The Frontline: Jack O'Connor on "wage moderation" without pay cuts

[DJSpinoza]

Can we save some money by getting rid of Pat Kenny, he is a desperately poor interviewer. I hope RTE the public service broadcaster isn't censoring public comments on you tube.

[phoniex09]

this excuse for a person and his union buddies have ring fenced 10 BILLION of the 14 BILLION hse budget leaving the govt 4 BILLION to work with he and his sheep are all robbing scumbags

[unionmember1913]

@phoniex09 WTF are u on about??

[LarryFogarty]

hang your head in shame o connor.......i would not let you negotiate the sale of a goldfish ......jim larkin would turn in his grave........your more interested in saveing face....and your big salarey

[bansheewhiskey]

youre all jokes.

[PlasteringKing101]

sdcf

[deepfriedscrotum1]

No, no, JOC is/was very wrong. Do the sums - we need cuts, between public sector pay and social welfare, that's roughly 70% of the budget. Where do we get the money? Cost of living has gone down 6% bear in mind, so a 3% cut in Soc Welfare is still a net gain for those on the dole. Also, at the height of the boom, on average, public sector workers were paid 25% more than private sector workers. You think that's fair? After all, you union fellas are always on about fairness....

[gmuineachan]

I think there is censorship at play here even with youtube, but I will state that jack o connor is the face of the worker in ireland and he is right to confront the policy of government to pursue a low wage economy.

[deepfriedscrotum1]

I don't understand how you can be proud enough of that man to call him "the face of the worker", that was the worst performance on any political program since Sarah Palin's interview with CBS's Katie Couric. Secondly, our high cost economy is what's driving employers out of the country, and what do the employers take with them? That's right! Jobs! Why would they pay labour costs 50% higher when they could get better value in the UK? We are all paid far too much, particularly the public sector.

[gmuineachan]

about time someone spoke up for the worker against a media blitz in ireland for a low wage economy. ireland has been destroyed by fianna fail and its elite cohorts in crime with no accountability.

[TheSmileyOReilly]

Will Irish working people ever stop being duped into the divide and conquer routine that was pulled in the 80's. It's not the PAYE sectors fault for the mess we are in. In fact it's in the private sectors interest that the public sector hold fast to safeguard working conditions and pay. If they are broken, there is no hope for anybody working in this country.

[deepfriedscrotum1]

No, actually the converse is true. If we stay with wages that are simply too high (bear in mind other countries' wage costs [lower], deflation over the last year [6%], as well as the overly-generous T2016 agreement) foreign employers will not set up business here and the ones here will leave for cheaper countries e.g. the UK, Poland or most other places really. That means less jobs. So actually, if the Unions succeed, to use your words, "there is no hope for anybody working in this country".

[redhotridinghood]

Oh dear! Poor Ireland. Am quite glad I moved to the UK and work in the public sector there.

[NuggetsOfTruths]

Break the unions and save the country.

[jpkm123]

come the revolution the parsitic unions will be the first up against the wall

[TheSmileyOReilly]

@NuggetsOfTruths don't be ridiculous. All the benefits of the working people are derived from strong trade unions. If you want to be as slave go for it.

[deepfriedscrotum1]

I think the "working people" would be better off working in a secure job, would you not think? All these (obligatory) benefits that we get drive up labour costs, which makes it unattractive for an employer to employ an Irish person - we're too damned expensive. By that logic, I think a paradox arises - Trade Unions are for workers, yet against jobs, no? They sure do behave that way.

[boot101]

Jack O Connor will fully accept pay cuts and job losses for his private sector members but not his public sector members and then blames the media for dividing the country? He 'earns' 125k himself not to mention all the perks him and his union buddies get for sleeping with FF. Its the union leaders people need to stand up against or else the IMF will in 6 months time! FACT

[jpkm123]

Public sector wage bill = average wage bill per head * number of heads

If the total bill is falls

Either the average per heads falls or the number of heads falls

Jack OConnor is either a lying weasel or an idiot

[HAPPYTHELEAF]

Where is all the money the banks, builders, developers made in the boom,why is there only debt left in the banks, Ansbacker all over again, we must have the most corrupt country/Government in the world when you consider we are EU members, have a supposedly sound judicary, which I doubt, We would be better off becoming the Fifty First State of America AND GET THE HELL OUT OF THE EU IT THE AMERICIANS THAT HAVE EMPLOYED US NOT EUROPE.

[deepfriedscrotum1]

The Americans employed us because we were part of the EU - access to the European market, amongst other things. I think countries like Zimbabwe, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Colombia, DR Congo, Sudan, North Korea etc would beat us on corruption standards my friend, in fact I think a recent international study found we were one of the least corrupt in the world. Nice reasoning.

[burlearth]

Our union leaders are weak.

[eoindelaney]

Whacko Jacko as we now know him is a total nut!!

Why are people who have 20% higher wages compared to the private sector, who have job security and the best pensions , going on strike??

[patthelad998877]

Jack O Connor was right. About time someone told those RTE big-earners the truth - that they must pay tax like everyone else

[jpkm123]

Public sector wage bill = average wage bill per head * number of heads

If the total bill is falls

Either the average per heads falls or the number of heads falls

Jack O'Connor is either a lying weasel or an idiot

[stpd1957]

Oh save us from these clowns

[Tubbercurry]

Better for ICTU if Jack never appeared on the show. No idea of the gravity of the siuation we are in.

[dicknorris2001]

God help us if were left to the likes of jack o connor he's a joke

[JoeJC]

Jack O'Connor is actually ridiculously incompetent. He says that he opposes cuts in social welfare because this would be deflationary in nature which is true but then he says we should should increase some taxes. Taxes are also deflationary Jack. I actually think he tries to bore his critics into complete apathy.

[sliabhluachra]

That jack seriously needs to go back to school!!!

[cianserian]

lol at 9:20 - 9:30

[cathalosullivan]

good stuff pat...where's the trophy house comment???

[cianserian]

not included in this clip :(