Letters, Texts & Emails Wednesday 2 Dec, 2009
Topic: Vincent and guests analyse the Govt/Trade Union agreement in relation to unpaid leave.
Panelists: David Begg of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Fionnan Sheahan; Political editor of the Irish Independent, Ciarán Mac an Bhaird from DCU and Finbar Geaney of the Teachers Union of Ireland.
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Ireland has now got the same % of unemployment as Estonia & Lithuania. Our hospitals are also in a pitiful state. How can we continue to pay social welfare to all Europe's unemployed?
Mary, Dundalk
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Let the court of justice deal with all those who covered up clerical abuse. This to include bishops. Garda need to get their finger on the pulse.
Anne Ryan, Kilkenny
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the independent is a government supporting paper that constantly and negatively targets public sector worker public sector worker should refuse to buy it
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Tiger must have got advice on how to handle this issue from the same people advising Brian Cowen.
Andy, Offaly
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why dont everyone take the twelve days of xmas off and come back in 2010 with a bit of savvy.
Joe
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how can Finbarr ridicule the practice of investing in the stock markets!? This provides capital so private enterprise can create employment, increase economic activity, and pay for the public sector!
Ken, Dunmanway
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they should be ashamed of themselves Unions teachers nurses etc Im on disability i have taken a cut now im going to be cut again I have rent E S B etc to pay My rent is not reduced because they let landlords away with it what a joke this is
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Im a so called public servant yet i am on a temporary contract for 6 years that contract has now been cut to a ten month contract. I pay a pension levy for a pension scheme im not eligible to join. A blanket decision on the public service will hurt those like me most we get punched while senior civil servants get mini pinched!
Lynn Boylan, Kerry
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Just imagine a hospital where nurses hav difficulty n getting their scheduled holidays , now trying 2 get 2 weeks unpaid leave. The hospital wil b n chaos. Who thought up that lunacy. ?
M. Walsh
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A 5pct cut in pay-rates up to £50,000 and A 10pct cut for those earning over £50,000. This would be a fairer-way of achieving £1-3bn in savings. This "Fudge" being discussed today is nonsense, delaying the reform until the next G.Election. F.FAIL-URES should clean up their own mess, which they created.
Pat O’Connell, Castleisland
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50cent per item on a prescription will bring in about £3mil. Yet when u suggest taxing the high earners - including politicians - that would get £2.6Billion, you get the usual ''IT WOULDNT MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE' - god gimme strength
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forget about calling these days holidays. They are unpaid days and essentially a pay cut. Disappointed with ictu.
Oliver
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The Agenda has changed says Begg. Deckchairs shift on the Titanic. A pay cut by an other name. How does unpaid leave not equal a pay cut.? Unions know we're broke and they are trying to justify their existence by waffling on for a few days more. Strike option not an option anymore. No more cuts me arse ! Pay cuts are in, end of story!
Paul, Cork
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As a Avid Trade Unionist why did Congress prematurely call off tomorrows strike especially since no deal is done?. The 12 days will cost me e64 per wk. Gross income loss plus all the other levies would bring my gross cuts on basic flat week to approx e180 this doesn’t even include tax p r s i pension etc. on a weekly basic of e644.
Jeff Tipp.
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Is it unreasonable to ask teachers to take 4 weeks unpaid leave out of their extensive summer holidays? Is it unreasonable to ask well paid people to give up child benefit? Is it unreasonable to ask garda and prison officers to cut their allowances and overtime? The middle classes are fighting tooth and nail to keep every cent of their significant wages and benefits. Meanwhile those in the community and voluntary sector, those in low paid jobs, and those on social welfare, are preparing to face the executioners axe.
Brendan Marsh.
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as a public sector worker on the front line there is no possibility of availing of twelve days extra we cannot currently get annual leave due to staff shortages what will happen in seven years time when staff are due seventy days unpaid leave will the government try to pay staff some miserable amount of money to buy back the hours as happened in Britain it will not work
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it was said that we might have 3rd level fees but really we are now facing 1st & 2nd level fees. Parents should pay the 12 days teacher's pay as this better value and fairer than grinds later. We have shortest school year in OECD and one of lowest adult literacy rates. This is inescapable logic.
Niall, Ennis.