Best of luck to all manning the pickets today!

[anchor]

Just back from the picket in Dunlaoghaire. There was a huge turn out of picketers. I know the rabble on here won't want to hear it, but we generally got a positive response from passers by, with the very occasional dissenter. Its hilarious to read on this thread that we all voted for Bertie from a bunch of people who are happy to lap up government propaganda about the public sector. Happily, not all of the public are so gullible. The vast majority of people I work with have been FF haters for years.

[turdsl]

Great support from the public today, Intelligent people know well it was not the Gardai , the Nurses or the teachers who destroyed this country,We thank them for their support,

[EUrJokingMeRight]

The PS, Like the government, have lost ALL Credibility.

[DeathKnell]

Just in from picket duty this morning - rained continuously - everyone in good humour and widespread support from the public as they passed by the picketline.

You're a fvckin' fool... Your 'Bretheren' are off in the shopping centres of Newry and Enniskillen etc. after being on the lash the night before according to callers to the whineline..
Hard up PS 'wurkers' indeed.. They show what we believed them to be, cynical opportunists who want icing on their cake while the rest of us continue working, paying tax, dealing with flooded houses, searching for a job.. Tax us so you can keep your bloated wages? You and your 'bretheren' can go fvck yourselves...

I bring everone's attention to a quote from another malingerer made 3 weeks ago.. Thats what your tax money pays for, surly, mollycoddled and self entitled Public Servants.

[JollyRedGiant]

You're a ********************in fool... You 'Bretheren' are off in the shopping centres of Newry and Enniskillen etc. after being on the lash the night before according to callers to the whineline..

Every worker in my workplace was on picket duty today - picketing was mandatory and everyone turned up on time.

[toughbutfair]

Great support from the public today, Intelligent people know well it was not the Gardai , the Nurses or the teachers who destroyed this country,We thank them for their support,

That's all very well but how can we balance the books without cuts?

[Sync]

Every worker in my workplace was on picket duty today - picketing was mandatory and everyone turned up on time.

Fair play, if you're going to picket, that's the way to do it.

[Baron von Biffo]

A tacit admission that unions are only concerned with the pay and benefits of their own members rather than public sector workers as a whole or even workers as a whole.

You must live in a nice binary world. If workers are concerned about erosion of their pay and conditions then they can't be concerned about anything else.

[Partizan]

The PS workers are greedy. Ok, some are on low pay and should remain untouched, but anyone on mid/high salaries will have to take the hit just like the rest of us. My hard earned (and believe me, it is hard-earned) tax is paying them. Why should I kill myself to ensure they are enjoying a high-life? Why should my kids do without so theirs wont have to? Why is public health care ok for me because I cant afford VHI, but its not ok for them? Why is non-contributory pension ok for me but not for them? Why should I endure sleepless nights worrying about losing my business while they take long, paid, holidays?

And why should this unsustainable status quo continue?

I agree that cuts must be made. How about starting at the top, the very top. Starting with Clowen and Lenny and their banker gombeen pals. Halve their salaries. For those earning over €100k a third rate of 65% tax. All assets worth more than €1 million to be taxed at 4%.

Its easy to hit the small man, yeah we are the soft target. After the mainstream right wing media have finished with the ordinary PS workers, those on social welfare - the weakest in our society will next be scapegoated for the current mess than Zanu FF have landed us in. After that its guys like me, the private sector worker who will take the hit. if we dont stand up now, who will be left to speak for us.

This deliberate divide and conquer strategy by the Zanu FF dolts is not working. I passed by a picket today and expressed my solidarity for the 43 year old bloke who has a wife and kids to feed as well as servicing a mortgage. He told me that I was not the first to offer him support and wont be the last.

When it all comes down to it, we the ordinary tax payer are being screwed left, right and centre. How long more will people finally realise that we will pick up the tabs for the mess of our neo feudal masters. Its not about a public/private sector divide. This effects us all.

[sharper]

You must live in a nice binary world. If workers are concerned about erosion of their pay and conditions then they can't be concerned about anything else.

You suggested someone who left the union should leave their pay increase behind too. You're saying only union members deserve those increases. These are your statements, not mine.

If you don't want to give the impression of public sector unions as a cartel staffed by self interested thugs then maybe you should consider future comments more carefully.

Maybe you should reply again reaffirming that individual's right not to participate in a union but to enjoy the benefits won on her behalf regardless. Maybe you should point out that unions are supposed to fight for her pay and conditions because she's a public sector worker and a worker in Ireland and that's what's supposed to concern the union movement, not how they divide up the spoils among themselves.