One man's wages story from the protest today....????

[Purple]

I was talking to a Garda Sergeant on Saturday morning and he said that he would not be marching. When I asked him why not he said what will happen if the government backs down? They are borrowing about one third of what they need so where do people think the money is going to come from?
I was pleasantly surprised by his attitude.

He also said that if the public sector saw those at the top of the banking and finance sector, as well as the government, getting their comeuppance there would be far less anger. I had to agree with him.

 

[Padraigb]

... I was pleasantly surprised by his attitude.

You shouldn't have been. Pleased, maybe; surprised no. The public sector comprises a large number of people, and you can find a wide range of views among them. Those opposed to the levy are, of course, more vocal. People who say silly or extreme things catch the headlines because they sell papers.

He also said that if the public sector saw those at the top of the banking and finance sector, as well as the government, getting their comeuppance there would be far less anger. I had to agree with him.

So would I agree, but I am concerned that we might go too far in a hunt for scapegoats. We need to be measured. Some of those who got things wrong were acting in good faith.

I would like to see a greater sense of purpose in identifying what went wrong, and who did wrong. The absence of such a drive leaves a great deal of public anger without a clear focus, and people who are innocent are in danger of being blamed along with the guilty.

 

[Purple]

You shouldn't have been. Pleased, maybe; surprised no. The public sector comprises a large number of people, and you can find a wide range of views among them. Those opposed to the levy are, of course, more vocal. People who say silly or extreme things catch the headlines because they sell papers.

Fair point. To be honest I was surprised my his hostility to th unions.

So would I agree, but I am concerned that we might go too far in a hunt for scapegoats. We need to be measured. Some of those who got things wrong were acting in good faith.

I would like to see a greater sense of purpose in identifying what went wrong, and who did wrong. The absence of such a drive leaves a great deal of public anger without a clear focus, and people who are innocent are in danger of being blamed along with the guilty.

I agree with that.

 

[Conan]

Union leaders seem to have forgotten that they were the ones sitting down with Government as part of the Social Partnership and deciding how to spend the tax income (whether from construction activities or elsewhere). They contributed to a huge increase in public sector numbers, benchmarking etc and now when the economy has reversed the unions are claiming that it was not their fault. They were quite happy to be on the inside track in the good times but now suddenly are acting as if it had nothing to do with them. So whilst Private Sector workers (and businesses) are being hit hard, the unions (who it seems are solely representing the public sector) are threatening to bring the whole country down because they are being asked to contribute something out of their guaranteed employment and guaranteed pensions.
Yes those few (probably very few in numbers) who have committed financial treason (or have misled shareholders/depositors) should be brought to book. But make sure that its due process and that loose talk does not give such individuals an easy excuse in court by arguing that they cannot get a fair trial due to press comments etc.
But get real, even if the State confiscates all the assets of these few people, it is just a drop in the ocean of cuts that need to be made. If the unions get their way they may well suceed in actually abolishing their guaranteed employment and guaranteed pensions (when the State goes belly-up).
The way we are heading, it neither to Boston nor Berlin but rather to Buenos Aires.

 

[Complainer]

Union leaders seem to have forgotten that they were the ones sitting down with Government as part of the Social Partnership and deciding how to spend the tax income (whether from construction activities or elsewhere). They contributed to a huge increase in public sector numbers, benchmarking etc and now when the economy has reversed the unions are claiming that it was not their fault.

What other choice did they have? Since the Govt was firmly embraced in a menage-a-trois with the builders and the bankers, prices (particularly property prices) were spiraling, and the unions had no choice but to chase inflation in order to give their members (particularly younger members) any half-decent hope of a half-decent standard of living.

 

[Purple]

What other choice did they have? Since the Govt was firmly embraced in a menage-a-trois with the builders and the bankers, prices (particularly property prices) were spiraling, and the unions had no choice but to chase inflation in order to give their members (particularly younger members) any half-decent hope of a half-decent standard of living.

...and that fundamental lack of understanding of how economics works is at the root of what is wrong with the Unions and, by extension, the country.

 

[Bronte]

What other choice did they have? Since the Govt was firmly embraced in a menage-a-trois with the builders and the bankers, prices (particularly property prices) were spiraling, and the unions had no choice but to chase inflation in order to give their members (particularly younger members) any half-decent hope of a half-decent standard of living.

You are kidding, the unions had a choice they could have said no stop the madness and stop the cosy relationship with the builders and bankers that only leads to the government members, builders and bankers getting rich at the expense of the Irish people. The unions are just as much to blame for the current financial meltdown.

 

[Padraigb]

...the unions had a choice they could have said no stop the madness and stop the cosy relationship with the builders and bankers ...

I have the impression that many people in the union movement, along with many outside the movement, did say that. It made no difference.

Politicians who said that didn't get enough votes to stop the madness.

 

[Howitzer]

Politicians who said that didn't get enough votes to stop the madness.

I think this sums it up. We (as an electorate) deserve everything we get.

Take a list of those TDs who topped the poll in each constituency at the last election and compare it to a list of TDs who lost their seats.

Corruption, pork belly politics and populist economic policies won out.