tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11965515.post1142380341703713611..comments2023-10-09T11:35:37.953+01:00Comments on Cuffe Street: Time to move on from the Croke Park AgreementCiarĂ¡nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12013998074728053786noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11965515.post-81120332697455298162012-03-09T23:26:38.370+00:002012-03-09T23:26:38.370+00:00Labour's approach seems to be all based on pre...Labour's approach seems to be all based on preserving the pay and conditions of existing PS workers at the expense of new entrants and of the general public. New hires in the public service are to paid 10% less than existing. Teachers will lose up to 30%. How is that equitable? Instead of reducing pay to market levels, people are being made redundant and not replaced - so the general public suffer a loss of service quality and the number employed reduces. I don't understand how Labour can claim to be the party of equality when equality only applies if you are a paid up union member. <br /><br />I presume it is no coincidence that Labour's funding comes from trade union subscriptions. I'm not accusing Labour of racketeering but it is a clear example of patronage. You pay us and we pay you back.<br /><br />Labour's green policies evaporated overnight. They supported Ming Flanagan's bog stripping bill, they proposed their own senate anti-wind turbine bill, they reduced home insulation grants weeks after claiming they had increased them, they cut the electric car grants, cancelled all the major public transport projects, raised bus and rail fares, deferred any climate change legislation - basically they cut anything that didn't have a shop steward involved.<br /><br />No party can be slave of two masters and Labour must prioritise its union backers because this is the source of its funds.Paul Kleeshttp://pklees.comnoreply@blogger.com