Madam, – The current social partnership process is important as a means of reassuring both ourselves and international markets that the country is working constructively to find a way out of the current economic mess.
However, the Social Partnership model is also responsible for many of the compromises which have left us with the burden of an overpaid, oversized and under-delivering public sector and political system. What confidence can we have that the current process will not repeat the mistakes of the past and deliver fudged, temporary solutions which fail to deliver the fundamental long-term reforms required to terms of employment, work practices and organisational structures? This reform challenge applies just as much to the Oireachtas as it does to the wider public sector.
As someone who remembers (and paid) the very high personal tax rates of the 1980s, the prospect of paying more tax now is unwelcome; but it can be endured, if there is equity in how it is applied and if it is coupled with a transparent process which delivers meaningful reform in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and value for money. I do not wish to pay higher taxes simply to maintain the status quo.
This raises the question: who is representing the interests of ordinary taxpayers in the current process? They are not represented by employers, unions or politicians, who all have the agenda of their own vested interests foremost in their minds.
While the Government would claim to represent taxpayers’ interests, the reality is that the primary concern of most politicians is retaining power and preserving political careers. These same politicians have created their own bubble, enjoying high salaries, bizarre pension arrangements and an over-generous suite of tax-free, unvouched perks. And all the while TDs tell us how hard they work, regarding many activities which are solely aimed at their own re-election as the legitimate employment for which they are paid.
Therefore, we must see, within the Framework for Economic Renewal currently under discussion by the social partners, the clear commitment of the Government and the public sector unions to meaningful reform and a robust process to get us there. If we can’t get commitment to fundamental change in the heat of the current crisis, we’ll never get it.
– Yours, etc,
Madam, – Given that the Dáil is not allowed to involve itself in tackling the current economic circumstances, but must await the pleasure of the barons of corporatism, is there any reason why citizens should bother voting in the next general election?
– Yours, etc,
Madam, – The
Oxford English Dictionary
defines “partner” as “a person who takes part in an undertaking with others especially in a business with shared risks and profits”. When social partnership was first applied as a solution to our problems this is precisely what it was: a sharing of the effort, the risks, the gain and the pain.
Listening to Liam Doran, Jack O’Connor, Peter McLoone, David Begg and other trade union representatives, however, it is clear that partnership has long ago degenerated into a forum where powerful public service unions could use their muscle to extract more than their fair share of the nation’s wealth.
Bleating about “fat-cat bankers” and other senior executives in the private sector is a smokescreen to deflect attention from the bounty of benchmarking and the lack of public sector reform.
Jack O’Connor says he will mobilise his members to prevent the Government trying to solve our problems “on the backs of ordinary workers”.
Which workers is his talking about: his public-sector members with their 20 per cent wage premiums, flexitime, uncertified sick leave, jobs for life and gold-plated pensions, or the private-sector workers whose jobs are being decimated, whose wages are being cut and whose pension funds are insolvent?
At a time like this it is deeply disappointing to see that trade union leaders have lost sight of the true meaning of partnership. What they have they intend to hold. The ATM has overpaid them but they have no intention of giving anything back. The charges of greed they level at others ring hollow. So much for “social solidarity”.
– Yours, etc,