Embarressment queuing for Dole

F

Firefly

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Not sure where to post this...

Can't help to notice from RTE's coverage of dole queues that everyone looks embarressed, faces down etc...IMO this is nothing to be embarrassed about. If anything Mr. Cowen should be embarressed!

Anyway, my idea is as follows:

Maybe someone should organise a strike-type picket every dole day. Instead of people standing with faces down in silence, everyone holds up placards such as "Why am I on the dole Mr.Cowen?". As people are standing there anyway (and feel so embarressed) maybe this would brighten things up and take away the stigma. Also, get some press and put more pressure on the gov


Anyone think this could work?

F.
 
No, some of these people I imagine just need to collect their dole and get out of there asap, they don't need to be seen standing there holding signs. If they are embarrassed and I agree that this is nothing to be embarrassed about then standing in full view of everybody would only make this worse!. They are not on personal vendettas, they just need to collect their money which they have been paying for all their working lives!.

RTE are the ones who should seriously consider showing peoples faces on national TV, no wonder people look down and away, they are trying to avoid cameras. If RTE need to film this, they should be asking for a group of people who are okay with it to stand together in the line to illustrate their point, otherwise just leave them alone to go about their business.
 
I really don't understand why people get emabarrassed and keep mentioning the word 'shame' when referring to collecting the dole. I've been on the dole in the past and considering the amount of tax I've paid over the years, I think of it more as my God given right when I'm collecting the money!
 
Firefly said:
I hear ya, but if people just got together somehow and made a stand.
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What would be the point?, there are no jobs for these people therefore they are on the dole, carrying signs slagging cowen isn't going to help them much. I personally think that this sort of payment should be issued electronically anyway, what is the point of making people queue up and it's only going to get worse. Pay electronically with visit to be made to office every 6 weeks or 8 weeks if necessary.
 


It was brought back in becuase there was some people collecting while not in the country.
 

jhegarty said:
It was brought back in becuase there was some people collecting while not in the country.
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I was just about to say this but jhegarty beat me to it. In a way I agree with ney's point as it would make life easier for everyone but it would make it so easy for people to abuse the system. With cheap flights etc. a lot of people could go and live somewhere where it's possible to live on €800 a month and then just do a quick trip every now and again to sign on. I think this was a problem before and that's why they made payments available only in the local post office.
 
I don't think they do or should feel shame, its the natural reaction to having a camera pointed at you maybe? I even do it when I am out with a drink in my hand!! but on your more serious point, I do find it irritating that many media organisations feel the need to show people in queues outside SW offices and such places it unnecessary and in my opinion lazy journalism, most of us have either been in one, or walked or drove past one, its not a sight we find necessary to be shown infinitum.
 
I just think that this is a huge deal at the moment. I'm not personally affected, but feel if we were French we'd be marching in the streets everyday and would have demanded an election by now.
 
I was pretty shocked by the photos on the front of two papers today showing people in a queue for food.
 
Firefly said:
I just think that this is a huge deal at the moment. I'm not personally affected, but feel if we were French we'd be marching in the streets everyday and would have demanded an election by now.
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We're not the French and that's what will ultimately stand to us.

Whatever you think about the government, large scale riots, protests and strikes will undermine international confidence in Ireland costing us further jobs.

Half the people would not even know why we are protesting.

If you are you going to protest against job losses the you should be protesting in favour of pay cuts and higher taxes.

From my experience most people who strike do not see the irony in simultaneously striking against unemployment and pay cuts
 

Where is it possible in the EU to live on €800 per month?
 
Airtight said:
Where is it possible in the EU to live on €800 per month?
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Did I mention EU? Even though, average monthly salary in some of the recently joined EU states is around €800. Bear in mind that a lot of non-EU citizens have been living here in the last 10 or so years and have earned their SW payments which are higher than in their home countries. I happen to be a non-EU citizen and can see how something like this can be do-able (although illegal) but I can't leave as I have too many ties to Ireland.

EDIT: I think there were a few cases where Polish signed up for the dole here and went back to Poland while taking the odd Ryanair flight back and forth when it was time to sign up again. I am not 100% certain that they were Polish but I do remember reading about it on AAM. This prompted the change in processing of the SW payments.
 

Were you reading my mind earlier ! ! !
 
Where is it possible in the EU to live on €800 per month?
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No problem at all in Romania. You might struggle a bit in Bucharest but in the larger cities such as Brasov, Timisoara, Iasi, Cluj then definitely. In fact I'd say you would live quite well (rent an apartment, eat out most nights and drive an okay car). Generations of Italian unemployed can't be wrong right? Every Spring there is an influx of them. They stay 'til Autumn with the odd trip home to sign on, live it large, chase the birds and generally enjoy their life.
 

Giving that you can transfer your unemployment insurance payment to another EU state for up to 3 month of job hunt in that country there is no need for flights.

So if you want to move for 3 month to Bulgaria to search for a job there your irish 800€ would be paid out ot you in Bulgaria.

I don't believe this line that are so many people abusing the system that it's ceaper to have the payments done via the post office. The cost of doing this manualy via the post office must be way higher than any money that the state could loose if they pay out to the people which are not in the country.

This is just a job creation process. Instead of employing 1 or 2 people looking after an EFT process they give AnPost a lot of work paying it out. Hence supporting AnPost and their workforce.
 
Airtight said:
Where is it possible in the EU to live on €800 per month?
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I was talking to two people in the Algarve last week. One is a builder - his monthly wage is €750, the second is a jeep tour guide, his weekly wage is €150. Average monthly wage is €750-€800, cost of living very cheap.
 
ney001 said:
I was talking to two people in the Algarve last week. One is a builder - his monthly wage is €750, the second is a jeep tour guide, his weekly wage is €150. Average monthly wage is €750-€800, cost of living very cheap.
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I believe that the salaries are even slightly lower in Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic.
 
 
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