TEEU strike

[Macy]

It reminded me of a popular story from some years ago the gist of which was there were more Unions representing workers in Iarnrod Eireann or Bus Eireann than represented the entire German workforce.

I thought it was the employers side that was splitting into (apparently) different groups? The union has stuck to it's guns, and gone about things properly attending the LRC - the employers side has elements running to the four courts trying to block a negotiated outcome. Was the whole dispute engineered to try and bring down the registered agreement and facilitate the race to the bottom?

[Lionel Ritchie]

I thought it was the employers side that was splitting into (apparently) different groups? The union has stuck to it's guns, and gone about things properly attending the LRC - the employers side has elements running to the four courts trying to block a negotiated outcome. Was the whole dispute engineered to try and bring down the registered agreement and facilitate the race to the bottom?

Like I said ...it was pretty confusing

Though it does make some of the commentary make more sense.

[Mr A]

According to the Irish Times the talks are centring around a raise of 4.9%.

That would be an incredible result at a time like this and would worry me that more Unions would be motivated to demand raises which isn't going to do our national competitiveness any good at all.

[Macy]

Though it does make some of the commentary make more sense.

I wouldn't claim to be the most "in the know" source, but it's hard to get through bias bullcrap that has been in the media all week.

For example, I've given up on Lunchtime on Newstalk after their total bias on Tuesday (I think it was) when they let Fergal Quinn rant on unchallenged for 10 minutes against the electricians in particular and workers in general, after they'd been in full on attack mode on the TEEU guy. It wasn't Keane presenting, but that tool they always have sat in for him (Keogh?). Very obvious in recent days that it is most definitely "He who pays the piper calls the tune".

That would be an incredible result at a time like this and would worry me that more Unions would be motivated to demand raises which isn't going to do our national competitiveness any good at all.

It wouldn't be that great, considering what they're owed and for how long! That the employers side have taken the pay decrease off the table and are negotiating a pay increase shows that the electricians had a valid case for all the bs in the media as referenced above.

And just a btw, wages isn't our only (I'd say not even our main) competitive disadvantage.

[green army]

I dont know much about it but to me it seems that the contractors included this rise in their costs for any works ongoing, mainly large contruction jobs like Landsdown where the deals would have been signed a few years ago and they would have recieved this money from the clients in which case it should be passed on rather than keeping it for themselves.

not necessarily. the price variation clause is usually struck out of most contracts. Some contracts would be let on a fixed price lump sum basis so there is no going back.