A significant step on this debacle.
At last some results from the government.
It is just unbelievable that FF granted all these benefits and allowances over the years- they have to be worse negotiators ever. With Bertie “I could not say no to everyone” at the helm it was no surprise.

One thing I did read this morning- why are teachers excluded from the new agreed sick pay levels?

Originally Posted by smitchy2

At last some results from the government.

???

I thought this was a labour court decision.

Jesus some posters have real boners for teachers on this site.

Makes ya wonder.

Originally Posted by tokkie

Brilliant!!!

That's Keith for you.

Originally Posted by smitchy2

A significant step on this debacle.
At last some results from the government.
It is just unbelievable that FF granted all these benefits and allowances over the years- they have to be worse negotiators ever. With Bertie “I could not say no to everyone” at the helm it was no surprise.

One thing I did read this morning- why are teachers excluded from the new agreed sick pay levels?

They are not excluded but there has to be further negotiations as our arrangements are more convoluted because of the need to cover classes for absent teachers.

Originally Posted by still-life

I stand open to correction, but afaics:

a fairly typical private sector worker with a dependent adult and two children, will get ~€370pw on Illness Benefit. A PS worker on median PS wage will get ~€1000pw?

Jesus,I must go on the sick!!! €1000 a week?!!!! That's more than I come out with a fortnight on full pay!! Is that right? If so,then the I'm surprised anyone turns up for work in the public service!!

I don't know any teachers personally, don't have any children in school etc but I work in an area which performs diagnostic investigative procedures, and my experience is that a serious number of teachers contact me to cancel these procedures because they can't/feel they can't take the necessary time off work. I am sure, as in every area, there are certain individuals who take the proverbial, but if I am to form a sweeping general impression(as seems to be required), it is that most teachers are extremely reluctant to take sick leave, especially in one or two day blocks where their colleagues would be hard pressed to cover for them.

Myself and my colleage have had no sick leave over the past two years, but we do work in an office where it is possible to avoid patient contact to some extent. Our colleagues in nursing and attendant roles drop like flies in the winter when exposure to over 100 different patients a day leaves them susceptable to whatever is going around. The winter vomiting bug alone has closed down entire wards - if you get it, or think you might have it, you just HAVE to leave straight away. Likewise coming in to work with any kind of infectious illness would be entirely irresponsible, even a bad cold which just makes a healthy person miserable could be fatal to an elderly patient.

One more thing, I don't know if it's the same in all areas of the public service, but we are required to have 3% of our staff compliment as people who are discribed as 'disabled'. A friend of mine who works in a different department would come under this figure, she has around two weeks sick leave a year but considering the nature of her disability, that is not surprising or unrealistic.

Originally Posted by RobertW

You stopped quoting the article when this line appeared:



So the actual absent rates are considerably less than the 8.3 and 8.7 days in each education sector mentioned.

As a percentage of the cost of each employee it is not high. Everything factors up big when you multiply it up over x many million people.
I have had employers who had no objection at all to reliable employees taking the occasional sick day for private purposes so long as the employee gave sufficient notice so that the roster could be changed. Some worker can have their shifts swapped so that the day becomes a normal day off.
I have been an employer and I was always prepared to be flexible with my workers. It's about give and take and build a relationship of trust. Instead of being pig headed. It doesn't help productivity.

I heard a story recently which I believe to be true.

A HR consultant was paid by a big hospital to look at cost savings. At a meeting of senior staff suggested a simple reform which he calculated would save millions every year. He said the hospital should not publish the duty roster 1 year in advance, as had been the custom previously. The reason, according to the consultant, is that staff were using the roster to plan their sick leave and partner with colleagues to 'cover them' so they would get overtime. By not publishing the roster so far in advance, staff wouldn't be able to do this to such an extent.

A senior manager of the hospital said "what about the unions? They wont stand for this". The consultant was a bit confused, but pointed out that the union could have no grounds for objection to this, and perhaps shouldn't be told anyway. The manager said "you're forgetting one thing, I am a member of the union".

The change didn't go ahead.

Originally Posted by seabhcan

I heard a story recently which I believe to be true.

A HR consultant was paid by a big hospital to look at cost savings. At a meeting of senior staff suggested a simple reform which he calculated would save millions every year. He said the hospital should not publish the duty roster 1 year in advance, as had been the custom previously. The reason, according to the consultant, is that staff were using the roster to plan their sick leave and partner with colleagues to 'cover them' so they would get overtime. By not publishing the roster so far in advance, staff wouldn't be able to do this to such an extent.

A senior manager of the hospital said "what about the unions? They wont stand for this". The consultant was a bit confused, but pointed out that the union could have no grounds for objection to this, and perhaps shouldn't be told anyway. The manager said "you're forgetting one thing, I am a member of the union".

The change didn't go ahead.

I don't believe your anecdote.

You do realise that the same unions you appear to be moaning about partly fund your party avatar.