Time to end the strangle hold the unions have in Ireland

This report may be somewhat biased;
Ryanair: Public being hijacked by €140k air traffic controllers
[broken link removed]

The air traffic controllers who, according to the airline, earn over €140,000 a year are pursuing a reduction in their "already low hours" (34.7 hours per week) and a 15% pay increase just to volunteer for overtime as well as an overtime rate of €1,200 per day (€150 per hour).

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Margaret Thatcher may have had her faults, but she knew how to handle the unions. Unfortunately for us, Irish politicians seem to be far too scared that they'll lose their majority to do anything about the unions.

I can't see Ireland surviving the next ten years without some drastic reforms.

leghorn said:

Margaret Thatcher may have had her faults, but she knew how to handle the unions.

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I would have thought that one of her faults was precisely that she didn't know how to do this without creating division, conflict and inconvenience for the general public!

Temporarily maybe, but if the Irish unions bluff was called years ago, we'd all be a lot better off today, I reckon.

leghorn said:

This report may be somewhat biased;
Ryanair: Public being hijacked by €140k air traffic controllers
[broken link removed]

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€140k p/y? Are you sure? After how long? Or like the ESB do they rack up huge overtime??

[broken link removed]
says the range is €52-74k for qualified and experienced Air Traffic Controller.

I would have thought that one of her faults was precisely that she didn't know how to do this without creating division, conflict and inconvenience for the general public!

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It was the unions that caused any inconvenience. During the minors' strike, she created division. She divided and conquered. She also got the media on her side.

Combating the stranglehold will never be pretty.

Anyway, I don't want to get too hung up with Maggie. This thread should be about Irish unions.

Ireland is at a crossroads now in terms of economic growth, and decisions made over the next year or two will determine whether we continue to have a good economy or one that collapses.

We are losing our competitiveness rapidly and people making unfair demands will only bring more job losses in the future. People always seem to think about the 'here and now', and don't seem to look at the medium to long term future. There should be no reason why workers should demand wage increases far in excess of inflation.

It might be all well and good for a few years, but companies will eventually just move out.

I work in a large company and there has been a few years in the last 10 when we got no pay increase. Many complained bitterly but I was more than happy to give up on a 3% or 4% increase in my wages to continue to have a job. It did not happen that often, but I feel that many do not see the bigger picture. The job has provided me, and many more, with a good standard of living but if hundreds moan continually then the company will just pack up and move on.

So wage demands of 3%/4% I can understand, but when people demand double digit increases yearly I am baffled.

Its hard to decide in case like the air traffic controllers. The union says its about staff shortages, the IAA says its about overtime and rosters. Who is right ? What are the unbiased facts ? If safety is compromised, then I don't care how much someone is paid so long as planes don't start crashing, and so I would have sympathy with the union. If, however, the problem is that they want to work for less hours with more pay then I'd side with the employer.

Whats the 'real' story ?

Didn't President Reagan call the bluff of the air traffic controllers when he first came to power in America.They wanted something similar and threaten to go on strike and he just said either go back to work or I will get replacements for your jobs.They never went on strike and it made him an instance hero is America. I think the same approach should happen, I am sure there are many air traffic controllers in the EU who would love to work for that kind of money in Ireland.I am sick of the threat of strike from the likes of the ESB, Gardai,etc. Sack the lot of them if they dare threaten to hold our Country to ransom .

dodo said:

I am sick of the threat of strike from the likes of the ESB, Gardai,etc. Sack the lot of them if they dare threaten to hold our Country to ransom .

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The unions would not allow it and at the end of the day they are in charge.