| The weather in Ireland this week has been | | | | unfortunate taxpayer, instead of getting more for |
| nothing short of atrocious. Hurricane strength | | | | their money actually got less, and by the end of |
| winds and rain swept the country with | | | | 2007, an incredible 20% of the Irish workforce |
| devastating consequences for homes and | | | | was employed by the public sector. |
| businesses, particularly in the southwest. Towns | | | | Last Thursday, the unions representing all those |
| like Fermoy, Mallow and Clonmel experienced | | | | workers were salivating at the prospect of |
| massive flooding in the centre of their towns and | | | | another generous payout that would keep them |
| emergency services were called in to assist with | | | | in the lifestyle to which they had become |
| the rescue of people and possessions. These low | | | | accustomed. They were in for a shock! The |
| lying-areas have of course seen it all before and | | | | Commission awarded zero increases across the |
| suffer again because remedial measures have | | | | board, with some notable exceptions made in |
| never been put in place. | | | | senior management scales. Oh, but it was great |
| Further east the damage was much less, as the | | | | fun to hear the howling and screeching from the |
| west and south had broken the back of the | | | | various trade unions when their hopes of another |
| storms as they traveled across the country. | | | | big payday were dashed. One by one, their |
| Nonetheless, it was a far from pleasant week for | | | | spokesmen were trotted out with the same |
| anybody living in Ireland. It was certainly not a | | | | increasingly weary line of how disappointed they |
| week to be on an Ireland vacation, although | | | | were, that they were considering their position, |
| Ireland travel sources say there are many | | | | that there would be anger in the ranks, implying a |
| tourists in the country at this time of year, | | | | thinly-veiled threat of industrial action, and how |
| amazingly. | | | | they wanted urgent meetings with Government |
| Despite the storms we were smiling, come | | | | to reverse the decisions of the Benchmarking |
| Thursday last. We state this fact whilst having the | | | | Commission. |
| greatest of sympathy with those unfortunate | | | | We did not hear much complaint in 2002 when |
| people who suffered the effects of the storms. | | | | their response to criticism of the shameful |
| The reason for our display of mirth was the | | | | increases they got was to say that the |
| publication of the Benchmarking Review of Pay | | | | Commission was an independent body and they |
| for public service workers. Regular readers will be | | | | had to accept their recommendations although, of |
| familiar with our contempt of the working | | | | course, welcoming the increases it had given |
| practices and pay scales of public service | | | | them. Now they cry, as would the child deprived |
| employees, not to mention the fact that there | | | | of the regular Friday sweet treat because Dad |
| are about three times as many employed in this | | | | was late home from work (delayed on M50, no |
| sector as there should be. | | | | doubt, because of some crazy public service |
| The last review in 2002, called the Benchmarking | | | | decisions). Listen guys, we at will give it to you |
| Process, awarded scandalous pay and pension | | | | straight. We agree with you that the Commission |
| increases across the whole range of workers, | | | | was wrong not to give any increases in your pay. |
| managers and pay scales leading to the now | | | | What it should have done was take away the |
| infamous comments by Senator Joe O'Toole, then | | | | award it gave to you lot in 2002! In the real world |
| president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, | | | | if you enter into a contract and you fail to honour |
| that benchmarking was like taking money from | | | | it, you are penalized appropriately. You did not |
| ATM's. His own union, the INTO, representing | | | | become more productive - you became less so. |
| national school teachers, had benefited | | | | You were lucky to keep what you got |
| enormously from the process which compared | | | | dishonestly. If anybody has a right to be angry, |
| and measured pay across the whole range of the | | | | the taxpayers who fund your largesse have first |
| public services against those in the private sector, | | | | call.If you are going to consider your position, let |
| and benchmarked one against the other, resulting | | | | us advise you to do so taking into account the |
| in a cost to the taxpayer of well over a billion | | | | following scenario: |
| euro! Soothing sounds made at the time by the | | | | In two years time, your houses will be worth half |
| unions said this all linked to increased productivity | | | | of what you paid for them. Unemployment will be |
| and output. This laughable comment was from the | | | | at 20%. The budget deficit will be so large that |
| very people whose only output was difficult to | | | | the IMF will run the country and the price of oil will |
| measure, as it was generally delivered into a toilet | | | | mean heating your home will consume all your |
| bowl! O'Toole could not contain himself, boasting | | | | income leaving you to beg for food in the streets |
| to his own annual conference about the great deal | | | | of Latvia and Romania. Trocaire boxes will be filled |
| he had engineered, and stupidly alienating the public | | | | at Lent by the people of Africa for the poor and |
| support that was always there for teachers, | | | | hungry in Ireland and the only bench marking that |
| nurses, care workers etc. by his ATM comments. | | | | will concern you is the excrement marks that |
| In the intervening years since 2002, as | | | | somebody left on the park bench you have to |
| everybody wit a peanut-sized brain predicted, | | | | sleep on tonight! What about the ATM machines, |
| productivity in the public sector actually declined | | | | we might ask? The only reason you will have to |
| leading to the installation of more toilets to cater | | | | be near one is to mug the person withdrawing |
| for the waste output. | | | | the cash. Moreover, you had better hurry |
| Since 2002 the public service workforce increased | | | | because Senator Joe O Toole will be there before |
| by 84% to do the same job as they were doing | | | | you. |
| before the benchmarking increases. The | | | | Think about it and shiver at reality! |