Croke Park agreement and a new government

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gianni said:
Flexi-time is not universal in the Civil Service. Some offices have it and some don't. Your statement above is misleading.
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Which Departments don't have flexi-time for the relevant grades? I have never come across one that doesn't.

And, as a civil servant represented by one of the Unions that took the issue to arbitration, I think it was a major own goal. It looks ludicrous to the general public that mid ranking and senior civil servants are making such a fuss about a minimum change to their working conditions. I have 31 days leave. That's plenty. I don't need an additional 2 days and neither does anyone else at my grade or more senior grades.
 
Flexi-time is a German concept. It was introduced there to have people ending work at different times and somewhat alleviating congestion on their roads at peak times. The system works with win/win/win situations for the employer, staff member and motorists.

If it works lets use it.
 
Yeah, I don't have a problem with flexi time. It's the one area where the public sector really shows up the private sector as it was never really embraced by companies for some reason. Obviously it doesn't work for every industry or company but it would work for plenty and staff really appreciate it.

I see the Agency staff pay dispute in the health service is going to the Croke Park Body today. Let's see what they come back with. Do you think Brendan Howlin is on the phone to Joan begging forgiveness and asking her to take over?
 
I have no problem with flexitime either. I do have a problem with such a short standard week. All public employees should have a standard working week of 39 hours.
 
Purple said:
I have no problem with flexitime either. I do have a problem with such a short standard week. All public employees should have a standard working week of 39 hours.
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I agree. An old collegaue of mine joined the Central Bank last year. Couldn't believe that there are people in there on a 33 hour week. I wouldn't be as mean as you though! I would accept a 37.5 hour week.
 
Which Departments don't have flexi-time for the relevant grades? I have never come across one that doesn't.
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There is no flexi-time or overtime for management grades in the civil service - they are expected to work whatever hours are necessary to get the job done. My brother and one of my neighbours are both at management level in the civil service and both would usually work a few extra hours per week beyond normal office hours for no extra pay. Asked my brother about priviledge days last night and he said that most regard them as annual leave that must be taken on certain days when non-public offices are closed - would prefer for it to be called what it is i.e. annual leave as the term 'priviledge day' makes it seem like a perk.
 
Sunny said:
I agree. An old collegaue of mine joined the Central Bank last year. Couldn't believe that there are people in there on a 33 hour week. I wouldn't be as mean as you though! I would accept a 37.5 hour week.
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Wow, 18% shorter than the standard 39 hour week.
We really have become a very soft nation.
 
Purple said:
I have no problem with flexitime either. I do have a problem with such a short standard week. All public employees should have a standard working week of 39 hours.
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And yet according to the CSO report dated 15/3/2011 On Employment & Labour costs weekly paid hours in the Public Sector averaged 32.1 as opposed to 31.8 hours in the Private Sector.
 
Purple said:
Wow, 18% shorter than the standard 39 hour week.
We really have become a very soft nation.
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My standard week in the private sector has always been 37.5 hours. An 8.5 day with 1 hour lunch break. Of course, my average week is often much longer but that's just the nature of the job.
 
Deiseblue said:
And yet according to the CSO report dated 15/3/2011 On Employment & Labour costs weekly paid hours in the Public Sector averaged 32.1 as opposed to 31.8 hours in the Private Sector.
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Does that not just reflect the reduced hours that employees have been put on in many sectors?
 
Sunny said:
Does that not just reflect the reduced hours that employees have been put on in many sectors?
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Working on presumptions here but I would imagine that in both sectors the following influential factors were applied by the CSO in calculating the average weekly paid hours :

Part time work

Job sharing

Overtime

As I say merely a presumption on my part and as such unlike the majority of my posts should not be treated as Gospel :D
 
Shawady said:
Is 39 hours standard?
I worked in a large private company and the standard was 35 i.e. 7 hours a day.
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As indeed did I & the average working day was 6.5 hours.

9 to 5 with an hour for lunch and two 1/4 hour tea breaks daily.
 
Standard Civil Service full time week is6hr 57mins per day, or 34.75hr per week. Civil servants clock out for lunch and must take a minimun of 30mins.

I would usually put in between 40-42 clocked hours a week, and over a month this is a build up of 22.75 to 31hr flexi, but I can only carry 11.5hr to the next month, and therefore usually lose the balance. Now I can take a longer lunch, or head home early at 4pm some days to reduce this balance before the end of a particular flexi period. I sometimes lose it, and this means i've worked for free. But I have no issue with this as I know the rules and its my decision if I want to work late to get something finished.
 
Deiseblue said:
And yet according to the CSO report dated 15/3/2011 On Employment & Labour costs weekly paid hours in the Public Sector averaged 32.1 as opposed to 31.8 hours in the Private Sector.
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That’s the average week worked including part time and full time employees and so is meaningless in this context.
 
Purple said:
That’s the average week worked including part time and full time employees and so is meaningless in this context.
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Agree - figures should be quoted in terms of average hours per whole time equivalent.
 
Purple said:
That’s the average week worked including part time and full time employees and so is meaningless in this context.
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Part time workers and full time employees , job sharing and overtime are common to both sectors and as such the CSO figures that show that Public Sector workers work a marginally longer paid week than Private Sector workers is hugely relevant.

That is of course presuming that the CSO employed the parameters I refer to above.

I think it is common sense to presume that an awful lot of factories , shops , Banks , Insurances Companies & Office staff still work a standard 9.30 to 5.30 day with one hour for lunch and two 1/4 hour tea breaks .

As someone who has worked in multiple private sector industries I certainly have found that to be the case.
 
Sunny said:
I agree. An old collegaue of mine joined the Central Bank last year. Couldn't believe that there are people in there on a 33 hour week. I wouldn't be as mean as you though! I would accept a 37.5 hour week.
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That is actually a longer working week than applies in Bank of Ireland which currently stands at 32.5 hours , I presume the same applies in AIB as both bank's terms and conditions are broadly the same.
 
Can I ask Shawady and Deiseblue what companies they were? It's always been 39+hours where ever I worked.
 
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