Madam, – The ESRI report on public sector pay is such a timely set-up. It would be interesting to see how much public money was wasted on this predictable report. The average public sector worker is to pay for the unbridled excesses of the private sector. It defies belief that these ordinary workers have been more harangued and lectured at than any banker. Of course such a clever ploy by Government and vested interests diverts attention away from the real culprits, and pits private versus public sector workers.
Richard Bruton is repeatedly bleating on about the flaws of benchmarking, but fails to mention he and his ilk received a Buckley review plus benchmarking and partnership deals. I do not remember hearing that Mr Bruton returned his loot for reasons of conscience.
Benchmarking removed the traditional relativities, which allowed for a huge gap to develop between the pay rates of politicians and average public sector workers.
I would have no problem with Messrs Cowen, Bruton etc having their pay brought back to the pre-benchmarking level and their pensions based on 40 years. Let us start with the real wasters. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Public workers are now earning 25 per cent more than private sector employees. Many private sector workers have taken huge pay cuts to help their employers survive. It is surely time for public sector workers to do the same and help the State survive.
For example, if teachers agreed a 20 per cent pay cut then education standards could be maintained with no reduction in pupil- teacher ratio; fewer teachers would have to claim unemployment assistance and there would be job prospects for new teaching graduates.
Some of the solutions to the country’s problems are not that complex. – Yours, etc,