DAVID MARLBOROUGH,
Madam, - Yet again, we hear reports about public service workers, benchmarking and the issue of changes in work practices expected in return.
Regarding this, it should be remembered that this benchmarking report took over two years to prepare and took this issue of change into account. To, suggest then that the increases are being awarded in isolation of this issue is simply disingenuous.
During the boom of recent years, civil servants' wages, simply failed to keep pace with workers in the private sector. Some sections of the media, however, are trying to imply that pay awards are being doled out gratuitously. This is incorrect, and it's interesting to compare the relatively small increases being awarded under benchmarking with the rapidly escalating cost of living in this country, the costliest in the EU, barring Finland. It's also interesting to compare the increases awarded to these lower grade public service workers - on average about 11 per cent and those awarded to higher grade public servants, politicians, etc., under the Buckley Report a couple of years back - 27 per cent without any mention of altered work practices! - Yours, etc.,
DAVID MARLBOROUGH,
Kenilworth Park,
Dublin 6W