I am a public service worker

I am a public service worker....

Our ineffective so-called "Government" and their pals in IBEC have demonised us to such an extent, that I nearly feel that I should apologise for that or be ashamed or even scared to admit it.

I am a primary school teacher, and I would like to set a few lies straight.

1. Private sector workers are facing job losses, public sector are not.The pupil-teacher ratio was REDUCED in the recent flawed Budget. Many teachers will lose their jobs. Very few newly qualified teachers will be able to get a job in September 2009 and thereafter for quite some time.

2. Private sector workers are facing the dole queues.
During the 1980s, it was really difficult to get a full-time job teaching. It took me 10 years. Yes, ten years. I had to sign on the dole every Christmas, Easter and summer and when I had no work. It was tough, very tough. I have never enjoyed riches.

3. Private sector workers have lost their pensions, public sector have not.
I took out an AVC to address my pensionable service shortfall of ten years. It wasn't that I wasn't working, I was, but it was not permanent teaching, so the Government would not ALLOW me to pay any pension - hence the shortfall. My AVC is worth very little now due to the downfall, despite very large contributions from me each fortnight.

4. We can't afford to pay public sector pension contributions.
I pay 6.5% into my pension, as does every public sector worker.
How much does the private sector worker pay into their pension?

5. The public service pension is guaranteed, that's not fair.
Actually..... I don't believe that my pension IS guaranteed.
Our pension goes straight to the Government. Do they invest it wisely for us? No, they use it for day-to-day expenditure. My pension contributions run this country. You wouldn't think so the way IBEC talks about me.
Also, my AVC pension contributions have gone up in smoke, just like yours.

6. Private service workers have had to take pay cuts.
Why?
To keep profits high.
Do I have to suffer too for private sector employer's profits?

7. It's not fair.
No, it's not fair.
I HAVE TO pay into this pension scheme.
I have no choice.
6.5% of my annual salary is taken whether I like it or not.
Maybe I would like that 6.5% to spend?
Maybe I would like the choice?
I do not have a choice.
Instead, I was penalised by 12.5% in 2008 for being a part of this compulsory pension, and now I am being told to pay a pension levy too.

By the way, have you seen the breakdown of proposed levy contributions?
A teacher on 50,000 must pay 7.5% of gross salary on this levy, and pay tax again on it, with no means of claiming tax back on it.
A TD earning 6 times that teacher's salary must only pay 9.6%.
Why?
Why not 6 times the salary = 6 times the levy = 45%??
Why not, Brians?
Are we not in this together?
No, we're in it and you are special?
No, you are not.

Would the two Brians like me to leave this fantastic pension scheme? So fantastic that I have been penalised a 12.5% pay increase in 2008 already and now these dirty levies.
OK, what would that mean?
What would happen if we all left this fantastic pension scheme, that makes IBEC hate us so much?
Well, I would have an extra 6.5% in my pay packet.
The Government would have to borrow that 6.5% to run the country.
I would be eligible for the old age non-contributory pension when I retire.
That would cost me squat.
I would be eligible for a medical card and all of the added benefits associated with it.
I would take on the Fianna Fáil ethos - "Leave someone else pay for my lack of forward planning". Spend away bedamned and let the little guys take the tab!
I would blow my 6.5% and let the last hour be the hardest, i.e. let someone else look after my pension and me.
Sounds good.
Sounds damn good.
Two Brians, watch out.
I am very, very, very tired of carrying your can of worms.

I am not the enemy.
Brain Cowen, Brian Linehan, the Marys and all the rest of the FFs plus the light bulbers - THEY ARE THE ENEMY.

Don't be fooled.

What would I do to save those billions?
1. Put a cap of 100,000 on every single wage in this country.
2. Replace every single top banker.
3. Get rid of every Junior Minister and half of the TDs.
4. Get rid of Mary McAleese, we can't afford her.
5. Cap TDs pensions.
6. Withdraw pensions and drivers and cars from retired TDs.
7. Cut TD expenses radically.
8. Allow no expenses without a receipt.
9. Make Cowen et al stay in the country - no more gadding about.
10. Take at least half of profits from every Bank.
11. Make rich religious pay tax like the rest of us.
12. Make people in receipt of social welfare payments DO something, anything to avoid the "I am entitled" attitude.
13. Make everyone pay some tax, even €1, again to avoid the feeling of "I am entitled".
14. Create a whistle blower number so people can blow the whistle on tax dodgers / welfare abusers in anonymity.
15. Abolish the tax exile dodge and every other of the dozens and dozens of dodges.
16. Put €1000 on second houses and €2000 on third and subsequent houses - each.
17. Leave necessities alone. Look at luxuries and tax them.
18. Outlaw nepotism - that way Cowen, Linehan etc... etc... and etc... would never get into the Dáil. Pass a law that no child can follow their parent to the Dáil. Make it skip a generation to avoid mutation into crookery.
19. Make the Catholic church pay their own abuse costs. That would save at least a billion.
20. Last but by no means least - Issue a Government Bond / savings incentive. You give the Government say €2000 - for 5 years at 1% (or 0.5% or nothing) - that's €2000 that they don't have to borrow at 6%. Borrow from the Irish people in the form of a guaranteed bond. Money is still out there, but people are scared to spend it.

How am I doing?
OK for a start?
A couple of years of this and we will be sorted.

The argument that we have to pay our TDs well or else if we just pay peanuts then we will get monkeys...... well, that has been proven to be a fallacy.
I would clear them out of the Dáil.
I will never vote for any of them.
I do not trust them.
I do not believe that they have a clue.
They tempt strike and strife in our country.
Not good.
If the Brians had added 3 short sentences to today’s fiasco -
"This is a temporary measure to get the country out of serious trouble. We are only borrowing this pension levy from you. We guarantee to repay it within 5 years." (10 whatever)
- then the public sector would have been sore, but willing to help.
We have already given 6.5% to run the country.
Teachers have already given up half of their lunch break (to Dev) to teach Religion for nothing.
We are not bad people.
Just a soft target.


Don't be fooled.
Send your poison arrows to the correct target!