Time off for Christmas shopping in public service.

As someone who works in the private sector, I feel that the civil service are completely entitled to this 3.5hrs paid leave to go shopping. In reference to people saying in these current economic times, civil service staff should not be given this, I am appalled. The private sector generally enjoys economic success to a much greater extent than the public sector with various profit sharing incentives, bonuses, etc. (alas I exclude a certain FAS Director). I find it rich that my colleagues in the private sector now look for the knife to trim the costs in the civil service in these current economic times, when the private sector has generally enjoyed great oppulence for years.
 
Goldman said:
I find it rich that my colleagues in the private sector now look for the knife to trim the costs in the civil service in these current economic times, when the private sector has generally enjoyed great oppulence for years.
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Any ideas then on how the country might continue to pay the public sector wage bill?
 
Willowchase said:
This thread has developed into a 'You versus us' debate.
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Of course it has and rightly so. IMO the basic difference between public and private enterprise is the huge risks involved. Apologies for being severe here but we in the private sector are not only trying to fund/barely keep alive our enterprises but also funding the public sector. For those of us who receive bonuses (I don't) are we not entitled to them if we have brought ourselves to the point of being able to afford them through hard work, sleepless nights, etc, etc.?
The aim of private enterprise is to make money. The main aim of the public sector is to spend taxpayers money, the same taxpayers who have to pay for that public service before they get paid themselves. This holds true for the PAYE worker as much as the entrepreneur. The public service is a necessary and, in the main, commendable service, but excuse me if I think that a lot of the money is spent very unwisely.
To those who hold the banks as a model of the private sector, bull. If I run into trouble in the morning, I lose my house, I don't get an injection of taxpayers money to bail me out. On the other hand, if, by risking my house/car/soul I can afford to give myself an extra E500 next christmas, I will. And as a result will contribute E347.45 to the national coffers. Will that cover a half day for someone to go shopping??
 
Believe it or not, public sector workers pay tax too and don't like to see it wasted. Some work beyond the hours they are paid for and don't look for anything in return. So don't try and draw a line between the private and public sectors as if one was simply funding the other, one involves hard work and the other does not, one has perks and the other does not. It is simply untrue.
 
Husker, I haven't attempted to draw a line at all.Of course there are hardworking an honest folk in both sectors. The throwback from the public sector employees always seems to relate to the fabled bonuses those in the private sector allegedly receive. For the most of us, simply untrue.
 
Husker said:
Believe it or not, public sector workers pay tax too and don't like to see it wasted. Some work beyond the hours they are paid for and don't look for anything in return. So don't try and draw a line between the private and public sectors as if one was simply funding the other, one involves hard work and the other does not, one has perks and the other does not. It is simply untrue.
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Glad someone said it. Working in the public sector doesn't make it any easier or less galling to pay taxes (and worse again to see so much of it wasted).
 
room305 said:
... Working in the public sector doesn't make it any easier or less galling to pay taxes (and worse again to see so much of it wasted).
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Thanks for that. I'm glad someone on the inside, so to speak, has the wherewithal to come out and say there is waste in the public services (all large organisations have waste).

Speaking as an individual without current inside knowledge, I only have access to what is posted publicly on forums like this one, and feel entitled to chip in my tuppence worth.

It was refreshing to hear Frank McCabe on Marian Funnucane's radio show this morning come out with ideas and proposals geared to getting Ireland Inc's public service "businesses or industries" (I'm unsure which precise word he used) back where they belong, at the top of the pile internationally, both perceptually and actually.

While I support his views, I also believe we need to root out waste wherever it exists to make room for the development initiatives.

I believe Biffo & Co could learn a lot by listening to Frank's ideas and upbeat "can do" attitude - they look and sound to me as if they need a chunk of motivation.
 
I stand corrected, apologies.
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I believe you were correct the first time. The main aim of the public sector is to spend its allocated budget (our money). The reason for this is that if it does not spend its budget entirely, then it will not be allocated as much in the next financial year.
(Why would there be all these useless cycle lanes otherwise?)
 
leghorn said:
I believe you were correct the first time. The main aim of the public sector is to spend its allocated budget (our money). The reason for this is that if it does not spend its budget entirely, then it will not be allocated as much in the next financial year.
(Why would there be all these useless cycle lanes otherwise?)
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this has led to the wasteful spending in December to ensure you get a good budget the following year. So i think this idea is completely flawed.
Budgets are based on needs analysis - if work comes in under budget i think the good project management needs to be commended - not by cuts the following year.
 
pennypitstop said:
this has led to the wasteful spending in December to ensure you get a good budget the following year.
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We see this with our public sector customers every single year.

In fact it's happening as I type - people are ordering 100s, 1000s of € worth of stuff that they have admitted they don't need.
 
Caveat said:
We see this with our public sector customers every single year.

In fact it's happening as I type - people are ordering 100s, 1000s of € worth of stuff that they have admitted they don't need.
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You have to admire the fact that they want to make sure their money is there the following year, possibly. But I know when i look for €€ in a budget it had better be qualified as a need. and i don't get to spend savings made on X on item Y which was not named in the budget so maybe thats another area i don't agree with.
 
Goldman said:
As someone who works in the private sector, I feel that the civil service are completely entitled to this 3.5hrs paid leave to go shopping. In reference to people saying in these current economic times, civil service staff should not be given this, I am appalled. The private sector generally enjoys economic success to a much greater extent than the public sector with various profit sharing incentives, bonuses, etc. (alas I exclude a certain FAS Director). I find it rich that my colleagues in the private sector now look for the knife to trim the costs in the civil service in these current economic times, when the private sector has generally enjoyed great oppulence for years.
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You have to be taking the proverbial there mate. Have you not seen the newspapers, the TV, the links to the ERSI and OECD reports on this site showing that the public sector is, on the whole, grossly overpaid?
 
i left the word "possibly" at the end of your quote of mine.
It is quite possible that civil servants want to operate in a good budget in order to be able to react if they need to, to some unforseen cost which may crop up. perhaps.
 
leghorn said:
I believe you were correct the first time. The main aim of the public sector is to spend its allocated budget (our money). The reason for this is that if it does not spend its budget entirely, then it will not be allocated as much in the next financial year.
(Why would there be all these useless cycle lanes otherwise?)
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So the reason that social welfare offices are on overtime this week and the past few months is not to try and pay as many of the newly unemployed before Xmas but, rather, to 'protect' a budget that will be, in any case, slashed next year due to economic downturn?
 
pennypitstop said:
It is quite possible that civil servants want to operate in a good budget in order to be able to react if they need to, to some unforseen cost which may crop up. perhaps.
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Would it not be more prudent to allocate this money in a separate contingency fund?
 
baldyman27 said:
Would it not be more prudent to allocate this money in a separate contingency fund?
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Hey thats one way to go but i suspect that public sector workers don't have a say - its the senior folks who should come up with these changes and lets face it they probably see no problem with whats happening at the moment.
 
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