CPSU Strike 26/2/09 (1 Viewer)

[Wobbler]

Any of yous striking? Any of you facing the moral dilema of whether to pass the picket?

I'll be there, with picket, tomorrow. Not looking forward to it.

 

[Gambra]

Where are the picket lines going to be?

Edit: And is this a national strike too?

 

[MDR]

Our union has told us that as its not a general strike and we're not striking in sympathy, we should show up to work as usual and we won't be considered to have crossed the picket. Will feel weird about it all the same.

 

[pete]

just don't do any CO / SO work and you're grand

as fuckin if

 

[MDR]

no fear of that

 

[niallmc]

Our union has told us that as its not a general strike and we're not striking in sympathy, we should show up to work as usual and we won't be considered to have crossed the picket. Will feel weird about it all the same.

my union say the same but i've no intention of passing a picket, i can't believe union members are contemplating passing a picket

 

[wageslave]

my union say the same but i've no intention of passing a picket, i can't believe union members are contemplating passing a picket

I think it'll happen all over the place. Most people in the public sector haven't been on strike in donkey's years if ever so most people will be acting on the advice of their union. I'm in Impact and even though loads of branch agms have passed resolutions for industrial action against the levy the only thing the leadership will ballot for so far is the ICTU action on March 30th. This isn't even a strike against the levy, its a strike for the government to return to more fucking talks.

The thing is that if the CPSU weren't going out tomorrow I don't think ICTU would even be going that far. A comrade on another forum posted:

"So what we are seeing is effectively CPSU being the 'shock troops'. Their day of strike action has forced the issue. A good leaflet from CPSU members on the picket lines on Thursday to give to their workmates saying 'Next time we want you to be out with us' would be useful. I would see it as important to try to avoid conflict - as galling as it will be to stand on a picket line and have people pass the picket, try to see it as an investment in a longer term strategy."

I think its a good point. I wouldn't pass a picket tomorrow but we're all in the same union where I work so I wouldn't have to.

 

[pete]

The way I see it is the CPSU membership are withdrawing their labour for a day, not trying to shut the country down. They have no problem with me passing their picket, my union tells me to pass their picket, so I'll be passing their picket just like the CPSU members passed the one I was on a few years back.

Plus I'll be in work way before any of those lazebags even turn up.

 

[rettucs]

Passed them there in a couple of spots this morning. At the offices there in Lower Mount St (the asylum seeker's place and the tax office) and at the Custom House.

Whats their issue? What are they protesting about? Have they a genuine gripe? Have people been let go in those places?

 

[evil bandit]

I passed one going on outside the Irish Life Mall today, it was just a bunch of auld-ones cackling away and having the craic, I would've loved to join them.

 

[MDR]

Passed them there in a couple of spots this morning. At the offices there in Lower Mount St (the asylum seeker's place and the tax office) and at the Custom House.

Whats their issue? What are they protesting about? Have they a genuine gripe? Have people been let go in those places?

Primarily protesting about the pension levy.

 

[magicbastarder]

passed about four pickets on the walk into town this morning. most people were ignoring them.

 

[sealed human]

Passed them down across from Heuston, I have their leaflet and do see their point.

Plus cars were honking in support, haven't heard that in a loooong time

 

[rettucs]

whats the story with the pension levy? I don't understand this at all I'll admit. Do public servants pay a pension contribution, now this levy is on top of that? Or is the levy the only thing public servants are paying for having a pension?

If the latter, am I wrong in that I find it hard to sympathise? Given that I've always paid a 4% contribution?

If the former, then yes, that is very shit and very unfair.

 

[MDR]

whats the story with the pension levy? I don't understand this at all I'll admit. Do public servants pay a pension contribution, now this levy is on top of that? Or is the levy the only thing public servants are paying for having a pension?

If the latter, am I wrong in that I find it hard to sympathise? Given that I've always paid a 4% contribution?

If the former, then yes, that is very shit and very unfair.

I pay 6.5% towards my pension and 4% PRSI. My pension is integrated which means my civil service pension is reduced by the amount of my social welfare pension, whereas if i were in the private sector my occupational pension would usually be unaffected by what I get from social welfare. Under the levy I will now have to pay another 4.8% or thereabouts (an extra €4,111 a year after tax relief). That means I pay a total of 15.3% of my salary towards my pension.

CPSU members are worst hit because of the integration I mentioned above and the fact that they are usually the lowest paid. If you retire on €24K, your civil service pension would be €12K, but as that is reduced by your social welfare entitlement (old age pension of €12K) they would get no civil service pension, and yet they will have to pay the new levy. Someone on €24K will pay 4.6% of their salary towards the levy (as well as full PRSI and 6.5% contribution mentioned above).

The levy doesn't go towards my pension by the way; also the money that had been put aside to pay my pension (the national pension resevre fund) has now been raided to recapitalise the banks, so I am not all that confident that i will get my pension entitlement when I retire in 2037. The supposed certainty of a civil service pension will be very much tested over the next few years.

 

[rettucs]

That means I pay a total of 15.3% of my salary towards my pension.

Jesus, thats shocking. Forgive my prior ignorance. After reading that, I'm firmly on your side.

 

[pete]

don't be - he's management scum

 

[MDR]

don't be - he's management scum

True.

Sorry, True, going forward.

 

[Unicron]

whats the story with the pension levy? I don't understand this at all I'll admit. Do public servants pay a pension contribution, now this levy is on top of that? Or is the levy the only thing public servants are paying for having a pension?

If the latter, am I wrong in that I find it hard to sympathise? Given that I've always paid a 4% contribution?

If the former, then yes, that is very shit and very unfair.

One thing I'm a little hazy on too, and please correct me if I'm wrong. The levy came out of negotiations/talks between the government and I'm guessing the social partners right?

Aren't the public service unions part of the social partners and as such they agreed to the levy and it's their membership who, whatever the rights and wrongs of the agreement, are kicking up the fuss. If that's the case what's the attitude of workers towards their union leaders right now?

 

[GO]

I heard the unemployed are threatening to come out in sympathy.