Published: Wednesday, 25th November, 2009 5:00pm
Anger on the streets of Cavan
by Michael Cryan
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The anger among the public sector workers around Cavan town regarding the proposed government cuts of €1.3bn in state pay and pension was palpable when they took to the streets yesterday (Tuesday).
An estimated 1,000 public sector workers in Cavan vented their ire at the proposed cuts and the general consensus was "enough is enough". They feel that have already contributed enough with the 7% pay cut in April and the tax levies.
Schools were closed, social welfare payments were disrupted, courts did not sit, there was Christmas day level service in hospitals, and local authority and civil servants had practically shut down for the day.
All non-emergency procedures were cancelled and all scheduled out-patient clinics postponed. HSE swine flu vaccination clinics are also closed.
Some 200 SIPTU members at Cavan General Hospital were on the picket lines from early morning. A spokesman said: "A lot of the members are disgruntled and if the protests escalate they're willing to go along with them." The government is picking on the lower paid all the time, he added.
"No one wants to be out here on a picket but we have to make a stand and tell government that enough is enough. If we lie down they'll walk all over us and we can't let that happen."
An estimated 60 TUI and seven IMPACT members were affected at Breffni College and were united in their stance. "We've made out contribution and it's time that those on higher earnings were taken into account," they said. The government appeared to be targeting lower to mid-scale earners all the time.
Outside St. Felim's Hospital a spokeswoman said about 200 IMPACT members around the county were on picket duty. "The public sector has been hit all the time and we can't afford to take any more cuts." She added that they had sympathy with those in the private sector who has lost their jobs but they had to make a stand.
Some 50 embers of the Public Service Executive Union (PSEU) protested outside the Dept. of Agriculture and the Garda Station. They felt it was unfair to "come after us again and it should be those on higher pay".
A representative of PSEU from Cavan Garda Station said there were a lot of people in the private sector earning €60,000 a year but not contributing their share. "They are the people the government should be going after."
The SIPTU members at Cavan Co. Council were out in force despite the weather and a spokesman said: "The public sector has been demonised in recent months in the media as the bad guys but this is not the case." The local authority has lost about 50 jobs in the last year.
He added that "we could be the vehicle that pulls the country through this. The government should be going after the higher earners."
Have your say. .
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Sean Fitzpatrick
Unregistered User
Nov 25, 17:21
Comment ID: 2046
The party's over. No more pints, ciggies, stuff for the house, back to the bike for some, no holidays abroad or at home, no money and so on. Sounds like old times are back again.
The celtic tiger never helped you? You would be in England now except for the tiger.
Suck it up.
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AM
Unregistered User
Nov 26, 11:43
Comment ID: 2055
Don't feel sorry for any of them. I need to pay for my pension, need to pay ridiculous taxes and travel over 100 miles a day to my job and back. Got a paycut of 10% at the start of the year and my husband lost his job a month later.
Public sector can go on strike for as long as they want maybe the government is smart enough and get rid of a few and give jobs to the unemplyed people. I ma sure they accept any paycut as long as they have jobs
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OF
Unregistered User
Nov 27, 11:04
Comment ID: 2060
No I strongly disagree. The public sector have every right to strike and have their voice heard. This government are not restabilising this countrys expenses. Instead of seeing the bigger picture and looking to the future they are short term planning by taxing the hell out of the public sector simply because they know they can and there is little that can be done about it. Taxing more and more is not going to help our nation. We need a new government with a new vision and the crooks who have for too long padded their accouunts with expenses need to be shown to mountyjoy.
They say cut back? We say fight back!
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GD
Unregistered User
Nov 27, 20:05
Comment ID: 2062
44% of public sectors get less that 30,000 per year and 60% get less that 40,000 be careful who your shouting at before you shout!
Every public sector worker in the country took a 7.5% cut in March along with the other govt levy's imposed so we're all about 10% or more down already.
By the way, public sector have to pay for their pension too!
Remember everyone working in the private sector could have applied for the jobs in the public sector too, but chose not too!!!
I work for the public sector and was in a shop the other day. I was talking to the owner who had a discussion with me about the public v private sector debate. He was saying how his business had gone down and why he didn't want the govt to cut the wages or increase tax in the public sector as they will have less disposable income, therefore less money to spend in his shop.
He inturn have to cut wages or cut staff. It's all a big revolving circle and most people don't see that. What you do to one group effects the other. We need people to spend to keep the private sector going, how will cutting wages help that?
Private sector works are generally not in unions and cannot stand up for them selves when faced with a pay cut or job loss as they are only one. Public sectors as a group are among a few who have the ability to stand up against the govt as group, wouldn't you all like that opportunity? Don't moch us for standing up for ourselves and instead join in with your voice against the govt!
No one in the public sector had a hand in bringing the countries to it's knees? who did? The banks in with such crazy lending and irresponsible actions with 120% mortgages etc and also the government for not stepping in when either they either could have or should have, when such dodgy dealings were taking place . Also they could have stepped in when the storm clouds we're gathering at the end of 2007 but did they?
The govt have effectively defected the attention from themselves again and we're falling for it!
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gerry mcgovern
Unregistered User
Nov 30, 20:24
Comment ID: 2074
The last writer says it all .No ministerial paycuts .no TD's on the breadline.no bankers on the picket line --NO!! they are rewarded with bonuses for their mistakes .We elect govt to represent us but they look after themselves and big business first .The people of the country will pay for the greed of the rich and powerful.
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John Dunne
Unregistered User
Nov 30, 21:05
Comment ID: 2075
What about some clerical pay cuts? The pols do not have to go on strike, they are off everyday.
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