More than two years into a so called austerity programme, the Conservative-led coalition is finally getting around to looking at the scandal of 'pilgrims'.
These are union officials, almost always full-time, employed within and paid by the public sector. However, they work full-time on union activities. So the already over-burdened tax-payer has to then fund an additional worker to cover for the work that isn't being done by the 'pilgrim' and for which the 'pilgrim' is also being paid by the tax-payer.
Think about this for a moment.
These union leaders pay lip service to probity and the need for transparency and berate the business world for a perceived 'too-cosy relationship with the government' and 'having their hand in the public purse'. All the while, they are having their officials paid for, not by their members but by the general taxpayer.
Consider this further, we, taxpayers are paying people to sit in offices that we provide so that they can scheme and plot ways to disrupt the services that we pay them, and their colleagues, to provide.
Read that again and see if there is any kind of rational sense in that.
So - the 'action'?
Francis Maude has launched a 'consultation exercise' to address the estimated £36 million cost of this.
Other estimates, by the Sunday Telegraph, put the amount in excess of £100 million when all forms of such 'pilgrims' activity were considered - that is, in all forms of the public sector, NHS, Education, local government, etc.
Frankly, what is to consult about. If any consultation was needed it should be with the taxpayer. Something along the lines of, should we continue to close libraries and hospitals and lay-off front-line public servants or should we take the money from that which we waste on 'pilgrims' and use it to pay for those services or (very radical) should we use this to start to reduce the burden of taxation on you the taxpayer!
I know what I want!
Mr Maude - don't consult, LEAD, less jaw-jaw and more action today. Do you really think that the likes of the Marxist Mark Serwotka, from the Civili Servants union is EVER going to be persuaded? Do you? Take the Nike approach - Just Do It!
These are union officials, almost always full-time, employed within and paid by the public sector. However, they work full-time on union activities. So the already over-burdened tax-payer has to then fund an additional worker to cover for the work that isn't being done by the 'pilgrim' and for which the 'pilgrim' is also being paid by the tax-payer.
Think about this for a moment.
These union leaders pay lip service to probity and the need for transparency and berate the business world for a perceived 'too-cosy relationship with the government' and 'having their hand in the public purse'. All the while, they are having their officials paid for, not by their members but by the general taxpayer.
Consider this further, we, taxpayers are paying people to sit in offices that we provide so that they can scheme and plot ways to disrupt the services that we pay them, and their colleagues, to provide.
Read that again and see if there is any kind of rational sense in that.
So - the 'action'?
Francis Maude has launched a 'consultation exercise' to address the estimated £36 million cost of this.
Other estimates, by the Sunday Telegraph, put the amount in excess of £100 million when all forms of such 'pilgrims' activity were considered - that is, in all forms of the public sector, NHS, Education, local government, etc.
Frankly, what is to consult about. If any consultation was needed it should be with the taxpayer. Something along the lines of, should we continue to close libraries and hospitals and lay-off front-line public servants or should we take the money from that which we waste on 'pilgrims' and use it to pay for those services or (very radical) should we use this to start to reduce the burden of taxation on you the taxpayer!
I know what I want!
Mr Maude - don't consult, LEAD, less jaw-jaw and more action today. Do you really think that the likes of the Marxist Mark Serwotka, from the Civili Servants union is EVER going to be persuaded? Do you? Take the Nike approach - Just Do It!
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