Coverage this week of proposals to end the two-tier public sector salary structure
Anonymous writes:
I was wondering if you could highlight a strange anomaly in the recent public sector pay proposals for new entrants.
First off this doesn’t actually end inequality of pay (despite the headlines).
Next year a teacher, nurse or other public servant will start a job on a worse pay scale than those hired before 2011 and will not see any benefit for three years.
Secondly (and more interestingly) the proposal includes significant pay increases for people who were not impacted by the two-tier system (which is based on differences in starting salary).
As proposed anyone hired since 2011 that is currently on a pay scale point above 6 will jump two additional points next year.
This will include government advisors (and others) who were hired in a manner that breached the government’s own rules about starting at the bottom of pay scales.
By starting at higher pay points these individuals avoided the inequity at the bottom of the pay scales and will now benefit handsomely from a deal that was meant to address inequality.
Basically if you are a nurse hired on €29,000 this year this proposal will provide you with nothing next year.
If you are a government advisor hired this year on €100,000 you are probably looking at an additional increase of €10,000 next year.
Paid in the name of ending inequality and supported by a number of Irish unions.
Anyone?
Those at the top always look out for themselves.
Eat the rich.
The problem with the public sector pay bill is that no one can be fired, and no one can be paid more or less than anyone else, no matter how good or incompetent they are. The union stranglehold ensures taxpayer-funded mediocrity, at best.
It isn’t true that people can’t be fired or have there pay frozen for underperformance.
Also its difficult to fire people in the private sector too and doesn’t happen that often. I’ve asked people about this before and most people I know can’t give an example of someone being fired from a place they’ve worked.
Public sector unions have been collectively strip mining the public purse for decades. Newer entrants find out they missed the goldrush and aren’t happy. Quelle suprise.
Starting wage for a clerical officer is €21,000. That wouldn’t go far in Dublin.
Uh huh how do you feel about defined benefit pensions that pay out more than private sector PAYE workers earn in a year, every year until they die of very old age. Due to their ability to use their massive pensions (that they never paid into) to extend their lifespan. Oops almost forgot to mention the tax free lump sum on retirement!
If it’s so good you can apply.
I’m not aware of any evidence that civil servants live longer though. However it is strange that your response to your own assumption seems to be that people should die sooner.
The unions will gobble this up and start agitating the following week about something else , like how the Gardai needed a pay bump because morale was quite low, after the bump morale didnt improve …