OPINION:The Government should not reduce the pay of gardaí, firemen or nurses, extraordinary public servants who are already contributing to our recovery, writes LIAM DORAN
OVER RECENT years and particularly during the era of the Celtic Tiger, Ireland Inc looked for, nurtured and praised the risk-taker. This was the person who, with a mix of courage, innovation, intelligence and determination, would take the risks, seeking out new markets, develop new products and keep the tiger roaring. The accommodation of some of this risk-taking through reckless lending and borrowing was positively encouraged.
I was struck by this brief examination of recent history lately when listening to news bulletins. On one morning, the main items included an Irish Naval Service vessel that shadowed a ship bringing in smuggled cigarettes; two incidents where members of the fire service were attacked and stoned while dealing with fires in suburban Dublin; the presence of the emergency services, all night, to deal with a major incident in a midlands town and the emergency response by the health services to a fatal accident resulting in two fatalities in the northeast.
It must be remembered that this all happened on one day, but it exemplifies the fact that our frontline services are ever present, ever ready and always willing to respond to protect, help and guard all of us, without fear or favour. So why is it that these hard-working dedicated public servants, yes they are all public servants, have found themselves on the receiving end of attack and criticism which constantly suggests they are overpaid and underworked?
The Government itself led the charge as Minister after Minister came out and constantly affirmed that the country was not getting value for money from its public services. They are supported by private sector employer bodies and some economists, who condemn every public servant and promote the myth that all are on huge salaries and contributing very little to Irish society.
While this concerted, misguided and unfounded campaign was being waged against all public servants, the Government announced a recruitment embargo, a wage freeze and imposed cuts and reductions on frontline services, while telling all public servants they would have to do more with less.
On top of this, last April the Government introduced the pension levy, in effect an average 7.5 per cent pay cut for public servants. This had the effect, for example, of leaving a public servant on €31,000 per year, almost €200 a month worse off while their more experienced colleague, on €45,000 per year, is almost €350 per month worse off. Notwithstanding this pay cut, well above anything that was imposed upon any other group of workers or sector in Irish society, the McCarthy report said that allowances and premium pay should be further reduced and in recent days the Government has said it wants to cut an average of a further 7 per cent in public servants’ pay.
It was against this background of cuts in services, actual reductions in income and threats of further cuts that a number of unions and staff associations came together to form the 24/7 Frontline Services Alliance.
The alliance is made up of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors; the Garda Representatives’ Association; the Irish Nurses’ Organisation; Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDforra); the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association; the Prison Officers’ Association and Siptu. Regrettably, PDforra was directed to withdraw from the alliance as it was apparently contrary to the legislation under which it was established. This means that members of our Defence Forces, who work all over the world, have had their right to articulate their views unilaterally withdrawn.
This alliance, which represents 100,000 24/7 frontline workers, is committed to opposing the implementation of any of the recommendations with regard to frontline services made in the McCarthy report and to resist, through all means at its disposal, any further attack upon the pay of frontline staff.
The alliance recognises the severity of the problems facing this country. It is made up of very ordinary people, doing extraordinary jobs. Our members have families they want to care for and provide future opportunities for happy and prosperous lives in this country. So the alliance will continue to play its part in the country’s recovery.
However, we will not accept these frontline public servants being singled out for further unfair treatment as we believe that they are contributing all they can to our recovery.
So if I may go back to what we define as risk-takers: it would appear that our political elite has a view that the only risk-takers worth supporting are the ones who have the ideas and borrow the money to set up new business, make generous profits and create employment. This type of risk-taking is undoubtedly required by a modern society.
However, the same society must recognise the risks taken by frontline service staff to ensure that the rest of us can live in peace and comfort.
These are the real risk-takers, these are the people who are at work tonight, tomorrow, Christmas Day and every other day. The alliance will continue to argue that these extraordinary frontline staff who are taking the risks and paying their share are protected. They are not lucky to have jobs. We are lucky that they chose to do the jobs they do.
Liam Doran is secretary of the 24/7 Frontline Services Alliance and general secretary of the Irish Nurses’ Organisation