David Higgins

As if this strike on Monday couldn’t get any worse, SIPTU, the countries largest union has come out in support of the TEEU’s strike that is seeking an 11% pay rise in the midst of the worst recession this country has ever seen!

SIPTU president Jack O’Connor said that it was a stand against the profits of employers who are trying to drive down wages to their own benefit. I’ve never heard such crap. There are firms, particularly in construction going out of business everyday and one of the main reasons for this is that their wages are too high to maintain. That’s also why many employers are lowering wages. It’s an accepted fact amongst all economics and observers that we became a high cost and high wage economy. Now it’s time to go back the other way. Wage reductions are needed across all sectors, particularly at the top.