Madam, - Were the awards made in the last round of benchmarking really a result of comparisons between public service pay and conditions and private-sector "equivalents" or a covert rebalancing fraud to evade knock-on pay claims?
If the former, why should nurses' pay be decided using private-sector values of curtailing wages and increasing productivity to maximise profits? The Government and Siptu want this for nurses but why should nurses accept it?
If the latter, why should nurses accept such a fraud? And there is evidence that it was a rebalancing fraud. For example, the Garda 4 per cent award followed their previous large "blue flu" award. The teachers' 13 per cent award followed huge productivity increases with no award and consequent industrial action by the ASTI.
Either way, on that occasion the "docile" nursing unions' submissions were virtually ignored so I fully support their current stance. There is an old Indian saying: Cheat me once and shame on you! Cheat me twice and shame on me! - Yours, etc,
SEÁN FALLON, Killakee Walk, Firhouse, Dublin 24.
Madam, - I have been quite amazed by the apparent sympathy and support for nurses in their quest for a 35-hour week. The standard working week in Ireland is 39 hours and Germany and France, which allowed 35 and 36-hour weeks to be established, are currently trying to roll back these concessions which are causing serious cost and competition issues for their economies. I was amazed to read a survey which purported to give the nurses 60 per cent public backing for a 35-hour week. I have spoken to no one who would condone such a move on behalf of the nurses or any other sector seeking such concessions.
With regard to people's comments on nurses' well mannered, kind attention, with which I thoroughly agree, this is part of their job as it is part of every useful employer's and employee's job in any business.
We cannot allow ourselves to be frightened into the position of giving any sector whatever they wish because we are afraid that we might require their services in an emergency, I would therefore appeal to the Health Service Executive to hold their nerve and practice good management with regard to the nurses' claims. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL LEE, Kendalstown Rise, Delgany, Co Wicklow.
Madam,- I couldn't accuse Mary Harney of deliberate condescension. However, her "we all love the nurses" language on Questions and Answers (RTÉ1, April 30th) betrayed a certain fantasy-like regard for the profession. It invoked the laughing-angel image of the nurse on the wards, whose spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. This so annoys these all-too-human ministers to the sick, where the reality (as opposed to the fantasy) is physical grind, often controlled chaos, and high risk. And then there is the unfailingly pleasant, genuine veneer that belies it all.
As for love, I'm sure respect (and remuneration) is the profession's preference, thank you... -
Yours, etc,
OLIVER McGRANE, Marley Avenue, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.