Have you had a pay cut or lost your job in 2009?

[Admiral Badger]

Pay rise in April, nice bonus in Sept and new company vehicle ordered for this week....

[ceemec]

Pay rise in April, nice bonus in Sept and new company vehicle ordered for this week....

Debt collector?

[sarah_lennon]

Pay cut and pension (not that that amounts to much) contribution cut.

thank god for tracker mortgages!

31% untouched surprises me. Quite high. Would love to see the public/private breakdown btw. (Not asking people to declare)

You can take it the the "I'm all right Jack" option accounts for the Public (self)Service.

I'll think you'll find that they consider themselves to have taken a pay cut.

[Hickiefan]

It's a debate for another thread but I honestly think that some elements of the public service have their heads in the sand big time. Striking will get us even further in the sh!t and further divide the nation. If I hear another mention of "It's not our fault" I'll scream... funny how that argument didn't apply when pay rises on the back of the Celtic tiger/Benchmarking were being handed out. If public sector pay was benchmarked against the private sector the pay cuts would be inevitable.

We are back in 2001-2 but without the prospective growth sadly.

[honeyec]

Was made redundant in December. Finally got a new job in April but at a salary that's 20% lower than my previous job, with fewer holidays and no medical insurance. I knew in the interview that I wouldn't get on with my boss but took it out of a complete lack of options and surprise surprise, I'm f*cking miserable there. But I'm working, which is more than a lot of people can say.

[Dave Cahill]

It's a debate for another thread but I honestly think that some elements of the public service have their heads in the sand big time. Striking will get us even further in the sh!t and further divide the nation. If I hear another mention of "It's not our fault" I'll scream... funny how that argument didn't apply when pay rises on the back of the Celtic tiger/Benchmarking were being handed out. If public sector pay was benchmarked against the private sector the pay cuts would be inevitable.

How do you know this? Because no one has seen the quanta used for the initial benchmarking process. Why is this I wonder? However, the ESRI released a report that compared wages in the private and public sector alright. In this highly scientific study for IBEC, which was trumpeted as proof, PROOF I TELLS YOU, that public sector pay had far outstripped private sector pay, they compared similar jobs in the public and private sector. All very scientific and above board. For example, they compared a Garda with an equivalent job in the private sector.

A supermarket security guard.

[brian_c]

Was at a jobseekers event for unemployed engineers recently, and it was commented that the amount of experience along with number of graduates in the room would be enough to form a pretty successful company. People talk about cheap prices being "recession busting" which I hate, the only thing that is recession busting in my opinion is getting back to work. Maybe out of all of us who are unemployed some people will come up with ideas for businesses which will lead us back to a normal economy. Anyone got any ideas????

[the spoofer]

It's a debate for another thread but I honestly think that some elements of the public service have their heads in the sand big time. Striking will get us even further in the sh!t and further divide the nation. If I hear another mention of "It's not our fault" I'll scream... funny how that argument didn't apply when pay rises on the back of the Celtic tiger/Benchmarking were being handed out. If public sector pay was benchmarked against the private sector the pay cuts would be inevitable.

How do you know this? Because no one has seen the quanta used for the initial benchmarking process. Why is this I wonder? However, the ESRI released a report that compared wages in the private and public sector alright. In this highly scientific study for IBEC, which was trumpeted as proof, PROOF I TELLS YOU, that public sector pay had far outstripped private sector pay, they compared similar jobs in the public and private sector. All very scientific and above board. For example, they compared a Garda with an equivalent job in the private sector.

A supermarket security guard.

There are f%~k all in the private sector that earn as much as Gardai do and please dont quote basic pay as I see their P60's on a regular basis. The same for Teachers and Nurses.

[Dave Cahill]

[

There are f%~k all in the private sector that earn as much as Gardai do

Good.

[Hickiefan]

It's a debate for another thread but I honestly think that some elements of the public service have their heads in the sand big time. Striking will get us even further in the sh!t and further divide the nation. If I hear another mention of "It's not our fault" I'll scream... funny how that argument didn't apply when pay rises on the back of the Celtic tiger/Benchmarking were being handed out. If public sector pay was benchmarked against the private sector the pay cuts would be inevitable.

How do you know this? Because no one has seen the quanta used for the initial benchmarking process. Why is this I wonder? However, the ESRI released a report that compared wages in the private and public sector alright. In this highly scientific study for IBEC, which was trumpeted as proof, PROOF I TELLS YOU, that public sector pay had far outstripped private sector pay, they compared similar jobs in the public and private sector. All very scientific and above board. For example, they compared a Garda with an equivalent job in the private sector.

A supermarket security guard.

I'm not going to get into the larger debate here but none of that changes the fact that if it all went up it all will have to come down as one feeds the other - in whatever order you're having yourself.

[Dave Cahill]

It's a debate for another thread but I honestly think that some elements of the public service have their heads in the sand big time. Striking will get us even further in the sh!t and further divide the nation. If I hear another mention of "It's not our fault" I'll scream... funny how that argument didn't apply when pay rises on the back of the Celtic tiger/Benchmarking were being handed out. If public sector pay was benchmarked against the private sector the pay cuts would be inevitable.

How do you know this? Because no one has seen the quanta used for the initial benchmarking process. Why is this I wonder? However, the ESRI released a report that compared wages in the private and public sector alright. In this highly scientific study for IBEC, which was trumpeted as proof, PROOF I TELLS YOU, that public sector pay had far outstripped private sector pay, they compared similar jobs in the public and private sector. All very scientific and above board. For example, they compared a Garda with an equivalent job in the private sector.

A supermarket security guard.

I'm not going to get into the larger debate here but none of that changes the fact that if it all went up it all will have to come down as one feeds the other - in whatever order you're having yourself.

I agree entirely. Provided the rules going up are the same as the rules going down. Which they aren't.

[CRAZYDAVE]

It's a debate for another thread but I honestly think that some elements of the public service have their heads in the sand big time. Striking will get us even further in the sh!t and further divide the nation. If I hear another mention of "It's not our fault" I'll scream... funny how that argument didn't apply when pay rises on the back of the Celtic tiger/Benchmarking were being handed out. If public sector pay was benchmarked against the private sector the pay cuts would be inevitable.

How do you know this? Because no one has seen the quanta used for the initial benchmarking process. Why is this I wonder? However, the ESRI released a report that compared wages in the private and public sector alright. In this highly scientific study for IBEC, which was trumpeted as proof, PROOF I TELLS YOU, that public sector pay had far outstripped private sector pay, they compared similar jobs in the public and private sector. All very scientific and above board. For example, they compared a Garda with an equivalent job in the private sector.

A supermarket security guard.

I'm not going to get into the larger debate here but none of that changes the fact that if it all went up it all will have to come down as one feeds the other - in whatever order you're having yourself.

f%~k this bleeding website. Same old shite.. different day..

Civil war it is !!

Don't expect any sympathy when everything goes belly-up in the middle of next year !

[Hickiefan]

f%~k this bleeding website. Same old shite.. different day..

Civil war it is !!

Don't expect any sympathy when everything goes belly-up in the middle of next year !

Nice. Well reasoned argument there. No one wants a pay cut but where do you suggest getting the money to pay for everything?

[CRAZYDAVE]

f%~k this bleeding website. Same old shite.. different day..

Civil war it is !!

Don't expect any sympathy when everything goes belly-up in the middle of next year !

Nice. Well reasoned argument there. No one wants a pay cut but where do you suggest getting the money to pay for everything?

I'll tell your why I have lost the plot, and its nothing to do with money/pay cuts.

I had to put up with this same sh!t all the way through the Eighties. It got to the stage where I and a number of work colleagues were assaulted without reason on 10 separate occasions on the main street of our very own capital, over an 18 month period just because of where we worked (a dole office). I still carry the scars from that assault. That's why I rail against ill informed anti-public sector rants.

f%~k the money/cuts, the money is money after all, and the work will have to be done irrespective of the value put on it. Four staff from my section of 12 have left without replacement in the past 12 months. Yet we still are committed to try and serve the public as best we can, with reduced numbers and having had pay reductions, since March as well. We're all in the same sh!t, because muppets like Jack O'Connor and the aptly named Peter McLoone make great copy for the media, and haven't a breeze, just like their opponents in both IBEC and Government. O'Connor is a trotskyite, media-pandering, arsehole and McLoone has no credibility after his involvement in the FÁS debacle. They are blissfully unaware that it is likely that more than one of the Public Sector Representative associations/unions will reject the strike proposal. But will that Association/Union be congratulated on its members stance to take a hit for the good of the State... Not f%~king likely.

The IMF will be in here in the middle/end of next year, irrespective of what the self serving curs decide to implement in the Budget. Incidentally the Child Catcher General, in the aptly named Department of SFA is storing up significant future financial problems with her proposals on Child Benefit. I for one will welcome the IMF because it will put an end to the prevarication of dithering donuts, in failing to come up with an innovative and workable plan to try and preserve as many jobs, in the private sector, as possible by promoting policies that at a minimum reduce VAT and promote personal spending.

Anyone with an ounce of nous knows that this Country was f%~ked as far back as before the last general election, but the population chose to believe the buffalo sh!t that was spouted at the time.

[The Doc]

f%~k this bleeding website. Same old shite.. different day..

Civil war it is !!

Don't expect any sympathy when everything goes belly-up in the middle of next year !

Nice. Well reasoned argument there. No one wants a pay cut but where do you suggest getting the money to pay for everything?

I'll tell your why I have lost the plot, and its nothing to do with money/pay cuts.

I had to put up with this same sh!t all the way through the Eighties. It got to the stage where I and a number of work colleagues were assaulted without reason on 10 separate occasions on the main street of our very own capital, over an 18 month period just because of where we worked (a dole office). I still carry the scars from that assault. That's why I rail against ill informed anti-public sector rants.

f%~k the money/cuts, the money is money after all, and the work will have to be done irrespective of the value put on it. Four staff from my section of 12 have left without replacement in the past 12 months. Yet we still are committed to try and serve the public as best we can, with reduced numbers and having had pay reductions, since March as well. We're all in the same sh!t, because muppets like Jack O'Connor and the aptly named Peter McLoone make great copy for the media, and haven't a breeze, just like their opponents in both IBEC and Government. O'Connor is a trotskyite, media-pandering, arsehole and McLoone has no credibility after his involvement in the FÁS debacle. They are blissfully unaware that it is likely that more than one of the Public Sector Representative associations/unions will reject the strike proposal. But will that Association/Union be congratulated on its members stance to take a hit for the good of the State... Not f%~king likely.

The IMF will be in here in the middle/end of next year, irrespective of what the self serving curs decide to implement in the Budget. Incidentally the Child Catcher General, in the aptly named Department of SFA is storing up significant future financial problems with her proposals on Child Benefit. I for one will welcome the IMF because it will put an end to the prevarication of dithering donuts, in failing to come up with an innovative and workable plan to try and preserve as many jobs, in the private sector, as possible by promoting policies that at a minimum reduce VAT and promote personal spending.

Anyone with an ounce of nous knows that this Country was f%~ked as far back as before the last general election, but the population chose to believe the buffalo sh!t that was spouted at the time.

Strangely I find myself agreeing with much of what is said.

I can't speak for the general poulace, but if any of the unions voted against the proposed strike it would greatly enhance my respect for them - not because I think the general membership are out of touch but because it seems (from the outside) that the overall leadership seems determined to go down a particular path - probably driven by some sense of having to justify themselves. It would be a fairly radical move if the membership voted against a proposal brought by the leadership. But such a move would have my respect.

I agree with a shift in income collection from consumption taxes (i.e. VAT) to income taxes (but with very few allowances / exemptions). But there would be a problem with Europe. I also believe the tax base has to increase - much too reliant on too small a base and what we have seen is that the income from that base is volatile (in good years it is very good but in bad years it vanishes).

[Ray Mc]

'we have to widen the tax base' How do you prosose to do that?

[Dave Cahill]

'we have to widen the tax base' How do you prosose to do that?

Tax Tax Exile status.

[Ray Mc]

And that will produce how much?

[Dave Cahill]

And that will produce how much?

Loads, if you tax them enough.

If they don't like it they can renounce their citizenship, and you can tax that too, at a higher rate, or they can drop the tax exile status, which you can also tax.


If they don't pay it, the CAB can seize their assets

[Ray Mc]

Dave, That is just pure sh*t* and you write so well when you stick to Rugby.