A chara, – In light of Tuesday’s strike and the proposal of a further strike next week, perhaps the public sector trade unions are in fact doing their bit for the public finances? The country appears to be continuing to function and the State is likely to have its public sector wage bill reduced by 20 per cent for two consecutive weeks. Long may this continue. – Is mise,
Madam, – The trade unions have co-operated to give us a day of action which has deprived many people of normal services. To me this day of action has been both divisive and inconclusive.
Why don’t these trade unions collaborate in setting up a flood disaster fund and invite their members and all those with assured incomes and pensions to contribute a day’s pay to the fund? This would be a practical way to show solidarity with those who are suffering serious damage to their homes, businesses and property as a result of the present floods. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I had to chuckle at Mr Alan Costello’s letter (November 24th) claiming he was striking for “a cap of about €100,000 on public service salaries, including those of Government Ministers” while many voluntarily give their union dues to keep the union heads’ reported salaries well above his proposed cap. Slightly ironic don’t you think? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Leaving the house on Tuesday I put the bins out before catching a bus into Blackrock to collect a parcel from the post office on the way to the Dart station. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – While passing smoothly through the city centre on Tuesday morning, an instant solution to Dublin’s traffic woes occurred to me – no more civil service free parking! – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I am flabbergasted to witness 250,000 people in the public sector strike on Tuesday at a time when there are more than 400,000 people crying out for a job.
I am fortunate enough to be in full-time employment and expect to remain so for the foreseeable future. Why? Because I took a pay cut, agreed to work extra hours and agreed to changes in my work practices over the past year.
It’s time people realised that we are in a recession and it isn’t going away any time soon, despite predictions to the contrary.
Be grateful for your job if you have one; and if you don’t, you must be seething watching 250,000 people in good employment whinge and moan. They should get down on their knees at night and thank God for their good fortune, because there are thousands of people far worse off than them facing a bleak Christmas and an uncertain future. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As the National Strike Day draws to a close, I can report no impact whatsoever on my working day or on my family’s day (other than having the children home, and having to rejig things to ensure cover). As another day of strike is being proposed for December, I say, let the civil service strike. Really, who cares? Their overall contribution will not be missed, and these strikes simply underpin the civil service’s vision of Old Ireland, which the rest of the rational population does not share. – Yours, etc,