tombthumb,
I only know what I've heard on the radio, and you're right the Cost of Living increase seemed to be one of if not THE big concern for the Union spokesman I heard.
Personally I'm against cost of living increases. Paying people more increases the cost of living, which in turn creates demands for more cost of living increases. But that aside, I can see why a Union would use inflation as a bargaining point.
The issue here is no longer about right and wrong, it's about winning and losing. If the Unions go on strike in the run up to Christmas THEY WILL LOSE PUBLIC SUPPORT (What little is left of it).
The management and the minister will sit at home at Christmas with Grins so big the Blackrock clinic won't be able to remove them.
The governments are setting themselves up to be as much the victim as the general public. If the Union thinks the public will turn on the management or the government they are wrong.
The general perception among the general public about Unions particularly in Public Sector or Semi-State companies is that they don't give a damn about the consumer, and they'll use any excuse to screw more money out of the company.
They see benchmarking as a government buying the support of a certain section of workers, to preserve Public Partnership, and keep Bertie in the Taoiseach's chair.
They don't see the differentials WITHIN public sector and semi state companies. They don't realise that Gardai have gotten huge pay increases while Teachers and Nurses have gotten relatively little. They don't know how much Postmen get paid.
The Union would be better served educating the public rather than pissing them off. There's a reason why your Union spokesman is a Union Spokesman and not a highly paid Advertising executive. He doesn't understand the public.
-Rd