Dave Thomas lauded the strike vote by senior managers in the public service - - the people who with the politicians should take responsibility for the destruction of the lives of tens of thousands of people.

National Strike: The wealthy Irish trade union leaders who were among the groups during the boom who grabbed as much as they could, while giving no attention to needed reform, should give priority to the misery of the unemployed at this time of national crisis, as well as the victims of the floods in recent days, rather than battling over spoils, which are now beyond the financial capacity of the economy. By their own standard that earnings of €100,000 are the threshold of being categorised as rich, pay packages of over €200,000, put some of the trade union leaders in the very comfortable category.

In common, with the business group IBEC, during the boom, the social partnership process was a painless one of divvying up the spoils. The politicians invariably caved in and both sides protected their own vested interests with no pressure made for long-term reform. So instead of being in a position now to fill the void created by the collapse of construction, policymakers can only offer platitudes on the potential of the "smart economy" and "green tech."

The trade union leaders, showed no leadership in the past and even less now.

They would have no appreciation of the misery of unemployment and some who have lost their jobs, have little hope of getting new ones and on pension age, will have only the basic old age pension.

Rather than fighting about retaining spoils, is there anything to say about where 200,000 new jobs will materialise in coming years?

Last week, the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants (AHCPS) reported it had voted in favour of participation in the one-day strike tomorrow.

75% of the Association’s members voted in the ballot on the executive committee’s recommendation to participate in the strike. The proposal was carried by 1,471 votes to 979 votes, 60% to 40%.

Welcoming the outcome of the ballot the AHCPS general secretary, Dave Thomas, said that it demonstrated members’ opposition to the Government’s narrow focus on cutting civil service pay to remedy the difficulties with the public finances.

Thomas said, “First and foremost I would like to thank all our members who voted in this important ballot. This is a significant day for our Association, and our members who perform senior and important roles to ensure the smooth running of the State."

These are the senior civil servants who never said no to the politicians and who will never experience the shadow world of unemployment.

What Dave Thomas is lauding is an act of extreme selfishness and irresponsibility.

He refused to disclose his own salary and benefits, in anIrish Times survey.

You go out on strike but you were the senior managers who sat by and took the sham benchmarking payments, as the best opportunity ever to put the economy on a sustainable basis, was flushed down a sink hole.

You grabbed as much as you can and what do you care about the silent victims?

Shame on you.

Business group IBEC today welcomed reports that some public sector workers were calling off the action to assist in flood relief efforts, and said that all those providing essential public services should follow their lead.

IBEC Director of Industrial Relations Brendan McGinty said: "It is understandable that many public servants are angry at the state of the nation’s finances. However, disrupting the lives and businesses of their fellow citizens is neither a fair nor productive way of directing this anger. It would be better to direct this energy towards developing a plan to protect jobs and get Ireland working again.”

“The real casualties of the economic downturn are the many thousands who have lost their jobs. IBEC has proposed a set of measures that would redirect public funds towards keeping people in jobs, rather than allowing a drift into spending equivalent funds on social welfare payments. The country would be better served if we could all agree on a shared vision that puts jobs first. This must focus on reducing costs, improving competitiveness and restoring balance to the public finances.

“Tuesday's action has the potential to seriously disrupt business and the general public. Those who are withdrawing services are doing nothing for the patients, whose operations are cancelled; for trade, due to possible disruption at ports and airports; for the meat processing industry, as the state’s agricultural officers withdraw services; and for working parents, who must find means to look after their children for the day. It is also outrageous that, in the midst of a serious swineflu pandemic, HSE vaccination clinics will be cancelled.

"Tuesday's action will do nothing constructive for the people that are on strike, or for the people that they chose to disrupt,” concluded McGinty.

Further background information from Finfacts articles:

The 2001 economic consensus that paved the road to economic ruin

Irish Central Bank declared its impotence before launch of the euro; Why Spain's biggest banks survived huge housing boom

IBEC delivers Irish tribal conservatism not needed radicalism

ICTU calls for return to 1980s era Irish income tax rates with combined top rate of 65%

Ireland: A "smart" economy in food better than pie-in-the-sky aspirations?- - including how New Zealand uses home advantage to sustain its position, as the world leader in the international trade of dairy products. 

National Employment Survey: CSO says Irish public sector/private sector pay premium was 19.1% in 2007 for comparable jobs

Public sector economists confirm Irish public service pay benchmarking was a sham; Premium on private pay increased dramatically from 9.7 to 21.6% between 2003 and 2006

Irish average earnings in 2007 were at €37,726; Pay at ESB and Bord Gáis at €71,572; Public/private gap was 48% ex-pensions

Lenihan says total cost of State pension for an Irish public sector worker hired after 2004 is 26.1% of pay

IBEC calls for ending of pay parity link in Irish public sector pensions that gives them a six-star standard status

Where is the Outrage? Gombeenism thrives at home while in Paris, OECD staff work on proposals for Irish public service reform - -  article following recommendation that Ireland's Cabinet be the best paid in Europe. Recommendations for 1,600 senior staff in the public service were for minimum pay hikes of 14%. Pensions for 2 retired Dublin City Managers jumped 36% because of the direct link with pay of incumbent.