We are all in this together, so public service bashing is a waste of time

SUDDENLY, just before Christmas, and all because I wrote some stuff about public service pay increments, I started getting letters from trade union leaders.

They were all leaders of unions in the public sector, and sad to say their letters weren’t very kind. I have apparently gone from being a “more rational voice” to being someone who has given added impetus to the popular media sport of public servant bashing.

More than that, actually, I’m a bit of a disappointment because my opinions have added to the deep sense of demoralisation among public servants. Teachers have been particularly incensed that someone who believes in children should be making wild suggestions about the withholding of increments on teachers’ pay. And of course the point is made again and gain that (a) any proposal to freeze increments would be a breach of the Croke Park Agreement, and (b) it would wildly discriminate against lower paid public servants.