Pay first, earn later

BENCHMARKING, coupled with the Taoiseach’s fawning veneration of trade union big guns, is crippling our economy. As the country grapples with the slowdown in the economy – rising unemployment figures and declining growth rates – benchmarking is swallowing up €1 billion per annum.

What myopic ‘leadership’ chained our economy to the shackles of a pay deal that offers reward before productivity?

Apologies if my interpretation of healthy competition is confused,but surely the prospect of economic reward ought to provide an incentive for workers and management to improve work practices.

This country needs real leadership to stand up to trade union godfathers and reverse this ridiculous deal. Taxpayers deserve accountability and value for money.

Lucinda Creighton,

Lower Grand Canal Street,

Dublin 2.