Best of luck to all manning the pickets today!

[PrinceMax]

They picked a bad time to strike. The weather outside is horrible. All the government needs to hope for is that this weather holds up. Surely this weather is enough to break anyone's spirit?

[Partizan]

I wouldn't call them scum but a few other words come to mind

selfish
irresponsible
deluded

says the genius from the Dodo Party. Remind me where the PDs are again?

[Murra]

This is a pointless strike. We just can't sustain the high wage bill any longer. What part of the word 'broke' do the PS not understand? We can't pay what we haven't got.

I doubt if we will have many strike days to be honest, since they won't get any strike pay while they're out. Seems that money in their pockets is the only issue here. I don't think theres any public support for the strikes; even the PS themselves do not all support it.

Is it a case of of the unions having to justify their roles in todays changing world?

[toughbutfair]

toughbutfair? No, no he wouldn't go there to get his kicks. He's on the ISEQ website seeing the money go up and down...up and down...up and down.......

You two seem obsessed about my todger - Are you gay?

[goatstoe]

I hope they use the day to reflect on why so many of them voted for Bertie Ahern, Fianna Fail, and the property developer/banking cartel behiind them.

They voted for Bertie(the deal maker), because he kept placating the public sector unions with more money. Now the money is dried up it's a far more difficult task to introduce cuts and try to get the money back. The unions will fight this pay cut, its hardly a surprise, people in this country always vote for selfish reasons and lose sight of the big picture.

Read this for an example of how politics works in Ireland:

Swindlers still thrive in our amoral public realm - The Irish Times - Tue, Nov 24, 2009

[Partizan]

This is a pointless strike. We just can't sustain the high wage bill any longer. What part of the word 'broke' do the PS not understand? We can't pay what we haven't got.

I doubt if we will have many strike days to be honest, since they won't get any strike pay while they're out. Seems that money in their pockets is the only issue here. I don't think theres any public support for the strikes; even the PS themselves do not all support it.

Is it a case of of the unions having to justify their roles in todays changing world?

Tax the greedy, not the needy.

[toughbutfair]

All I can say is thankfully you have no say in the running of this country. I've read some of your comments on other threads and this. You come across as vile, arrogant and basically a grade A a*shole

Maybe I am all those things but I would fix the country if I was in charge. Pandering to the masses won't fix it and will just make it worse.

[Likely Lad]

In real world/private sector-land this morning, my unemployed dad with 35 years of experience busted his ass off today for nothing to travel across the city at his own cost to go to an agency interview for possible casual work and the agency attempt to undercut the going rate of pay by 50%, a pay rate that would make the so-called poorly paid public sector worker weep into their paychecks.

In contrast today in public sector la-la-land, a bunch of overpaid parasites who have job security and rolls royce pensions who sucked off Bertie Ahern to death for unsustainable pay increases in exchange for votes whinge, moan and throw their toys out of the pram.

Every public sector worker who went out on strike today is nothing pure unadulterated scum of the earth, you are all a large part of why this country is in the sh!t and you want everyone but yourselves to take the pain.

You cu.nts don't have a f@cking clue have good you have it, and to think the recently unemployed like me and and my dad will inevitably take more a hit than you spoiled c#nts is a crime.

Scum

[anchor]

Pat Kenny has just reported that traffic volumes into Newry are insanely high for a weekday (source was some geezer in Newry)

it's heartwarming to hear that the strikers are using their day off in such patriotic fashion

Of course they're not being patriotic. To paraphrase Mohomad Ali, no Northern trade association ever called for me to get a pay cut.

[YoungLiberal]

Just back from my stint on the picket.

Looks like the public are right behind us!!! Loads of support from passers-by and cars hooting, plenty of people bringing us cups of tea etc...

Not one voice of opposition all morning.

Best of luck to those that are yet to go out!

You weren't on the one I crossed then...