasonably expect. They are expecting the threat of industrial action. When they then half the take in pension levies this will appease the unions and all will be fine. At least that is the plan.

This levy on pensions is just the start. Wait and see. They'll then anopunce a cut in tax relief on pension payments, which will be a double whamy on the public sector. As long as they get it worse the private sector will take theirs too.

If i was in the public sector i would expect to strike. Bend over and take this and they are just willing to be screwed harder. The govt will bush until they are scared to push anymore. The sooner there is a reaction to this pushing the sooner they will sit up and take notice.

I think there will be major industrial action over this. I hope there is actually because the private sector will get screwed every bit as hard as the public sector and then some.

Quazzie · 04-02-2009 10:01AM

All this talk of pushing has gotten me into a right tizzy

thebman · 04-02-2009 10:01AM

If there is major industrial action over this, then most of the public sector won't have jobs by the end of it because the country will be bankrupt.

cooperla · 04-02-2009 10:07AM

My opinion is that there won't be strikes.

I'm expecting to see some changes in what was announced yesterday (a portion of the pension levy with be cut and raised through other means, probably tax increase in the higher band?).

The main problem as I see it is that this is only the thin edge of the wedge as someone mentioned on the radio yesterday. If this causes strikes, then we are in for some serious problems with the other 14 or so billion that needs to be cut/raised in the coming years.

04-02-2009 10:11AM

If it doesnt cause strikes there will be more to follow until the breaking point is found.

Caoimhín · 04-02-2009 10:13AM

I pay for my pension, why shouldnt public sector workers pay for theirs?

If they do strike, they wont get much publc support.

MagicMarker · 04-02-2009 10:15AM

What do they need a pension for anyway, it's not like they're going to live through the apocalypse.

thebman · 04-02-2009 10:18AM

321654 wrote: »

If it doesnt cause strikes there will be more to follow until the breaking point is found.

There will be more to follow anyway, we have a 20 billion budget deficit and that is being optimistic.

Where do you think the money is going to come from?

And don't come back with those who caused the mess because they don't have enough to cover a quarter of the fooking mess they got us into.

CreepingDeath · 04-02-2009 10:24AM

Those cnuts in Dublin bus played rough with the private bus operators to send them out of business, look at Mortons.
Now they have a monopoly, they will use a strike to cripple the country.

I pay for a monthly bus ticket, now thinking of cancelling the March one in case I'm throwing money down the drain if they strike. :mad:

FlutterinBantam · 04-02-2009 10:26AM

Anyone who thinks industrial action will achieve anything other than make things worse,either doesn't understand the situation, or doesn't give a fook either way.

Doran the nurses GenSec. is making noises,can't really see any major action.

The country would have no tolerance for that kind of behavior imho.

Quazzie · 04-02-2009 10:27AM

Caoimhín wrote: »

I pay for my pension, why shouldnt public sector workers pay for theirs?

If they do strike, they wont get much publc support.

Your pension is optional. What good is a pension in 40 years time when you could lose your house now?

phasers · 04-02-2009 10:28AM

Biffo says the public sector will crack any minute purple monkey dishwasher.

mickoneill30 · 04-02-2009 10:31AM

thebman wrote: »

And don't come back with those who caused the mess because they don't have enough to cover a quarter of the fooking mess they got us into.

I'm coming back with "who caused this mess?"

That was the common theme on the news last night. "I didn't cause this mess so why should I pay."

Who did cause it?

The banks?
The world economy is all shagged. Is it foreigners?
The public sector?
Private sector companies like Dell and Waterford Crystal and anybody else that moves jobs abroad because they can get them cheaper?
The government?
The opposition?
Joe soaps for shopping up north?
Shops for charging too much down here?
Wholesalers as the shops say they charge them too much?
The unions?
The builders?

The common theme on the news was "I want to do something to help but I don't want to do that". At least the unions got consulted before the government went ahead. I know the unions never seem to agree and didn't seem to have an alternative but at least they had a chance. In my company we got told 10% of our staff were being let go. No ifs or ands or buts. And that's the start (for my company).

justsomebloke · 04-02-2009 10:33AM

yes of course there are going to be strikes. This levy is going to hit a lot of families extremely hard, so yes people will fight for the conditions of there contract of employment so that they don't financially go under

Caoimhín · 04-02-2009 10:39AM

Quazzie2002 wrote: »

Your pension is optional. What good is a pension in 40 years time when you could lose your house now?

Fair point about my pension being optional, but given the option, i doubt many public servants would give it up.
It is a bit much to suggest that these cuts will lead to public servants losing their homes. Maybe their second homes...

justsomebloke · 04-02-2009 10:44AM

Caoimhín wrote: »

It is a bit much to suggest that these cuts will lead to public servants losing their homes. Maybe their second homes...

why do you think that, just as a matter of interest. There are a LOT of public sector works on average incomes with mortgages that are going to be wondering how they are going to get through this.

not yet · 04-02-2009 10:45AM

What the fu/ck is wrong with people that they dont know that public sector workers already pay 6% of the wage into a pension fund......

Yes I know it's a safe job etc, but most of them have a good education,have trained on crap money for 3-5 years, and only atfer 7 years do they go on the top of their scale. Now while at the height of the celtic tiger people made a fortune....plumbers charging 500 a day etc the p/s worker worked quitely behind the scenes.....

The private sector had it good for years, and now that we are in **** they want to target the p/s

pyramuid man · 04-02-2009 10:45AM

Originally Posted by Caoimhín
I pay for my pension, why shouldnt public sector workers pay for theirs?

If they do strike, they wont get much publc support.

Why were you not saying the same thing three or four years ago.

I am not a public sector worker here but I have to feel sorry for them. They are being ganged up on by everyone else in society.

Its like health insurance. Most good private sector companies give this to their employees and call it a perk.

Well this is just a perk of being a public sector worker. You dont get VHI but you get a pension. If people were calling for private sector health insurance schemes to be cut would there be as much hate towards the private sector workers in society. I dont think so.

04-02-2009 10:46AM

Joe the Santa wrote: »

yes of course there are going to be strikes. This levy is going to hit a lot of families extremely hard, so yes people will fight for the conditions of there contract of employment so that they don't financially go under

If they dont fight it they will just be smacked down again and end up worse off than now even. They should hit back and the bully might back off.

My fear is, the more the public sector take it up the hole, the more is coming up the private sectors hole to go with it.

Doesnt really matter if the public sector have support or not. They are big enough if they get together to do what they want.

If they strike you and i will feel it. Contrary to popular opinion, they dont all do nothing.

To make it fair it has to be PAYE increases for EVERYONE. Not cuts specific to one sector.

pyramuid man · 04-02-2009 10:48AM

not yet wrote: »

What the fu/ck is wrong with people that they dont know that public sector workers already pay 6% of the wage into a pension fund......

Yes I know it's a safe job etc, but most of them have a good education,have trained on crap money for 3-5 years, and only atfer 7 years do they go on the top of their scale. Now while at the height of the celtic tiger people made a fortune....plumbers charging 500 a day etc the p/s worker worked quitely behind the scenes.....

The private sector had it good for years, and now that we are in **** they want to target the p/s

They were told by Eddie Hobbs that they are overpaid.

mickoneill30 · 04-02-2009 10:49AM

pyramuid man wrote: »

Its like health insurance. Most good private sector companies give this to their employees and call it a perk.

Nope. Most give it to you and you get charged for it. I've been in 3 big companies in the last 5 years. I didn't get free health insurance. Who gets that anymore? That perk is long gone.

Popinjay · 04-02-2009 10:49AM

Caoimhín wrote: »

Fair point about my pension being optional, but given the option, i doubt many public servants would give it up.

I'm a 25 year old civil servant trying to save money to move, with my long term girlfriend, have way across the world with no intention coming back. I'm losing a fair whack of cash on this that will lead to problems paying my rent. Never mind the visa applications, travel costs and other costs associated with completely upping and moving to start an entire new life somewhere else - I'll have trouble even living here.

Since I started in this job I've been more than willing to give up a pension that will be worth next to nothing to me because I won't have been working long enough to get anything like a worthwhile payment for this obligatory pension. I'm paying a spouse and child pension for God's sake. I'm still a little while off needing that. Why should I have to pay for something I don't need or want?

Rebel021 · 04-02-2009 10:50AM

Joe the Santa wrote: »

yes of course there are going to be strikes. This levy is going to hit a lot of families extremely hard, so yes people will fight for the conditions of there contract of employment so that they don't financially go under

Well I believe it will have to happen,
Currently if this does go ahead My Family will be hit very hard,
1 working
2 Children and we are struggling with our cost of living and we don't live highly.
I stay at home and look after the children and I receive no benefit from the government like many other married couples in the country so we live on 1 income which does not cover our outgoings.

We have cut alot of our expenses from our life and are still looking at other ways to cut but with rent,shopping,heat,school and transport fees we can not cut any further and this new levy will cripple us.

If this goes ahead I really don't know what the future holds for us as we at the moment cannot cut any further.

04-02-2009 10:54AM

pyramuid man wrote: »

Why were you not saying the same thing three or four years ago.

I am not a public sector worker here but I have to feel sorry for them. They are being ganged up on by everyone else in society.

Its like health insurance. Most good private sector companies give this to their employees and call it a perk.

Well this is just a perk of being a public sector worker. You dont get VHI but you get a pension. If people were calling for private sector health insurance schemes to be cut would there be as much hate towards the private sector workers in society. I dont think so.

I think you hit the nail on the head. They are getting ridden and battered by everyone. The media assauklt on them is frightening. And its not fair.

The ordinary public sector worker doesnt get bonuses either.

If i didnt get my bonus in my job i would walk.

tolosenc · 04-02-2009 10:55AM

Hopefully it'll be work-to-rule. Might actually get some efficiency then...

*hides*

Degsy · 04-02-2009 10:58AM

Caoimhín wrote: »

Maybe their second homes...

Second homes my sour bollocks.
How many people on between 35-40 k(and you'd need to be there years to get that) can afford second homes?
How much weere builders and plasterers charging at the height of the boom?500 quid a day and a lot of it was cash in hand.
Estate agents making 6 grand or more on every proeprty they sold and property developers charging whatever the fcuck they want for matchbox-sized aprtments out in the sticks.

The problem is not and never has been the public sector,it was pure greed in other sectors and peopele not paying tax on thier inflated earnings.

Paddy Samurai · 04-02-2009 10:59AM

Caoimhín wrote: »

I pay for my pension, why shouldnt public sector workers pay for theirs?

If they do strike, they wont get much publc support.

Theres 320,000 of them ,if you add their family members maybe a millon people plus.They don't need public support,they are the public.
Ooh !,and they have lots of guns,tanks and prisons to deal with the rest of us.

mickoneill30 · 04-02-2009 10:59AM

321654 wrote: »

If i didnt get my bonus in my job i would walk.

As in you couldn't afford transport? I don't know anybody (public or private) that isn't worried about their job. Are you in such a great industry that you can quit if you don't get a bonus? What do you do?

John Mason · 04-02-2009 11:00AM

I cant afford to strike

Quazzie · 04-02-2009 11:00AM

Caoimhín wrote: »

Fair point about my pension being optional, but given the option, i doubt many public servants would give it up.
It is a bit much to suggest that these cuts will lead to public servants losing their homes. Maybe their second homes...

Not every publis sector worker is rolling in it. My wife is a public sector worker and is on average wages, but only because she is working in her current position for 7 years. We got a mortgage based on her income because I am a private sector worker, and thus my job is unstable. Our mortgage might now be unstable because of the uncertainty about how much exactly her wages are going to be deducted. This is just one case of many. Many people she works with have gotten mortgages on the premise that their jobs were guaranteed, and that their wages were secure, now it seems only half of this is true, and if some had their way neither would be true. At the moment we are ok, but if I lost my job I know we'd rather have the extra euros every week now to secure my mortgage, than in the form of a pension later on. I think the extra levy is fair but I think the pension should be made optional.

04-02-2009 11:00AM

mickoneill30 wrote: »

Nope. Most give it to you and you get charged for it. I've been in 3 big companies in the last 5 years. I didn't get free health insurance. Who gets that anymore? That perk is long gone.

Wrong, Anyone i know gets VHI or other medical insurance. They get their own pension contributions matched, a lot even didnt have to match the companies pension contributuin to get it. And they get big bonuses.

Of course this is not true of all private sector workers, but most i know of have these perks.

And of the numerous compnaies ive worked for over the last 15 - 20 years in the private sector all of them have had these perks.

Will the public service strike now?

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