What are you public sector lot up to on Weds then?

My science teacher missus is extremely excited about her "strike day" on Wednesday, wants to go Christmas shopping in Winchester, have told her to get the train as I'm pretty sure parking will be a nightmare as hampshire's public workers descend on the shops!

The feeling at her school is this makes up for lack of likely "snow days" this winter... We had an argument when she told me that!

My wife is a primary school teacher in a deprived area she won't strike becuse she doesn't want the kids in her classes education to suffer (her words).

Working

I remember "snow days". People over here would laugh at the suggestion of not going to school or work because of snow. In 12 years of living here I've never known of anyone missing work or school because of snow. They also send the kids outside to play no matter what the weather.

I've been on strike a couple of times and was uncomfortable doing it here because I was very happy with my work conditions and pay, but that's what solidarity is about I suppose.

I'm really looking forward to Wednesday.

There will be much more room on my privatised train service and London won't be so crowded, so a much more pleasant onward journey to the office.

I think they should strike one day a week until further notice. Just think how much that would save the exchequer annually.

Win win.

I don't have to tell my manager, and I certainly won't be telling you lot in advance.

Up the cricket pavilion in the morning cleaning it out and sorting stuff ready for storing over the winter. Then on to the lunchtime rally at Hoglands Park then putting in a session in the afternoon at a community centre.

Normal work day for me.

Normal day for me. Didn't even know it was even happening. Don't care either.

Normal work day for the self employed in the private sector, struggling to pay the taxes to support the pensions of the over staffed public sector.

normal work day for the self employed in the private sector, struggling to pay the taxes to support the pensions of the over staffed public sector.

lol

I remember "snow days". People over here would laugh at the suggestion of not going to school or work because of snow. In 12 years of living here I've never known of anyone missing work or school because of snow. They also send the kids outside to play no matter what the weather.

I take it doesn't snow that often during winter and when it does it only affects parts of the country for a few days.

;-)

Normal work day for the self employed in the private sector, struggling to pay the taxes to support the pensions of the over staffed public sector.

Why the dinstinction regarding pensions??? You're also paying their wages every day.

Taking my son to my private sector place of employement, because his teachers don't want to teach him on Wednesday, despite the fact that they are better paid & have better pensions than I do.

Bear in mind that c.75% of public sector works didn't vote for a strike so it should be pretty much business as usual I'd have thought.

Taking my son to my private sector place of employement, because his teachers don't want to teach him on Wednesday, despite the fact that they are better paid & have better pensions than I do.

Ah, but look on the bright side....justifying taking our kids out of school during term time for cheaper holidays just got a whole lot less complicated...

Working

I will be working

Not sure how many union bods will be out.

Only 33% of the GMB members voted to go on strike. 67% of members didnt vote This is national

of those that did vote it it was not a large majority

In scotland 5740 members voted of that 3146 voted for a strike and 2581 voted against with 13 spoilt papers

Unite was equally close. Im not sure where GMB do their maths but they say 4-1 voted in favour of a strike

So maybe it will not be two million out on strike as the media are suggesting. mind you I have some sympathy about some aspects of the changes. It will hit teachers but then they have gold plated pensions etc under the Mccrone agreement

Why the dinstinction regarding pensions??? You're also paying their wages every day.

We should start a buddy system. For every Saintsweb public sector striker, someone from the private sector on here should do a double shift. Windows in the city will be gleaming, even if the rubbish hasn't been taken out.

I assume that all public sector workers, don't know what's happening in the rest of Europe, in places like Greece, Portugal, Italy Spain etc, and if they do, are to stupid to realise, that by their very greedy money grabbing action, they could place the UK in the same position. Where were the unions two years ago, when the private sector got a caning?

We should start a buddy system. For every Saintsweb public sector striker, someone from the private sector on here should do a double shift. Windows in the city will be gleaming, even if the rubbish hasn't been taken out.

Rubbish collection is privatised round here so no worries there.

Since when did 'gold plated' become synonymous with 'guaranteed' ? Based on the average for NHS and LA staff, I would suggest the pensions are at best 'copper plated'.

We should start a buddy system. For every Saintsweb public sector striker, someone from the private sector on here should do a double shift. Windows in the city will be gleaming, even if the rubbish hasn't been taken out.

Or maybe all the private sector workers could get a days tax back seeing as the services they paid for won't be forthcoming that day.....

Bear in mind that c.75% of public sector works didn't vote for a strike so it should be pretty much business as usual I'd have thought.

Nobody voted for a LibDem / Tory coalition, but we've got one.

Ah, but look on the bright side....justifying taking our kids out of school during term time for cheaper holidays just got a whole lot less complicated...

'tis true, but I'm a bit olde skool & think my kids should be in school being educated during term time. I've accepted that holidays will be more expensive, probably for another 6 years or so. Well actually this isn't quite true as we haven't had one for 3 years.

I assume that all public sector workers, don't know what's happening in the rest of Europe, in places like Greece, Portugal, Italy Spain etc, and if they do, are to stupid to realise, that by their very greedy money grabbing action, they could place the UK in the same position. Where were the unions two years ago, when the private sector got a caning?

Local Authority workers and teachers were renegotiating their pension schemes and agreeing to pay increased contributions to keep the schemes completely self funded.

I'm not sure where GMB do their maths

I'll resist the obvious answer to that one... ;-)

I assume that all public sector workers, don't know what's happening in the rest of Europe, in places like Greece, Portugal, Italy Spain etc, and if they do, are to stupid to realise, that by their very greedy money grabbing action, they could place the UK in the same position. Where were the unions two years ago, when the private sector got a caning?

That's a bit hysterical, we're a long way off the position of Greece etc.

Private sector employee myself, but to be fair if my employer told me that my terms of employment were going to get worse I'd be pretty ****ed off.

Nobody voted for a LibDem / Tory coalition, but we've got one.

Eaxactly. So why do the same people believe that the coalition do not have a mandate yet they believe the union's call for strike action does, when neither was endorsed by the electorate....?

Surely they're in danger of people throwing hypocrisy allegations at them...?

'tis true, but I'm a bit olde skool & think my kids should be in school being educated during term time. I've accepted that holidays will be more expensive, probably for another 6 years or so. Well actually this isn't quite true as we haven't had one for 3 years.

:nod: yep last easter holidays was only our second ever family holiday and my eldest is ten. Always amazes me that the school where my wife works parents can't afford £10.00 for a school trip but can afford to take their kids out of school for two weeks to go to some Spanish resort.

That's a bit hysterical, we're a long way off the position of Greece etc.

Totally agree. We're now much further away from the Greek's position than we were 18 months ago.

Or maybe all the private sector workers could get a days tax back seeing as the services they paid for won't be forthcoming that day.....

I shall be submitting an invoice for my expenses (childcare etc) to the National Union of Teachers after the strike. Of course, they won't pay it but they'll be spending much more in administration costs dealing with my correspondance and phone calls than the value of the claim in the first place.

Eaxactly. So why do the same people believe that the coalition do not have a mandate yet they believe the union's call for strike action does, when neither was endorsed by the electorate....?

 

Surely they're in danger of people throwing hypocrisy allegations at them...?

The coalition believe they themselves do have a mandate, yet tell the unions that they do not. The unions are merely playing by the Government's rules.

Why the dinstinction regarding pensions??? You're also paying their wages every day.

Because that's what I understand they are demonstrating against - the need to work longer before receiving a pension.

Many private sector workers dont even have a pension.

I'm a bit surprised by the day they have chosen, normally strike days are reserved for when there is something good on TV like an England World Cup match, or a sunny day so they can all go to the beach.

So enjoying the demonisation of the "worth" of the Public Sector and the race to the bottom regarding pensions.

On the first issue I've worked in both sectors, seen waste and profligacy in both, seen good employers and bad employers, good employees and bad employees and wouldn't say either sector has a monopoly on the good or the bad.

As for the second, I do think the race to the bottom leaves quite a stain on our society. Most public sector pensions are less than £5,000 so not sure why we're all up in arms.

But perhaps most importantly we should be focussing on the private sector and highlighting how disgraceful it is that 60% of employees are not in a company supported pension scheme. That for me is the shame of the current pensions debate. Not that some have a decent pension, but that many have nothing and the bill in 30/40 years time will be picked up by the very same state we think are being profligate with public sector pensions.

No, the Underground is NOT on strike. (For once.)

So, working.

We are the public sector, we'll strike when we want.

So enjoying the demonisation of the "worth" of the Public Sector and the race to the bottom regarding pensions.

 

On the first issue I've worked in both sectors, seen waste and profligacy in both, seen good employers and bad employers, good employees and bad employees and wouldn't say either sector has a monopoly on the good or the bad.

 

As for the second, I do think the race to the bottom leaves quite a stain on our society. Most public sector pensions are less than £5,000 so not sure why we're all up in arms.

 

But perhaps most importantly we should be focussing on the private sector and highlighting how disgraceful it is that 60% of employees are not in a company supported pension scheme. That for me is the shame of the current pensions debate. Not that some have a decent pension, but that many have nothing and the bill in 30/40 years time will be picked up by the very same state we think are being profligate with public sector pensions.

Agree it seems a lot of the posters have poor pensions to look forward to so they want everyone to be in the same boat as them and accept their lot in life.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Agree it seems a lot of the posters have poor pensions to look forward to so they want everyone to be in the same boat as them and accept their lot in life.

I think we'd all like top notch pensions but the conundrum is how would that be financed?

Working longer and paying in more perhaps?

So enjoying the demonisation of the "worth" of the Public Sector and the race to the bottom regarding pensions.

 

On the first issue I've worked in both sectors, seen waste and profligacy in both, seen good employers and bad employers, good employees and bad employees and wouldn't say either sector has a monopoly on the good or the bad.

 

As for the second, I do think the race to the bottom leaves quite a stain on our society. Most public sector pensions are less than £5,000 so not sure why we're all up in arms.

 

But perhaps most importantly we should be focussing on the private sector and highlighting how disgraceful it is that 60% of employees are not in a company supported pension scheme. That for me is the shame of the current pensions debate. Not that some have a decent pension, but that many have nothing and the bill in 30/40 years time will be picked up by the very same state we think are being profligate with public sector pensions.

That's because they only work for a few years. The £5000 is still a much bigger return that what they have paid in.

So enjoying the demonisation of the "worth" of the Public Sector and the race to the bottom regarding pensions.

 

On the first issue I've worked in both sectors, seen waste and profligacy in both, seen good employers and bad employers, good employees and bad employees and wouldn't say either sector has a monopoly on the good or the bad.

 

As for the second, I do think the race to the bottom leaves quite a stain on our society. Most public sector pensions are less than £5,000 so not sure why we're all up in arms.

 

But perhaps most importantly we should be focussing on the private sector and highlighting how disgraceful it is that 60% of employees are not in a company supported pension scheme. That for me is the shame of the current pensions debate. Not that some have a decent pension, but that many have nothing and the bill in 30/40 years time will be picked up by the very same state we think are being profligate with public sector pensions.

http://blog.thecompanywarehouse.co.uk/2010/06/28/2012-mandatory-pension-scheme-and-nest/

It has been addressed already.

I'm a bit surprised by the day they have chosen, normally strike days are reserved for when there is something good on TV like an England World Cup match, or a sunny day so they can all go to the beach.

Christmas shopping, they want to get in early this year.

So enjoying the demonisation of the "worth" of the Public Sector and the race to the bottom regarding pensions.

 

On the first issue I've worked in both sectors, seen waste and profligacy in both, seen good employers and bad employers, good employees and bad employees and wouldn't say either sector has a monopoly on the good or the bad.

 

As for the second, I do think the race to the bottom leaves quite a stain on our society. Most public sector pensions are less than £5,000 so not sure why we're all up in arms.

 

But perhaps most importantly we should be focussing on the private sector and highlighting how disgraceful it is that 60% of employees are not in a company supported pension scheme. That for me is the shame of the current pensions debate. Not that some have a decent pension, but that many have nothing and the bill in 30/40 years time will be picked up by the very same state we think are being profligate with public sector pensions.

This is a very good post, and as far as I'm aware the first time I've ever seen a public sector employee on here accept that a great number of low paid workers in private industry are even worse off than they will ever be. A situation that will no doubt continue long after this dispute is all done & dusted - whatever the outcome.

Totally agree. We're now much further away from the Greek's position than we were 18 months ago.

This is only true because the speed of decline of the Greek economy has accelerated at a faster rate than ours has - our economy is still shrinking and we are still being lead in the same direction.

This is only true because the speed of decline of the Greek economy has accelerated at a faster rate than ours has

Not denying that could be the case. Link to a graph or such-like to prove it one way or t'other? (that said, the graph to 'prove' where our economy would be relative to Greece's if Labour's "continue to grow the debt" policy had been deployed doesn't actually exist of course)

our economy is still shrinking

I thought it was growing, albeit very tentatively? (i.e. at the same sort of rate as Germany and the USA but slightly better than the rest of Europe. Again, any link to the official stats would be appreciated. Cheers

If it weren't growing we would still be in recession.

If it weren't growing we would still be in recession.

I just read that the OECD are forecasting that the UK economy will shrink this quarter. Along with the rest of the world's economies.

Lower to mid pay public sector workers will be better off. This strike is ridiculous.

My wife is also a teacher and isnt going on strike as she doesnt believe affecting a child’s education is the way to resolve the situation.

However the government is being underhand as its forcing people to work to 68 to get a full pension, knowing full well that most people will not want to or be able to handle a class of 30-35 children at that age. This will then cause them to take early retirement and therefore they will not be entitled to a full pension which they are being asked to pay more for as well.

Whatever people say about public\private pensions, you would also not be happy if a scheme you were paying into suddenly increased the payout age and asked you to pay 3% more a month to get less at the end.

I don’t think for a minute that the country can keep on heavily subsidising the public pensions that exist today but there must be a fairer way to make changes. How about making radical changes to new teachers\employees to make that more cost effective, in the long run this would reduce the overall bill.