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I've no idea how you square that circle with your feelings outlined above about the boom, given he his one of the main people responsible, but how and ever. At least the Brits have the excuse of probably not knowing that he stoked the property bubble and then was so slow to react to the crash!Quote:
Originally Posted by Fr Damo
Ooops.......Did I say Cowan, I ment B Lenihan. Sorry!!Quote:
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Originally Posted by Macy
Great to see more teachers being brought on stream, although I'd wonder what period that's over. I also hope that their contracts don't give them tenure. The "reliability" of public servant jobs has to be addressed, their employers have to be able to sack employees that aren't performing.
The ability is already there to sack people it just isn't done enough. It's a lenghty process because everything has to be done to the letter of employment law and I think that leads to people avoiding going as far as dismissal in many cases. There have been a good few dismissals from my own Dept in short time I've been in a HR position but it generally takes years and even then they can end up in the Labour Court.Quote:
Originally Posted by dahamsta
So supported the Government that stoked the bubble, and then was slow to react to the crash then!Quote:
Originally Posted by Fr Damo
Another reason it's hard is to stop political interference. What type of public service would we have if people that refused to cut corners for politicians could be threatened with dismissal? And believe me, Ministers do try and threaten people to get their own way and "help" their pals.Quote:
Originally Posted by passinginterest
[QUOTE]The issue of what he did or was party too isn't why I named him here, it was in relation to the blog posted yeserday in the Times that I thought I should say in general, in my experience and through conversations Lenihan is held in a good light in England. Not suggesting that's good or bad. i.e not getting into it now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Macy
Anyone here smell a rat when at the weekend all the broadsheets had articles on turning the corner with quotes from Euro colleques of Lenihan saying just that and on Tuesday we get Pfizer's announcemment and Boston Scientific apparently about to do something similar? Get the good news out first eh??
In England at the moment, and they are talking about redundancies in local Authorities and public services? I'm no expert on employment law but what differences do these british bodies have in their contracts that we can't use?
Lenihan claiming we've turned another corner? He's worse that Stevie G... The real distractionary tactic has been the focus on pensioners. Last year it was the public sector, this year it's pensioners, and yet again the great Irish public appear to be falling for it hook, line and sinker spurred on by a compliant media. Still, once the tax loopholes aren't closed, why would the vested interests that control our media have it any other way?
As for redundancies - do you miss the whole thing about a public sector agreement that was negotiated in Croke Park? Even if that is rejected, we've been reducing numbers in the public sector for the last number of years through non replacement, non renewal of contracts and early retirements and various other schemes. This will greatly accelerate towards the end of the year. This comes after the OECD that showed we didn't have a large public sector. How is adding more to the dole, taking spending out of the economy going to help anyone, bar make a bitter people feel better?
It won't.Quote:
Originally Posted by Macy
But unless the unions continue to engage on issues like pension indexation, productivity increases and increased flexibility, crude, ineffective measures like hiring bans and redundancies are the only available option.
I thought Croke Park was a fairly progressive deal that offered a middle ground between both sides. Its a shame it looks like it could be torpedoed.
All the national agreements had productivity and flexibility clauses, that meant changes were put in place. When it happened, it happened without fanfare or comment (doesn't suit the agenda). The pension indexation is swings and roundabouts - under the last national agreement, pensioners would've been better off with inflation linked. Similarly, it suits the Government to park it now, with no increases likely for the next few years, whereas inflation will go up. imo It's a red herring.Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
They may be crude, and in some cases counter productive, but the measures introduced have been effective at reducing overall numbers (which I thought people wanted). Some organisations will be losing over a quarter of their staff by the end of the year between all the measures. There are lots taking the early retirement at the end of the year (the original deadline to keep the same entitlements). If passed, they'll be increased movement between the public sector (which was never a Union creation anyway, it was Government to give lesser terms to public servants compared with civil servants). Before calling for redundancies it should be let play out and see where we are.
Far to early to make that assumption. Even Horan from the CPSU left himself wriggle room (waiting to see what other results were, it would've been useful to have the clarifications before the ballot etc). SIPTU is only just starting to ballot.Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy