Public sector bashing-anyone else sick of it?

[grahamo]

Over? Just because public servants now pay a levy for their generous penions you think this is over?

Where is the action to scale the service down?
Where is the action to equalize pay because even after levy there is still a pay gap that needs addressing.

This is the kind of short sighted politics I'm used to from our goverment. No vision, just quick fixes that need to be fixed again in a couple of month.

Just because of a levy and no pay increase (which in my company are also out of the window) what does this do to address the 50 million we need to borrow every day to pay the public service?

What happens next is that the unions will call for strikes because this is an unfair treatment of their members.

This is not over by a long shot.

Exactly the response I was expecting
The Levy will effectively be a 5-10% pay cut. However, its a much bigger sacrifice for the post 1995 public sector staff whose pensions are NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS pre 1995 staff as they pay more for a lot less of a pension (Don't believe all the tabloid crap on pensions)
As for scaling down...All people on contract will be out. I also think there would be legal problems regarding pay cuts for people on contract as pay terms are in the contract. (and believe me there are a lot of people on contract in the public sector).

 

[rabbit]

Those who were making great money in the boom are now in trouble,

Many public sector employees were making greater money in the boom than most private sector workers. Check your figures.

and those who never made much money (on the whole), but kept on doing the important work of keeping public services running are now public enemy number one.

Who " never made much money" ...do you mean factory workers, shop assistants, hotel staff, restaurant workers, small farmers etc ? These people do not do the " important work of keeping public services running" !

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Many public sector employees were making greater money in the boom than most private sector workers. Check your figures.


Who " never made much money" ...do you mean factory workers, shop assistants, hotel staff, restaurant workers, small farmers etc ? These people do not do the " important work of keeping public services running" !

Perhaps you should also, your belief is that all are on amazing money ??

The majority aren't

 

[DublinTexas]

I don’t work in the public sector and I’m a big critic of big government hence advocating that public service should concentrate on the core business and pay a fair market salary to people that are employed.

Even I am sick of the bashing of public sector workers. Throwing them all into one big pile is not helpful, what needs to be done is too look at each service that is provided by public (or public owned) services and companies and then determined if there is a possibility of cutback, privatization or other methods to reduce cost.

This is a normal approach in the private sector and why should it not be done in the public sector.

I could not work in the gardai or fire service and I think that these people should earn a fair salary for doing the highly specialized job they do in the same way I should earn a fair salary for my job. Sure there needs to be adjustments for job security, extra benefits and a guaranteed pension but that are details where it needs to be worked out.

Just putting a levy onto the pensions is the wrong way. Sure I appreciate that people are now having to contribute more to a guaranteed pension especially as I have to contribute more to make up for the losses in my pension fund and even than it’s not guaranteed that I will get a good pension but that alone is not the right step.

We need to take stock of where we don’t need public service or where previous state monopoles (like electricity or gas) have run amok and how we can privatize that while ensuring that the basic right of infrastructure is delivered on.

Looking at the pension levy table, I really wonder why we have public servants earning over 150,000 € because I most certainly think that we have not enough talent in the public service that deserves that kind of payment.

We need to get away from the sense of entitlement that everybody has, we are on the verge of a collapse of the country (and if we would not be in the € zone we would be even worse off) and all we do is complain about someone trying to take away rights we gained in fat years.

And before you complain, I took a salary cut so that I still have a job, I pay more into my pension fund because I need to make up for losses and I do my part by shopping in Ireland.

Now can we maybe stop bashing workers and the public service as a total entity and concentrate on pointing out where the public service should not be in at all or where there is waste of tax payers money by the public sector.

 

[Purple]

I don’t work in the public sector and I’m a big critic of big government hence advocating that public service should concentrate on the core business and pay a fair market salary to people that are employed.

Even I am sick of the bashing of public sector workers. Throwing them all into one big pile is not helpful, what needs to be done is too look at each service that is provided by public (or public owned) services and companies and then determined if there is a possibility of cutback, privatization or other methods to reduce cost.

This is a normal approach in the private sector and why should it not be done in the public sector.

I could not work in the gardai or fire service and I think that these people should earn a fair salary for doing the highly specialized job they do in the same way I should earn a fair salary for my job. Sure there needs to be adjustments for job security, extra benefits and a guaranteed pension but that are details where it needs to be worked out.

Just putting a levy onto the pensions is the wrong way. Sure I appreciate that people are now having to contribute more to a guaranteed pension especially as I have to contribute more to make up for the losses in my pension fund and even than it’s not guaranteed that I will get a good pension but that alone is not the right step.

We need to take stock of where we don’t need public service or where previous state monopoles (like electricity or gas) have run amok and how we can privatize that while ensuring that the basic right of infrastructure is delivered on.

Looking at the pension levy table, I really wonder why we have public servants earning over 150,000 € because I most certainly think that we have not enough talent in the public service that deserves that kind of payment.

We need to get away from the sense of entitlement that everybody has, we are on the verge of a collapse of the country (and if we would not be in the € zone we would be even worse off) and all we do is complain about someone trying to take away rights we gained in fat years.

And before you complain, I took a salary cut so that I still have a job, I pay more into my pension fund because I need to make up for losses and I do my part by shopping in Ireland.

Now can we maybe stop bashing workers and the public service as a total entity and concentrate on pointing out where the public service should not be in at all or where there is waste of tax payers money by the public sector.

Agree completely

 

[Sunny]

I don’t work in the public sector and I’m a big critic of big government hence advocating that public service should concentrate on the core business and pay a fair market salary to people that are employed.

Even I am sick of the bashing of public sector workers. Throwing them all into one big pile is not helpful, what needs to be done is too look at each service that is provided by public (or public owned) services and companies and then determined if there is a possibility of cutback, privatization or other methods to reduce cost.

This is a normal approach in the private sector and why should it not be done in the public sector.

I could not work in the gardai or fire service and I think that these people should earn a fair salary for doing the highly specialized job they do in the same way I should earn a fair salary for my job. Sure there needs to be adjustments for job security, extra benefits and a guaranteed pension but that are details where it needs to be worked out.

Just putting a levy onto the pensions is the wrong way. Sure I appreciate that people are now having to contribute more to a guaranteed pension especially as I have to contribute more to make up for the losses in my pension fund and even than it’s not guaranteed that I will get a good pension but that alone is not the right step.

We need to take stock of where we don’t need public service or where previous state monopoles (like electricity or gas) have run amok and how we can privatize that while ensuring that the basic right of infrastructure is delivered on.

Looking at the pension levy table, I really wonder why we have public servants earning over 150,000 € because I most certainly think that we have not enough talent in the public service that deserves that kind of payment.

We need to get away from the sense of entitlement that everybody has, we are on the verge of a collapse of the country (and if we would not be in the € zone we would be even worse off) and all we do is complain about someone trying to take away rights we gained in fat years.

And before you complain, I took a salary cut so that I still have a job, I pay more into my pension fund because I need to make up for losses and I do my part by shopping in Ireland.

Now can we maybe stop bashing workers and the public service as a total entity and concentrate on pointing out where the public service should not be in at all or where there is waste of tax payers money by the public sector.

Well said but we have tried bring some sense to the dicussion on the million threads on the subject and it has yet to happen. I think mindless public sector bashing has just replaced sex in peoples lives judging by the amount of fustration that is being vented around the place!

 

[DublinTexas]

Well than let me start with what I think we need to do.

Let me start:

1. Allow the private waste collector in Fingal Glas collection again to level the playing field and allow the customer (me) to choose a service on a fair basis.
2. Sell off AirLingus as the state has no longer a role in the airline business while ensuring that public service routes are contracted out and slot rights are just leased out.
3. Instead of a facility mangement contract give out an airport operations contract for terminal 2 so that we have real competition for our airport operator.
4. Keep the infrastructure of gas, electricity, transport, telecoms in state hands but sell of state companies that dominate the market to encourage competition and that includes getting ride of the commisions that "regulate the market" by setting prices etc.

Sure this is all long term but we need to start long term goals.

 

[capall]

It seems that salaries at the top in our public sectors are way out of line when compared with other countries. From central bank governors,government ministers,university lecturers ,garda superintendents ,etc ,etc

Also for these guys 10% contribution for the pensions they get is a joke. They retire on a pension based on the ongoing salary for that post. I'd like to see proper figures for what these pensions are costing.

Most people will agree that senior managment in alot of our public sector has been poor and continues to be poor. They are overpaid and are bad value for money
And their is no accountability at least in the private sector heads are rolling at the top levels and we will see more of that

I am not sure why management is so poor,is it how people are promoted,the culture. Alot of people in the PS seem to feel beaten by the system,alot of really good ,commited people never seem to move up the ranks

 

[rabbit]

It seems that salaries at the top in our public sectors are way out of line when compared with other countries.

Not just "at the top"....all public sectors are so well overpaid this country is the joke of Europe.

 

[Sunny]

Not just "at the top"....all public sectors are so well overpaid this country is the joke of Europe.

So is most of the private sector (and I am one of them before you ask).

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Rabbit, please stop taking LSD.

Can you provide examples of these from the bottom up

 

[Sunny]

what complete rubbish really, can you please provide some examples from the bottom up ???

Well ok start at the bottom. Who has the highest or second highest minimum wage in Europe? Go to the top. Our executives at public companies like banks are overpaid in relation to their continental couterparts. The middle would take too long to go through.

EDIT: You obviously changed your post!

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Well ok start at the bottom. Who has the highest or second highest minimum wage in Europe? Go to the top. Our executives at public companies like banks are overpaid in relation to their continental couterparts. The middle would take too long to go through.

EDIT: You obviously changed your post!

Ya clicked on the wrong post

But i agree

 

[rabbit]

Some people had not obviously read the beginning and need to be corrected.

 

[liaconn]

Some people had not obviously read the beginning and need to be corrected.

Rabbit

Is there any chance you would tell us what you do for a living? People keep talking about the 'Private Sector' as if it is one homogenous group and seem to feel that the fact that some private sector workers are losing their jobs or taking pay cuts means that all private sector workers are 'sharing the pain'. This is not true. There are many workers in the 'private sector' who are still in well paid jobs and yesterday's measures did nothing to ensure they, too, play their part towards economic recovery. Focussing entirely on public service workers is unfair. We certainly don't mind doing our share but we would also like to see it spread evenly across the board.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Some people had not obviously read the beginning and need to be corrected.

Rabbit, as i asked can you please provide us with all the inside info you have on overpaid Public Sector employees at all levels ???

Remember the ones you said yesterday that was getting money from the state for doing nothing ??

 

[Lak]

Rabbit clearly does not work in the public sector, is it possible he is a private sector office worker in a low paid job, hence the bitterness and unsubstantiated nonsense being suggested. I have a hunch he sits at his desk surfing the web and posting on AAM and generally conducting himself in the very manner that is so abhorent of the lazy overpaid useless public sector work force
I would be delighted to be proven wrong if you would care to offer hard factual evidence to substantiate some of your claims particularly in relation to the the average employee, I think we are only all to aware of how the fat cats snouts are buried deep into the greedy trough, tell us something to back up you're claims.

 

[Birroc]

is it possible he is a private sector office worker in a low paid job, hence the bitterness

Are all private sector workers in low paid jobs bitter? Hardly a fair comment on Rabbit or low paid workers.

It is greed that got us in this mess and still most of us have no idea of how drastic it is going to get.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Poor Rabbit.

All together ahhhhhhhh