# Pay for unemployed public servants



## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

I am unaware of any announcements about pay for now unemployed public servants by the government.

Are unemployed public servants subject to the same pay reductions and supports as announced for the private sector or have they all been redeployed, where possible, and their pay grade adjusted accordingly?

I accept that some public servants can work from home but is pay being reduced for those who are not providing a full-time service from home?

Certain jobs cannot be done from home such as those done by library and museum staff. Libraries were amongst the list of closures announced yesterday yet my local library has been closed for two weeks. Are these public servants still being paid?


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## QC_Mimi (25 Mar 2020)

There are no 'unemployed public servants' - if their section is closed: they are expected to work from home or be deployed to other departments.  AFAIK they are all to be paid as normal.


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

QC_Mimi said:


> There are no 'unemployed public servants' - if their section is closed: they are expected to *work from home* or be *deployed to other departments*.  AFAIK they are all to be paid as normal.



I covered both those scenarios in my original post.

Public servants are unemployed if they are not working from home or have not been redeployed.

And working from home means for their contracted hours, which needs to be monitored and verified.


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## llgon (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> Public servants are unemployed if they are not working from home or have not been redeployed.



What about if they are doing their jobs? Your posts make little sense. As QC had told you already there are no 'unemployed public servants'.



ATC110 said:


> And working from home means for their contracted hours, which needs to be monitored and verified.



Cameras in their houses?


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## Purple (25 Mar 2020)

llgon said:


> What about if they are doing their jobs? Your posts make little sense. As QC had told you already there are no 'unemployed public servants'.


Do you now understand what this means?


ATC110 said:


> Certain jobs cannot be done from home such as those done by library and museum staff. Libraries were amongst the list of closures announced yesterday yet my local library has been closed for two weeks.



In answer to ACT110's OP the answer is of course they are getting paid. They are the people who make the rules and always look after their own first.


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## Lou26 (25 Mar 2020)

Hi. Just a quick one on this. My sister is a librarian in the East of the country and is still working. For the first week or so she was still in the library working behind the scenes and she has now been redeployed to contact tracing for the HSE. I don't know about any other individual cases but I would imagine a lot of people would be redeployed to either the HSE or social welfare.


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## QC_Mimi (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> Public servants are unemployed if they are not working from home or have not been redeployed.



They are not unemployed - just temporarily removed from their work location due to a serious health hazard.  



ATC110 said:


> And working from home means for their contracted hours, which needs to be monitored and verified.



Easily done: logging in and logging out of the work-based system that is available via a secure portal.  I have friends working from home doing this.

Can I ask why are you so concerned about this?


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## Deiseblue (25 Mar 2020)

As no Public Sector workers are unemployed then the question is irrelevant.
Surely we have bigger things to worry about at this juncture than engaging in non factual based speculation.


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## Leper (25 Mar 2020)

The Purple Virus (far deadlier than Covid-19) is spreading. Can we go into immediate Lockdown?


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## Purple (25 Mar 2020)

Leper said:


> The Purple Virus (far deadlier than Covid-19) is spreading. Can we go into immediate Lockdown?


I'm just looking out for working people. I can understand why the trade unionists are upset by that.


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## PaddyBloggit (25 Mar 2020)

Purple said:


> I'm just looking out for working people.



Thanks.

I'm up since 6.40 a.m. putting stuff up for the pupils in my class. I hate sweeping statements of condemnation about the Public Service.

And I'm still here, answering questions, clarifying learning outcomes and generally reassuring my pupils.


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## Purple (25 Mar 2020)

PaddyBloggit said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I'm up since 6.40 a.m. putting stuff up for the pupils in my class. I hate sweeping statements of condemnation about the Public Service.
> 
> And I'm still here, answering questions, clarifying learning outcomes and generally reassuring my pupils.


That's great. The OP was asking about public servants who were unable to work from home. I'm sure many can.
I'm in a sector which is critical to the supply of medical equipment so we can't close although we do have a number of people self isolating. Those who can work from home are doing so but everyone is getting full pay.


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Lou26 said:


> For the first week or so she was still in the library *working behind the scenes *and she has now been redeployed to contact tracing for the HSE.


What was there to do? There should not be any "behind the scenes" work in the public sector apart from in the interests of national security



Lou26 said:


> I don't know about any other individual cases but* I would imagine* a lot of people would be redeployed to either the HSE or social welfare.



Conjecture is not reassuring


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## Purple (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> What was there to do? There should not be any "behind the scenes" work in the public sector apart from in the interests of national security


Contact tracing is important work and I'd imagine librarians would be ideally suited to the work, in as much as anyone is.


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

QC_Mimi said:


> They are not unemployed - just temporarily removed from their work location due to a serious health hazard.



This applies to most people who are now unemployed in the private sector;  You are playing with words here.



QC_Mimi said:


> Can I ask why are you so concerned about this?



I'm a taxpayer and have a serious issue with people being paid out of the public purse for doing nothing. We live in a supposedly equal society so it is grossly inequitable to have a different set of rules for an already cosseted section of the workforce


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Purple said:


> Contact tracing is important work and I'd imagine librarians would be ideally suited to the work, in as much as anyone is.


I'm referring to the poster stating their sister was working behind the scenes in the library before being redeployed to the HSE


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Deiseblue said:


> As no Public Sector workers are unemployed then the question is irrelevant.
> Surely we have bigger things to worry about at this juncture than engaging in non factual based speculation.



They're unemployed if they are not working in their regular job, not working from home or have not been redeployed.

Adding to the national debt by paying people who are not working is a serious longterm issue


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

PaddyBloggit said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I'm up since 6.40 a.m. putting stuff up for the pupils in my class. I hate sweeping statements of condemnation about the Public Service.
> 
> And I'm still here, answering questions, clarifying learning outcomes and generally reassuring my pupils.



Can I ask is that a contractual requirement Paddy or are you doing it of your own volition? Also, will you be working the same number of hours as when doing your regular job?


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## Sophrosyne (25 Mar 2020)

Well done, Paddy.

As someone who worked in the private sector during my working life, I am struck by your “get on with it” attitude compared to the sheer pettifoggery of the original post especially given the times that are in it.

There are people in *all* walks of life in Ireland who are unsung but carrying out essential sometimes voluntary behind the scenes work so that we can get through these distressing times.

Keep up the good work.


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## PaddyBloggit (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> doing it of your own volition



My own volition.

I'm actually doing more than my ordinary school hours. I was answering questions up to 11.00 p.m. last night.

I got to bed at 3.20 a.m. on Monday morning and up again a few hours later - I had to do a full revamp of the site over the weekend and it took ages to do that. And then I had to start adding content. I've set up query forms on the site and I get a notification on my phone when one is sent.

I get them at all times and all hours and I do respond fairly quickly to all of them.


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## PaddyBloggit (25 Mar 2020)

Sophrosyne said:


> Keep up the good work.



Thanks Sophrosyne ... trying to do my bit. I was never a dosser and I've always done my best to earn my pay and I'm not going to start dossing now.

I also feel that the pupils in my class need a bit of structure and support at this surreal time in their lives.

It's also a help to parents (I would think) that I'm keeping them occupied educationally.


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Sophrosyne said:


> *Well done,* Paddy.
> 
> As someone who worked in the private sector during my working life, I am struck by your “get on with it” attitude compared to the* sheer pettifoggery *of the original post especially given the times that are in it.



If someone is getting paid anyway "well done" is hardly apt.
"Pettifoggery"..that's a nice word. Are you saying paying people public money for not doing any work is a non-issue?




Sophrosyne said:


> There are people in *all* walks of life in Ireland who are unsung but carrying out essential sometimes voluntary behind the scenes work so that we can get through these distressing times.



Does you mean they should get paid for full time/part time/no time work just in case they decide to do voluntary work?


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

PaddyBloggit said:


> My own volition.
> 
> I'm actually doing more than my ordinary school hours. I was answering questions up to 11.00 p.m. last night.
> 
> ...



On a personal level, that's great to hear Paddy. 

Separately, anyone not being contractually obliged to work when getting paid is unacceptable though.


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## Leo (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> Separately, anyone not being contractually obliged to work when getting paid is unacceptable though.



You're right. We should of course stamp out the scourge of paid sick leave, paid holidays, maternity leave, toilet breaks, etc.....


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Leo said:


> You're right. We should of course stamp out the scourge of paid sick leave, paid holidays, maternity leave, toilet breaks, etc.....



I like your thinking there Leo. Ever considered running for political office?


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## Deiseblue (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> They're unemployed if they are not working in their regular job, not working from home or have not been redeployed.
> 
> Adding to the national debt by paying people who are not working is a serious longterm issue


But that is exactly what the Government propose to do - subventing employees wages with the balance made up by employers for all those currently laid off by cafes , hotels , bars   creche etc etc . and of course unemployment assistance has been dramatically raised.
Obviously far more private sector workers fall in to that category than public sector employees - perhaps you would be so good as to tell us how many public sector workers are currently not working in their regular job , not working from home or have not been redeployed- facts always help.
The States response seems to be designed to help businesses and employees as much as possible across all sectors and I applaud them for that. 
Of course this process will be extremely costly- a burden that will have to be shared by all sectors of society in due course.
But hey let's get out of this crisis first and then we can reflect on matters that currently don't amount to a hill of beans.


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## QC_Mimi (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> This applies to most people who are now unemployed in the private sector;  You are playing with words here.



So what?  They didn't ask to be laid off... no more than anyone else in the private sector.  They will be hit with the same taxation increases same as the rest of us



ATC110 said:


> I'm a taxpayer and have a serious issue with people being paid out of the public purse for doing nothing. We live in a supposedly equal society so it is grossly inequitable to have a different set of rules for an already cosseted section of the workforce



They are far from cosseted...  majority of them have volunteered to be deployed to HSE and Social Welfare, your begrugery is uncalled for


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## Lou26 (25 Mar 2020)

To answer the question about what my sister was doing behind the scenes in the library, she was working on IT stuff. She works with online resources and a lot of these are still available to library users even though the physical library is closed.


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## Leo (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> I like your thinking there Leo. Ever considered running for political office?



Two problems there, I don't have the criminal/ paramilitary background that's all the rage now, and my hard-line views (real or imaginary) tend to fall apart when I meet real people...


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Deiseblue said:


> But that is exactly what the Government propose to do - *subventing employees* wages with the balance made up by employers for all those currently laid off by cafes , hotels , bars   creche etc etc . and of course unemployment assistance has been dramatically raised.



Up to 80% with a cap; in the private sector 



Deiseblue said:


> Obviously far more private sector workers fall in to that category than public sector employees - perhaps you would be so good as to tell us how many public sector workers are currently not working in their regular job , not working from home or have not been redeployed- facts always help.



Did you miss the question marks in my OP?



Deiseblue said:


> The States response seems to be designed to help businesses and employees *as much as possible* across all sectors and I applaud them for that.



How patronising. While the state sector gets their full wage with impunity.



Deiseblue said:


> Of course this process will be extremely costly- a burden that will have to be shared by all sectors of society in due course.



The cost of public sector pay and superannuation is being "shared" with the private sector under normal circumstances.



Deiseblue said:


> But hey let's get out of this crisis first and then we can reflect on matters that currently don't amount to a *hill of beans*.



Adding to already fiscally reckless public spending by paying people the same money for less or nothing is more than your hill of beans


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

QC_Mimi said:


> So what?  They didn't ask to be laid off... no more than anyone else in the private sector.  They will be hit with the same taxation increases same as the rest of us



Why should one sector not be subject to the same pay reduction and cap as everyone else? The unemployed PS workers will be in a position to pay more tax after being at home on full pay without any associated travelling costs



QC_Mimi said:


> They are far from cosseted...  majority of them have *volunteered* to be deployed to HSE and Social Welfare,



Why should it be voluntary when they're public servants?



QC_Mimi said:


> your begrugery is uncalled for



Expecting equality and accountability is not begrudgery


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

I thought AAM was right-leaning or is it just this forum that's populated with Trotskyites?


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## Deiseblue (25 Mar 2020)

Any sign of figures  of the amount of public sector workers not currently working at their regular job , not working at home or not being redeployed?
Lacking such figures then I suggest your argument is sunk at the waterline.
Personally I welcome the fact that the Government is striving to ensure that all employees across all sectors are being assisted


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## Sunny (25 Mar 2020)

And This post will be deleted if not edited immediately wept that this is the issue that is getting people wound up...…..


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## Deiseblue (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> I thought AAM was right-leaning or is it just this forum that's populated with Trotskyites?


I always thought that AAM welcomed all views .
Would you change that and perhaps ban all views that do not coincide with your own or are you simply annoyed that your opening post didn't meet with universal approval?


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Deiseblue said:


> Any sign of figures  of the amount of public sector workers not currently working at their regular job , not working at home or not being redeployed?



That'll have to wait for an attempted FOI request post-crisis.



Deiseblue said:


> Lacking such figures then I suggest your argument is sunk at the waterline.



How convenient that would be 



Deiseblue said:


> Personally I welcome the fact that the Government is striving to ensure that all employees across all sectors are being assisted



Unconditional full pay is not "assistance".


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Deiseblue said:


> I always thought that AAM welcomed all views .
> Would you change that and perhaps ban all views that do not coincide with your own or are you simply annoyed that your opening post didn't meet with universal approval?



All views are welcome but deliberate obfuscation, distraction and generally defending the indefensible serves no purpose.


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Sunny said:


> And This post will be deleted if not edited immediately wept that this is the issue that is getting people wound up...…..



Only me it appears Sunny with almost all of the other contributors replying in their own self-interest


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## Firefly (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> While the state sector gets their full wage with impunity.



Hi ATC110,

Just so we are all clear, what do you think so happen?

Firefly.


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Firefly said:


> Hi ATC110,
> 
> Just so we are all clear, what do you think so happen?
> 
> Firefly.



I've already answered that several times - the same conditions to apply to all employees


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## Firefly (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> I've already answered that several times - the same conditions to apply to all employees



But public servants have not been made redundant?


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Firefly said:


> But public servants have not been made redundant?



Neither have many private sector workers; their jobs have been suspended rather than terminated


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## Deiseblue (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> That'll have to wait for an attempted FOI request post-crisis.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So no facts to back up your argument then just pure speculation.
Anyway far more pressing matters to worry about.
Looking forward to continuing the discussion when you have facts to hand post - crisis.


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Deiseblue said:


> So no facts to back up your argument then just pure speculation.
> Anyway far more pressing matters to worry about.
> Looking forward to continuing the discussion when you have facts to hand post - crisis.



Questions, Deisblue, Questions. 
Yes little things like inequality don't matter to those who are benefitting from it.
There'll be no records kept, conveniently.

Anyway, I'm out as the absence of objectivity makes this discussion futile


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## Deiseblue (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> Questions, Deisblue, Questions.
> Yes little things like inequality don't matter to those who are benefitting from it.
> There'll be no records kept, conveniently.
> 
> Anyway, I'm out as the absence of objectivity makes this discussion futile


Cheerio old chap- see you after the FOI request


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## Firefly (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> Neither have many private sector workers; their jobs have been suspended rather than terminated


Have public sector workers had their jobs suspended?


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## Purple (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> On a personal level, that's great to hear Paddy.
> 
> Separately, anyone not being contractually obliged to work when getting paid is unacceptable though.


I don't know about that. Many Private sector employers are paying staff who are self isolating or have the virus.


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## Purple (25 Mar 2020)

Deiseblue said:


> Cheerio old chap- see you after the FOI request


 Are you suggesting that the OP should have had the answer before asking the question?
Seems a bit Russian to me.


ATC110 said:


> Are unemployed public servants subject to the same pay reductions and supports as announced for the private sector or have they all been redeployed, where possible, and their pay grade adjusted accordingly?


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## Sophrosyne (25 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> I thought AAM was right-leaning or is it just this forum that's populated with Trotskyites?



As I mentioned my career was in the _private_ sector.

If this site were predominantly to the right or the left I wouldn’t bother posting as opinions would be immutable and encoded.

Most of the long-time posters here do not enslave their reasoning to the obdurate yoke of political leanings.

AAM is balanced.

Expect to be questioned and expect differing opinions.


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## Purple (25 Mar 2020)

Sophrosyne said:


> Most of the long-time posters here do not enslave their reasoning to the obdurate yoke of political leanings.


Except the ones that disagree with me, obviously.


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## ATC110 (25 Mar 2020)

Purple said:


> I don't know about that. Many Private sector employers are paying staff who are self isolating or have the virus.


I don't mean absence due to illness and/or self-isolation Purple rather absence due to the service closing down.
And the private sector in the case you outlined is different as it's largely self-financing under normal circumstances whereas the public sector by definition is taxpayer funded


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## Purple (26 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> I don't mean absence due to illness and/or self-isolation Purple rather absence due to the service closing down.


Yea, but the public service hasn't closed down. Some public servants in some areas may not be able to work from home. Many of those have been redeployed. 



ATC110 said:


> And the private sector in the case you outlined is different as it's largely self-financing under normal circumstances whereas the public sector by definition is taxpayer funded


 Sure, but public servants are also tax payers. There's plenty wrong with the public service in general but this isn't one of those things and now isn't the time to address it.


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## ATC110 (26 Mar 2020)

Purple said:


> Yea, but the public service hasn't closed down. *Some* public servants in some areas may not be able to work from home. *Many *of those have been redeployed.



I know that; as I've clearly outlined, I'm talking about those that have not 



Purple said:


> Sure, but public servants are also tax payers. There's plenty wrong with the public service in general but this isn't one of those things and now isn't the time to address it.



Yes it is, the government is borrowing more money today which will be added to the national debt. Some current fiscal matters are complex and will need to be addressed in the future but unconditionally paying out of work public servants is not one of them.


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## Purple (26 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> Yes it is, the government is borrowing more money today which will be added to the national debt. Some current fiscal matters are complex and will need to be addressed in the future but unconditionally paying out of work public servants is not one of them.


How could you define those that are out of work or just waiting to be redeployed or waiting for their IT department to enable them to work from home or only working a few hours a week?
It's just not possible and to what end? Do we want to add to the list of people who won't be able to pay their mortgage or rent? Should they be left to starve? Should they get the same benefits as those who have lost their job in the private sector? What would the net gain be and given the mood of collective effort which we are seeing from everyone at the moment what would the damage be?


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## ATC110 (26 Mar 2020)

Purple said:


> Should they get the same benefits as those who have lost their job in the private sector?



Yes. Again, already covered this in detail and repeatedly


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## Seagull (26 Mar 2020)

ATC110 said:


> I thought AAM was right-leaning or is it just this forum that's populated with Trotskyites?


I would probably be considered right-leaning, and I'd side with the majority of posters on this thread that oppose your views on this particular topic.


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## Sunny (26 Mar 2020)

I am not saying that you don't have a point. And if the future, the Government decide to a benchmarking exercise, then I don't want to hear any trade union come and say that the Public Sector doesn't enjoy a job security that the private can only dream of. HOWEVER, do I want to see thousands of public sector or private sector workers unemployed at the moment. No is the simple answer. Yes, there are tough budget consequences for this but it is the same with every country. Stop paying a load of public sector workers might make you feel better for some odd reason but at the moment, I couldn't really care less about the cost of having a few public sector workers unable to work but still getting paid.


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## allaround (26 Mar 2020)

some folk never miss an opportunity to berate the public service


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## Baby boomer (26 Mar 2020)

The real fun will start when they tell (ask?) teachers to work through the summer to catch up on missed time.  I'd get the popcorn in for that one!


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## PaddyBloggit (26 Mar 2020)

Baby boomer said:


> The real fun will start when they tell (ask?) teachers to work through the summer to catch up on missed time. I'd get the popcorn in for that one!



What fun? I'd be only to happy to row in. The fun would be trying to get homework done with the long, fine summer evenings beckoning both parent and child.

I don't think working over the summer would work anyway. Kids get tired and by the time September would come, they'd be knackered at the thought of 10 further school months ahead of them.

I don't see teachers not stepping up to the plate if push comes to shove. In the national interest and all that.

If I have to teach over the summer ... fine ... grand... no problem.


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## ATC110 (26 Mar 2020)

allaround said:


> some folk never miss an opportunity to berate the public service



Asking for accountability is now "berating". True story


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## ATC110 (26 Mar 2020)

Baby boomer said:


> The real fun will start when they tell (ask?) teachers to work through the summer to catch up on missed time.  I'd get the popcorn in for that one!



Nice irony..that'll never happen with the militant and omnipotent teaching unions


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## allaround (26 Mar 2020)

I'm sure the bona fida of your original post is swamped with accountability, pass the vomit bucket.


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## ATC110 (26 Mar 2020)

PaddyBloggit said:


> What fun? I'd be only to happy to row in. The fun would be trying to get homework done with the long, fine summer evenings beckoning both parent and child.
> 
> I don't think working over the summer would work anyway. Kids get tired and by the time September would come, they'd be knackered at the thought of 10 further school months ahead of them.
> 
> ...


That's laudable Paddy but I believe you would be in a tiny minority. 

The school year is not fit for purpose under normal circumstances as the summer holidays are for the time when help was needed on the farm.


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## ATC110 (26 Mar 2020)

allaround said:


> I'm sure the bona fida of your original post is swamped with accountability, pass the vomit bucket.


That's incoherent


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## allaround (26 Mar 2020)

lovely, folk that berate the public service and dress it up in accountability, nice folk.


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## Baby boomer (26 Mar 2020)

allaround said:


> lovely, folk that berate the public service and dress it up in accountability, nice folk.


Just to be clear, I'm not a public service basher.  Can't afford to be; Mrs Boomer being a retired teacher and all!  But she'd be the first to confirm that some of her former colleagues were, ahem, shall we say, lead swingers of the highest order.  While others regularly went above and beyond.  
Not unique to the teaching profession of course, or even unique to the public sector.  There are good people and wastes of space in all sectors, public and private.


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## Leo (26 Mar 2020)

Baby boomer said:


> Not unique to the teaching profession of course, or even unique to the public sector.



No, sorry, that just won't work here. You must pick a side


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## Deiseblue (26 Mar 2020)

Sunny said:


> I am not saying that you don't have a point. And if the future, the Government decide to a benchmarking exercise, then I don't want to hear any trade union come and say that the Public Sector doesn't enjoy a job security that the private can only dream of. HOWEVER, do I want to see thousands of public sector or private sector workers unemployed at the moment. No is the simple answer. Yes, there are tough budget consequences for this but it is the same with every country. Stop paying a load of public sector workers might make you feel better for some odd reason but at the moment, I couldn't really care less about the cost of having a few public sector workers unable to work but still getting paid.


I think that after the 2% pay increase payable on the 1st October next the Unions representing Public Sector workers will be conscious of the societal and economic changes caused by this unprecedented crisis and will keep their powder dry until such time as the State can afford further across the board increases .
Not much point in destroying the massive goodwill currently being generated by public sector workers particularly front line workers who really have placed themselves in danger.


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## Purple (27 Mar 2020)

Deiseblue said:


> I think that *after* the 2% pay increase payable on the 1st October next the Unions representing Public Sector workers will be conscious of the societal and economic changes caused by this unprecedented crisis and will keep their powder dry until such time as the State can afford further across the board increases .


 Brilliant! So after they get a pay they won't look for a pay rise.

And that folks is why there is hostility towards those in the unionised and public sector by some in the real economy. It is that rotten, selfish myopic attitude, the cancer  that is trade unionism, which causes some people who can lose their jobs, who don't have job security, and who don't have pension security, to resent those who will never have such worries. It's a shame as most people in the state sector are hard working dedicated people who just want to get the job done and, as has been shown recently, are willing and able to step up during these extraordinary times. 



Deiseblue said:


> Not much point in destroying the massive goodwill currently being generated by public sector workers particularly front line workers who really have placed themselves in danger.


 Indeed, so why do it?


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## Brendan Burgess (27 Mar 2020)

That's all folks!


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