[BBC News] Manx Telecom staff back walkout

[We Like The Moon]

Police have to do 30 years before they retire and for their pension they lose around 12% of their salary (just over £21K starting - for a 40 hour week of shifts - and then your lucky if you get an annual payrise) ***

edit to add - ***they don't get rent allowance any more either

The word disingenuous springs to mind here. The Islands' Finest get guaranteed payrises of around 5% pa for their first 10 years of service, nice one. After that it's by annual review. So the basic is £21k but that rises in 10 years to around £33k (I think!) so making the target 30-30 can be done. That's not to mention the shift (up to 30%), the overs (lots!) plus all the rest. They can also retire early at 50 on two-thirds pay whereas poor old Vader in the MEA would have to keep going for a further 15 years to go at 65 just for parity. Also the 12% they supposedly pay in is bs. Public Servants have a non-contributary scheme so the amount their pay is allegedly reduced by to make up for it is basically pick a number.

 

If the MT business plan needed a line rental rise of 35%+ then there is something seriously wrong at the top of the organisation, never mind the folks at the coalface getting shafted....

 

 

 

Hmmmm - so misininformed - you really are!!!- BS it is not - wage slips to prove it......my ******** (not telling you) is in the job and I earn more money than him/her (he/she has ten years in and is not on 33K a year and I can assure you he/she did not get a 5% a year pay rise) - no shift allowance - guaranteed - there is a £1000 priority pay for officers who work shifts - but if you have more than 2 periods of sickness in a 24 month period you are not entitled to it (it might be a 12 month period - not quite sure 100% - just to cover my back ) yes overtime but would you like to work a 60+ hour week dealing with complete and utter cocks (not his/her colleagues I hasten to add) all the time -Arrgh I'm so pissed off with myself getting drawn into this argument - ARRRRGGHH-

If you could see what I do - perhaps you would appreciate that the IOM Police Force has some damn fine Police Officers who do what they do for the love of their job - it is not like it was 20 years ago these poor lads (and lasses) really do have to work for their pay in an increasingly violent culture - that's it now - I'm not listening anymore - you've formed your opinion - nothing going to change that like nothing will change mine.....

[boog]

Yes, Manx Telecom making above average profits for over 20 years has effectively protected the management jobs from any pressure or real work.

 

It is time to repay - i.e. let Telefonica take out the senior management positions and give a fair salary to the front line workers. Above inflation is pushing it a bit far tho, I would try to take into account that profits will fall at Manx Telecom over the next 24 months and jobs will be impacted. Is it just me or are there no financial reports from Manx Telecom any more? Wonder why?

 

Strikers beware, though. That one day off may just be enough time for management to figure out where it can lose staff, and MT is a fat monopolist, it will lose staff!

 

Biggest irritation of "Manx" Telecom is that its a Spanish company, attempting to use its "Manxness" to set itself apart - absolutely criminal, but not the only company to do so (e.g. Flybe). The only means by which companies like this inject anything into the IOM economy is through the hands of their local employees.

 

Still, my view is that its time for the Treasury to step up its game and set up a work permit type approach to Government spending. i.e. "If it can be made here at a similar price/quality, it should be bought here". Nothing like controlling >33% of the Islands spending to inject a bit of life into the economy, eh lads?

[Fizzy]

Biggest irritation of "Manx" Telecom is that its a Spanish company, attempting to use its "Manxness" to set itself apart - absolutely criminal, but not the only company to do so (e.g. Flybe). The only means by which companies like this inject anything into the IOM economy is through the hands of their local employees.

 

Marks & Spencer, B&Q, Woolworths, Sure (Cable & Wireless), Tesco, Isle of Man Bank (RBS), the rest of the banks, Most shops high st shops, oh and who owns the Steam Packet Company? I don't think Manx Telecom is an exception. At least a few of these companies have a good size presence on the island and employ plenty of people who spend money and pay tax. I don't think we can expect all these companies to be purely Manx owned, or British owned.

[Mission]

I take it, by your username, that you're the chief engineer then?

 

If so, can I have warp factor 9 on my broadband please Scotty? I'd ask for trans-warp but hey, it's MT afterall...

[Bombay Bad Boy]

mutter mutter 8 meg in Douglas mutter grumble

[whoracle]

There are 315 staff at MT 200 off them are striking and members of the CWU. Guess who the other 115 are, yep Managers and Temps.

 

no. there are lots of non management and non temp employees who are not members of the union.

[Silentbob]

Please, let's not barrel the Police in with MT. MT have taken us for a ride over recent years, as much as the minority of the Police (Management and policy makers) piss us off; generally the guys on the street are just doing their job as best they can.

 

No, I am not a copper. Just from what I have heard from the guys on the beat, they are as pissed off about 'policy' and 'guidelines' as the rest of us. PC stands for POLICE CONSTABLE, not politically correct.

 

As for MT employees, I will land you in with the Dandara employees, you both work for Satan in my opinion, you will excuse me for not giving a toss about your issues with pay.

[brightspark]

I had better summarise the e-mail above.

 

1. Manx Telecom are putting up their line rentals by 37.5% if people do not pay by direct debit and receive an ebill.

This is unfair on the elderly in particular who do not have a computer or know how to work one.

 

2. Direct Debit is flawed in the fact that there are no regulations in force as to how much companies can withdraw from accounts. If you have a dispute with Manx Telecom or any other company over their billing, it can be an uphill struggle to get it resolved because they already have your money.

 

3. If you do pay by Direct Debit and receive an e-bill from Manx Telecom the line rental still has an increase of 18.5%.

 

4. Manx Telecom staff received an offer of a 4.1 or 4.2% increase in their wages.

Their argument is that it is not enough for them.

This is because the rate of inflation on the Isle of Man stands at 6.6%.

I think it is selfish of these staff to protest over this. (THis is a minor sacrifice)

When people start screaming for more money, firms such as Manx Telecom will have to recoup this money from somewhere to pay for it.

This will mean that in the future there is likely to be a further increase in Line Rental or phone calls.

The people that suffer the most is the Elderly and Lower Income Families who get no rise.

 

The Pensioners and Lower Income families are already under pressure from rising food, energy and other costs.

They don't get any help until April 2009.

When April 2009 comes along, they only usually get a rise of about £5 per week, at the same time everyone else gets a rise of anything from say £30 per week and in the case of Directors thousands or tens of thousands per year.

 

5. The Staff at Manx Telecom are moaning that this pay rise of 4.1% is not enough, why is this?

If they are worried about the rising costs, then i suggest they think about the low income families and pensioners, because it is far worse for them. They have to sacrifice far more that these people who are on higher incomes.

These lower income people get absolutely nothing until April 2009.

 

6. A lot of these people waste money on items such as gas guzzling vehicles and have to pay out far more for fuel.

Why don't they sacrifice these for say smalller cars.

If you look arouind this Island, i personally find it unbelievable how some people are so poor that they worry themselves sick about heating their homes, whilst others as an example don't miss paying out £60000 for some luxury car that pollutes our environment and takes up unecessary space on our roads.

 

7. The pensioner i refered to in the email above who thought pensioners would die this winter is not something i heard on the radio She was someone i met.

 

8. I heard of a case recently where one person was on either £63 or £68 per week, i think they brought their case to Tynwald. I admit i don't know a lot about this? however i know it would be impossible to survive on this.

 

9. When people start screaming that they want more money, this puts a bigger divide between well off and less well off people and causes everything to rise including inflation.

 

10 An example of this could be, (BUILDING COSTS) If a pensioner needs a new roof on their house costing £4200, given the present circiumstances, who is likely to afford it, Manx Telecom Staff, or a Pensioner or low income family?

 

Whilst they get their pay rises, the Lower Income Bracket cannot meet these costs because they get nothing asides the fact of them being on a low income and as a result these people suffer.

[P.K.]

Hmmmm - so misininformed - you really are!!!- BS it is not - wage slips to prove it......my ******** (not telling you) is in the job and I earn more money than him/her (he/she has ten years in and is not on 33K a year and I can assure you he/she did not get a 5% a year pay rise)

I grew up with one of your coppers, then I went and did 12 years in The Met. So I might just know what I'm talking about. By the way, this is from the "Be A Manx Copper And Lose All Your Friends" blurb:

Constables begin on £21,534 during initial training, and then move to £24,039 on completion of initial training. Further increments follow from 2 years (£25,434) to 10 years service (£33,810). Police pay is reviewed annually in September.

As for this:

 

Manx Telecom staff received an offer of a 4.1 or 4.2% increase in their wages.

Their argument is that it is not enough for them.

This is because the rate of inflation on the Isle of Man stands at 6.6%.

I think it is selfish of these staff to protest over this. (THis is a minor sacrifice)

When people start screaming for more money, firms such as Manx Telecom will have to recoup this money from somewhere to pay for it.

This will mean that in the future there is likely to be a further increase in Line Rental or phone calls.

The people that suffer the most is the Elderly and Lower Income Families who get no rise.

Most folks have a right to withdraw their labour. Of course, they'll lose the money that they would have earned so they must think it's worth doing. They are striking to maintain their current standard of living, which is fair enough because I don't see why you should take a pay cut to work for a certain company. If MT stick to their guns the staff could always vote with their feet, although that would be a bit tricky in such a restrictive labour market as the IOM. Which, of course, is what the MT management is relying on.

[pongo]

There are 315 staff at MT 200 off them are striking and members of the CWU. Guess who the other 115 are, yep Managers and Temps. Who have had there inflation pay rise 5 months ago, and the temps by their companies.

Management will see who they can not 'lay' off, as there are not enough engineers to keep it running 100% at the moment!!!

 

I've always found the MT staff to be excellent - but the threat of strike action creates an impression of old fashioned militancy.

[We Like The Moon]

 

I grew up with one of your coppers, then I went and did 12 years in The Met.

 

 

 

 

Then I am saddened by your negativity - especially if you served within the last ten years and know what it is like

[Fizzy]

6. A lot of these people waste money on items such as gas guzzling vehicles and have to pay out far more for fuel.

Why don't they sacrifice these for say smalller cars.

If you look arouind this Island, i personally find it unbelievable how some people are so poor that they worry themselves sick about heating their homes, whilst others as an example don't miss paying out £60000 for some luxury car that pollutes our environment and takes up unecessary space on our roads.

 

Your right, I've them all driving around in £60,000 gas guzzling a cars, buying up second homes and lighting cigars with £50 notes! And it's true MT assasinated JFK and faked the moon landings. They're cahoots with the CIA you know. B******s!!!

[boog]

Biggest irritation of "Manx" Telecom is that its a Spanish company, attempting to use its "Manxness" to set itself apart - absolutely criminal, but not the only company to do so (e.g. Flybe). The only means by which companies like this inject anything into the IOM economy is through the hands of their local employees.

 

Marks & Spencer, B&Q, Woolworths, Sure (Cable & Wireless), Tesco, Isle of Man Bank (RBS), the rest of the banks, Most shops high st shops, oh and who owns the Steam Packet Company? I don't think Manx Telecom is an exception. At least a few of these companies have a good size presence on the island and employ plenty of people who spend money and pay tax. I don't think we can expect all these companies to be purely Manx owned, or British owned.

 

Hmmm...yes, but M&S, B&Q, Woolworths, Sure and Tesco do not differentiate themselves in the locality as "Manx" Telecom do by positioning themselves as "Manx", and using it as the key aspect of their brand (and only differentiator from C&W). I've no problem with Telefonica, the Spanish or O2 - this is simply a question of local management taking the mik!

[immortalpuppet]

The difference is all of the above have back offices in the UK or farther away, MT are ran locally and independantly but are owned by a Spanish company.

[Newsbot]

Workers from Manx Telecom are "disappointed and disgruntled" that an agreement has not been reached in their pay dispute.

 

Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/...man/7564516.stm