Get up, stand up, suck it up

The “Get up stand up” protest kicks off tomorrow. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions have organised it. All I’ve heard from unions is an absolute refusal to consider any cut in the public service wage bill. While those of us in the real world are subject to market forces, these jobsworths appear all over the public airwaves refusing to face up to the reality that cuts have to happen. Private companies are forced to compete and work harder and smarter.

They moan that there is an income levy and a pensions levy. Tough. We’re all subject to the income levy. As for a pensions levy – well, aren’t they lucky to have such a generous pension to begin with. Many people don’t have that. In any case, cost of living has gone down over the last two years which means the nett effect of the cuts is reduced. And let’s not get started on the subject of sick leave. There is just simply no valid reason why public service sick leave rates should be double that of the private sector.

Bottom line is, times have changed and if Impact go ahead with their planned 24 hour strike on 24^th November they will find no sympathy from the majority. The revelations of waste of public money at agencies such as Fás have stripped away any illustion that we have an efficiently run public service.

My message is : Suck it up like the rest of us.

PS – Cadbury have a competition at the moment to design a new Dairy Milk bar wrapper as a tie-in with The Apprentice. There’s a €10,000 prize on offer for the winner. Why not give a go?

PPS – If you’re working in the public service and reading this during the work day on my tax money – GET BACK TO WORK SLACKER.