Anyone here have pickets on the gate where they work? The second day of the strike today. The electricians were promised a 11% rise (which I think the ESB got)and but the employers are looking for 10% drop in wages. You gotta feel for the electricians but I can't see them getting too much support for an 11% raise in these times with so many people out of work. But maybe alot of other unions will roll in behind them. http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0707/electricians.html
From my understanding this 11% pay increase was agreed 2 years ago and is still outstanding hence the strike - I agree though, hard to see them getting a whole pile of sympathy from the general public in these times. I know an apprentice electrician working out in Landsdowne Road who obviously can't cross the picket line. Thing is her employer obviously won't be paying her and cos she's an apprentice she'll be getting nothing off the union. Tough going seeing as she can barely live on the money she was earning before the strike kicked in.
very harsh comment - I actually wonderhow much do you know about the reasons they are srtiking ??? I am not involved in this field of work but admit i think alot of what they are fightinh for is spor on The media is patraying this as just been about a pay rise issue - as is ee it it is about alot more issues - maybe someone in the trade will explain better ! its far more than that - and anyone involved will tell you all the reasons Here are some of the gripes i know the electricians have and rightly so in my opinion ! 1- The contractors are trying to reduce the apprentices rate of pay 2- 2yr apprentice reduce wage by 40% 4th year apprentice reduce wages by 70% (70% how the fcul can that be right) This is a dangerous situation as it will dis courage any apprentice from taking up the trade if the conditions are so poor - so where do the next generation of tradesmen come from ?? 3- They want to allow un qualified people to do electricians work as long as the sparks signs off on it - this is madness and dangerous in my opinion as it will flood the trade with people not skilled to do the job 4- people using mobile phones will be deducted 15 minutes wages - this is very harsh considering there could be a valid reason for a call ie emergencey or family problem, kids schools ect there are loads more very valid issues as im sure there are arguments fo both sides - but anyone who thinks its all about the pay rise or pay freezw is way off the mark in my opinion
Thats the problem though isn't it Gerry. If the media are only letting on this is a story about a pay rise then there isn't a hope the sparkies will get the public on their side. I'm actually shocked by some of the things you've mentioned - apprentice wage cuts, punishment for use of mobiles, allowing unqualified people do the work - their union really should get their act together and get this out into the public domain sooner rather than later.
I am just stating that there are alot more reasons for it than are been put across in the press, im sorry you are out of work mate but it is nothing to do with the electricians, if people have valid reasons for a strike i dont see how people can have a go, they are trying to protect thier trade and its future! I fail to see how anyone can think massively cutting an apprentices wages will be a good thing ?? or should be tolerated I remember serving my time in my trade and i would not have been able to manage with a salart reduction of up to 70% Also doing a nixer or even any electrical work even in a friends house would be a disilpnary offence under the new rules !
Was shocked myself sean - i think they have realised now that they have speak up over thier reasons , i believe they are to start putting info in the papers !
The only thing that bothers me is the pay rise issue & the mobile phone issue is dead right imo, a lot of people are taking the piss with their mobiles in work & i wasn't allowed have mine on me at all in my last job. Just give your bosses number to your next of kin if their is an emergency.
Thats fair enough mate- everyone is entitled to thier opinion, but as i said its about more than a pay rise so its wronng to think its just about that , i dont know all the facts (but some of the ones i have stated are plainly not right and i dont blame them for striking ) i think when people do not know all the facts they should not condem people for fighting for thier future of them and thier colleagues ! I know alot of people will look badlt on them when so many are out of work but if people looked at some of the issues they might think slightly different!
Strange that they took workers from Cadburys and placed them on pickets at Guinness and visa versa. Didnt think they could do that, but they did!
I really don't think people think strikes through during recessions, look at the knock on effect this has had already, people put on protective notice all over the place. How in the love of god, when there is far too many tradesmen around for the work out there at the moment, can going on strike and disrupting on-going works, help keep jobs in the area? Simply sounds like they are actively discouraging more apprentices, is there far too many already, especially when there is very unlikely to be any recurrance of the building boom we have had for a very long time. As for seeking a wage increase, come on!!!! even if it was agreed, look at the economy as a whole, its ridiculous to suggest you should receive it now.
ive heard the spokesman for the TEEU on the radio 3 times over the last week on the same station and not once did he mention any of what gerry has pointed out above, he had his chance to put it out into the public domain and he didnt 2 years ago an agreement was put in place that they would get a 11% pay increase when everything was rosey and we were building 90,000 houses a year, now the shit has hit the fan and its projected that 10,000 houses will be built next year, they should just take it on the chin and contra off the 10% pay cut against the 11% pay increase because most of them will be out of jobs come next year(most of the large high profile projects are due for completion next year) and they arnt hepling future projects been feasible with them wanting a 11% pay increase...
Was watching that current affairs program on TV3 last and they were complaining that if the rates dont change it will not help to people on the dole. Now I am a spark but have been off the tools and in college studying Electrical Engineering but do not want to have the rates changed. This trade is a highly skilled and involve an awful lot more than what the person on the street thinks. People complain "ah ya you can do nixers" , yes I can but after I do a full days work and at times have to work till 12 at night and then up at 6 for another days work. The union agreed a few years back of a pay rise and it was never seen by the worker yet the contractors pocketed this, and now they want to cut more money. Fair enough times are tough but when the workers are owed 10% for two years of work that is already done and paid for and in the contractors bank account, they are entitled to it. Give it to them and then talk about a pay cut. This is why the country, the big shots trying to ride the workers as usual.
In the current economic climate I feel they're out of line. Everyone is entitled to strike but to picket secondary factories like Cadbury and Guinness is out of order. They are currently paid a good wage and are jeopardising peoples jobs who earn far less than them. Fair enough to picket construction sites etc but don’t take it out are the minimum wage factory workers elsewhere. From what I've heard from both sides, this is going to take an awful long time to resolve ( I wonder have the unions timed this to coincide with the government holidays) expect a long summer with plenty of redundancies.
The average Electricians wage isnt much above the average industrial wage and the guys who work in Cadburys and Guinness have every right to strike outside their places of work if conditions and unions state.
two sides to all stories and all that some info in here for people that are listening to the media and think this is just about a "PAY RISE" http://www.teeu.ie/enjic_downloads/call_to_action.pdf
I support the electricians,if they don't get there increase they will have been hit with a double blow 1) not getting the agreed increase and 2) taken a 10% cut.You can be sure of one thing the company's factored in the increase when they put tenders in. Just because there is a recession on does not give company's a right to use that to attack workers rights & entitlement's.
They get just over €21 per hour, so they must take home just short of a grand a week. My point is and was do they have the right to risk jobs of people earning half that amount that have nothing to do with this. As I stated earlier I have no problem with them striking at construction sites etc but not at factories that will use it as an excuse, valid or not to cut jobs of completely innocent workers.