Funferal

IBEC on absenteeism

As I travelled from Galway to Dublin yesterday morning, listening to the radio on the way, a report of IBEC’s survey on absenteeism stood out. There is obviously some room for concern, but on a number of counts IBEC seemed to be scaremongering and misleading:

• They claim that 40% of days missed occur around weekends. Given that two working days (Monday and Friday) out of five occur around weekends, 40% is exactly what you would expect.
• The implication is obviously that people are missing days to extend their weekend. The context of media coverage over recent years would also lead one to think of people missing days due to a ‘hard night’ – hangovers essentially – and IBEC’s references to ‘anecdotal’ claims that younger people are thought to be less diligent in attendance was meant to play on this. However, an interview with an IBEC representative eventually revealed that suddent illness is the leading cause of absence.

Irish rates are higher than in some other countries – and lower than others – and it is something that should be noted. However, this seemed to be an attempt by IBEC to foment contempt for workers among, well, workers.