The discovery that almost all the national television channel’s journalists who had been on strike for weeks, were paid in full, either because they took sick leave or because they were on paid leave doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

By Nikos Chrysoloras

Similar strikes were witnessed last year by urban transportation workers and this has become all too common in the public system, unfortunately paid for by private sector employees.

What continues to amaze me is how we stand for this. Whether one is in favour or against the Memorandum, no sane person can support the state in spending more than it has.That which we disagree upon, is how to achieve any necessary adjustment.

Until now, the government’s line (especially the former, but the present as well) has been to keep the public sector intact, carrying the burden of maintaining it over to the private sector. Civil servants, even those who are employed by apparently useless organizations, have not lost their jobs. The whole fiasco concerning the reserve has merely meant that their payroll is transferred to the state pension funds (which we also pay). All this points to how our politicians use placing individuals in the public sector in order to entice votes.

Think about how the effects of this recession would be mired if the government had followed the following tactic: Instead of all of us having to pay the extraordinary contribution, the government has completely suspended the OSE (national railway systems) until a buyer is found. Τhe cash benefit would be exactly the same, but the cost for developing the suspension of the OSE would be minimal. Instead, as a result of the extraordinary contribution, household consumption has taken the blow and the recession has deepened.

The social cost of the national television channel’s suspension until a buyer is found would also be insignificant. The increase in electricity tariffs would be levelled out by removing the television fee whilst journalists would lose their government official status. I know they would be horrified by the thought of working in the private sector, but what can we do, there’s worse…As for the state and the government’s announcements? They can be broadcasted by the in house state channel which has some 100 staff in total.