Public sector bashing-anyone else sick of it?

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Complainer said:
Perhaps if you were getting beaten up, or getting soaked in boiling water, or getting faeces thrown at you, or getting HIV+ blood or saliva over you on a fairly regular basis, you might be notorious for taking sick leave too?
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I don't think that even the most militant of the bearded brethren would suggest that prison officers get soaked in boiling water on a regular basis. Getting soaked in boiling water will result in long term scarring and disability. How often has that happened to prison officers in the last 10 years?
 
The vast majority of the "Everyone takes sick days as though they're an annual leave entitlement" is coming at second or third hand. I have (as a civil servant for a decade) mentioned that I once knew one person who did that - and that it was a profound shock to me. I've personally taken, I think, about ten days over that decade, six of which were certified and two of which would have been had I not refused a cert because I was desperately hoping to get to work the day after an accident that saw me carted to hospital in an ambulance [if you take a cert in such circumstances, you may actually be forbidden to attend work].

There are plenty of sanctions available for staff who abuse sick leave, and as a manager I would have no compunction in exercising them - but I don't have to because my staff and colleagues simply don't take sick leave at random. It's not seen as acceptable or appropriate, the culture just doesn't exist. And that goes for all of the areas in which I've worked, which covers several different government departmetns.
 
Public sector sick leave is a non-event as far as our current economic crisis is concerned. I really don’t know why this is being discussed in these debates.
 
Purple said:
Public sector sick leave is a non-event as far as our current economic crisis is concerned. I really don’t know why this is being discussed in these debates.
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Probably the same reason christmas shopping days and bank time were discussed on other threads. Petty public sector bashing rather than ideas on how to cut 15 billion in five years.
I assume that's what the original poster meant when he posted this question.
 
So the real question is how do we cut public sector costs, and numbers, while improving services? How do we cut 20’000 jobs (not outsourcing them, just getting rid of them) from the HSE while improving the service?
 
I can't believe that Civil servants/public servants get Christmas shopping time off and bank time.

All the crazy entitlements should be cut out. Either all paye workers get the perks of the public service or all get the perks of the private sector. It should not be one rule for one paye worker and another rule for another paye worker .

Especially when the private sector is paying for it.
 
Purple said:
Public sector sick leave is a non-event as far as our current economic crisis is concerned.
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Because it (obviously) costs money to cover absenteeism! Cowan is looking for 2 billion. This might be a small start.

Other posters have suggested that there is no evidence of higher sick leave in the public service and that it is merely anecdotal. Read this or [broken link removed].

I think this one really take the biscuit :mad:: Indo article
Nurses win back half-day rights NURSES have won back their right to take two paid half-day holidays so they can go to music festivals and sporting events.
The Labour Court has ruled that Donegal nurses can take the leave to attend the Mary From Dungloe and Rory Gallagher festivals. And in Galway, nurses will get similar paid leave to attend the Galway Races.
The practice of giving half-days had been abandoned in 2003 by the North Western Health Board.
 
Purple said:
So the real question is how do we cut public sector costs, and numbers, while improving services? How do we cut 20’000 jobs (not outsourcing them, just getting rid of them) from the HSE while improving the service?
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Yes. There have been a lot of comments on AAM about the public sector being 'bloated , over-staffed and inefficent'. If the government cuts wages by 10% (which looks likely), all you will get is reduced wages. There will be no change to the service if one is of the opinion it is presently ineffcient.
I think the governemnt should set a goal to reduce numbers by 10% in a time frame of 5 years. I am only familar with my own department so I don't know how achievable it is but I would be surprised with a workforce of 350k, if there was no room for streamlining in some areas.
 
Niallers said:
I can't believe that Civil servants/public servants get Christmas shopping time off and bank time.
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Bank Time has been stopped since circa 2001 and is been gradually phased out for other staff who have it by Department.

With regards to Christmas Shopping Leave, there is no Official Circular on it and a lot of areas do not get it. Anyway that is all they get at Christmas Time (if they get it!). No paid for Xmas parties, bonus, etc.
 
Caveat - I agree with you, all the rest of my family work in private sector and have only received these things sporadically. However the point I was making is that the civil service (in my experience) do not get these things at all (despite the rumours about what they might get).
 
OK so back to the OP.

Yes, I think most people are sick of the bashing (I am) but on the other hand it's very difficult not to respond to posts which defend the PS no matter what.

I think most reasonable people know and accept that yes there is inefficiency and wastage in the PS (inevitable in huge organisations) and that yes, this can be improved on - and no, not all PS workers are to blame for this nor are they all underworked and overburdened with holidays etc.

Also, I think most people accept that the private sector by and large do not receive bonuses/parties etc.

I tried to stick to the 'truce' a few days ago so I'm starting again - now. - it's worse than trying to give up fags - I swear.
 
Caveat said:
Nor do most of the private sector - in 20 years I have never recieved a bonus or had a paid party etc - nor has anyone I know to my knowledge.
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Thats amazing, i must Dj an invisible parties paid for by companies. With free food and drink all night.

Not just at Christmas but but easter events, summer events etc.

You are looking at it from a personal point of view and not the overall picture as other have accused civil servants of doing.
 
Ron Burgundy said:
Thats amazing, i must Dj an invisible parties paid for by companies. With free food and drink all night.

Not just at Christmas but but easter events, summer events etc.
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I said most - I didn't say no-one gets this. And as I said, no-one I know gets it.
 
Ron Burgundy said:
You must have a very small social circle
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Maybe

As Purple said, I think it's more constructive to look for any possible solutions that may accelerate recovery from the current economic crisis.

I think this thread has run it's course - some posters (private as well as public) have agreed that they are sick of the bashing and some will continue to bash away anyway.

I think the thread should be closed really - it's just going to degenerate.
 
Well i have seen serious waste of money in my Dept. Might i add its always at the top.

Between expenses, wasteful IT and other stuff i just can't mention its a disgrace.

I earn well below the Average Industrail Wage, as do all around me. Yet we will be the ones to take the hit in the long run.
 

Caveat, why do you use 'PS' for public sector and 'private sector' for private sector?
 
Birroc said:
Caveat, why do you use 'PS' for public sector and 'private sector' for private sector?
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Because it's quicker than saying 'private sector' and 'public sector' and PS for both would be confusing, and because elsewhere on the site it seems to be an abbreviation in common usage.

Were you really that interested?
 
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