Edstar101 Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 It cannae be a real strike...the postie's arnae joining in....they strike for every reason going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryhallsdanceband Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 ...and the rail unions aren't being opportunistic - though give them time - and they won't need very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint in exile Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 Hope it pisses down on the feckers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babychunder Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 Especially that w-anchor Trotskyite Serwotka. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slf Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 good luck all people on strike.its no easy to do this but sometimes ye just have to stand up and fight.its the principle.go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denzil Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) good luck all people on strike.its no easy to do this but sometimes ye just have to stand up and fight.its the principle.go for it. Well said. I notice the MPs appear to have a funded final salary scheme that incidently has a higher employer contrbution from the exchequer than any other in the public sector. It also apparently has a £51 million deficit, unlike the likes of the Scottish local government schemes which are receiving much more from member contributions than they are paying out. Cameron even admitted it was "a very generous scheme". And are they reforming it? No, of course not. To quote George Orwell's 'Animal Farm', "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." Edited November 30, 2011 by Denzil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wish i was Joe McGurn Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Enjoy your day off. Won't make one jot of difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstar101 Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Enjoy your day off. Won't make one jot of difference Unfortunately, that is spot on. The problem with the strike (and with Unions) is this 'one out, all out' attitude. As a member of a union, you should be allowed to choose whether or not you want to support any proposed action, yet there still exists this 'picket line' approach where members feel press ganged into striking. If you take an organisation where there are say 1200 members. In any poll only about 30% vote, thats 360 of them. Only about 30-40% ever vote to support the strike, that's 108-144 people who want to strike, yet 1200 are pressed into it by a decision made at much higher levels within the union, often by people with too much power We need unions, no doubt, but we need a modern day approach as to how they are led, one that takes them away from any political influence and militant tendencies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SingaporeSaint Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Hope it pisses down on the feckers! Well the Met Offfice are on strike as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SingaporeSaint Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Bring back Thatcher, she would sort the feckers out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixties saintee Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Typical tory responce ss, but after yesterdays announcements you aint seen nothing yet. and when the witch burns, that will be another day britain will come to a halt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SingaporeSaint Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Typical tory responce ss, but after yesterdays announcements you aint seen nothing yet. and when the witch burns, that will be another day britain will come to a halt. Will watch it from afar with my G&T in the winter sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryhallsdanceband Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 And so if some young teachers may abandon teaching because of this reform they should do the sums. Get a statement of how much their teaching pension and lump sum will be worth if they left the scheme now. Take that pension and lump sum off their current predicted teachers pension and lump sum on retirement (were they to stay in teaching). Get a financial advisor to work out what they'd have to contribute monthly to a defined contribution (private sector) scheme to fill the gap. I very much suspect that the monthly payment would be completely unaffordable unless they were able to get a VERY well paying job in the public sector. Good luck to them I say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryangordon86 Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 This would be a good time to start another fuel blockade! The french wouldn't stand for £1.40 a litre! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryhallsdanceband Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Listening to R5L live at a demo - frikkin vuvuzelas! Kill!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryhallsdanceband Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 ...and listening to interviews with those on strike - I give up - please - the current public sector pension bill IS NOT AFFORDABLE. In many ways it doesn't really matter what pensions in the private sector are like - we are talking public sector pensions; I'm afraid it is a pity that it's not fair for a teacher to have to pay £70 a month extra under the reforms; it's not fair that we will have to work longer before we get our pension (not totally true as I'm sure most public sector workers could still choose to retire at 60 or 65 - albeit on a reduced pension); it's not fair that the pensions that public sector employees were 'promised' may not now transpire; it's not fair that bankers earn a lot; it's not fair that members of the government making this decision are very very unlikely to be affected by the reforms. The world is not fair; public sector pensions are NOT AFFORDABLE without reform and private sector pensions are crap. You can be upset about the unfairness (perceived) of it all - but the pension reforms will go through - just deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wish i was Joe McGurn Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Back to work tomorrow. Nothing has changed. Just the work has piled up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indicator Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Just wondered what peoples views are on the upcoming teachers and other public sector workers strikes? Are you striking? Are you going to be affected by it? When is it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Spoons Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Was on strike today. I am a teacher due to retire in 8 years so will probably not lose out under current agreements. But I could not look at myself in the mirror thinking I did not take part in the protest against these ridiculous and draconian measures. Well done all of you who gave up a day's pay to tell this government that we will not sacrifice ourselves and the young folk who follow because of mistakes made that were none of our making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryhallsdanceband Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Was on strike today. I am a teacher due to retire in 8 years so will probably not lose out under current agreements. But I could not look at myself in the mirror thinking I did not take part in the protest against these ridiculous and draconian measures. Well done all of you who gave up a day's pay to tell this government that we will not sacrifice ourselves and the young folk who follow because of mistakes made that were none of our making. But the public sector pensions bill was unaffordable long before the city and banks mucked things up - just that no party dared admit it and address it. The country is skint - for whatever reason it doesn't really matter - but it is. The longer public sector pension reform is put off the more unaffordable it will become - so the pain for future workers would be worse. Start now it will be painful for many but you have to start sometime - and all those thinking of starting out their working life in, or moving to, the public sector know where they stand with regards to pensions. And there is absolutely no point in saying that the private sector should INCREASE it's contribution to their employees pension pot as businesses are struggling as it is. This isn't a 'race to the bottom' as the current reforms will leave they public sector a long way from 'the bottom'. Myself and my company put in total 20% of my salary to my pension - and as of my latest pension statements of a couple of months ago, my 'top line' pension will be less than one third of my current salary even paying in that amount. I could choose to pay more but it would be difficult - but nobody else is going to do it for me if I don't. The world has changed - we ALL might as well accept that. Forget the bankers, rich and well paid politicians - complete red herrings in this debate. When things go bad in life you lower your expectations - a 5000 crowd 15 years ago would be crap - today we'd be celebrating. Times change - things move on - and so must the public sector in respect of pension. Tough yes, fair no, realistic - unfortunately so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SingaporeSaint Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Back to work tomorrow. Nothing has changed. Just the work has piled up. and a days less wages. Look on the bright side, your serving the public. Sure that was part of ur decision in accepting your present job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint in exile Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Was on strike today. I am a teacher due to retire in 8 years so will probably not lose out under current agreements. But I could not look at myself in the mirror thinking I did not take part in the protest against these ridiculous and draconian measures. Well done all of you who gave up a day's pay to tell this government that we will not sacrifice ourselves and the young folk who follow because of mistakes made that were none of our making. What age are you retiring at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SingaporeSaint Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 give the greeks there due, they tend to only strike in the summer and go down and sun themselves on the beach for the day in protest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wish i was Joe McGurn Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 and a days less wages. Look on the bright side, your serving the public. Sure that was part of ur decision in accepting your present job. Was at work today, union at my place have no balls so didn't strike, didn't call for a strike, infact they don't call at all. You need them, they ain't there. Onlly time you do see them is to try sign up some newbie. Complete waste if time. No strength, no power. Eff all. Wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire. I went to work, giving up a days wages seems stupid to me. As it wouldn't change anything. Apart from my wage packet. Walking to work today I passed a council picket line, last time their was a strike, was about 500 of them. Today ?? 20 That's solidarity for you. Too cold to come out. Brother, I am with you. Just doing it from my living room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mainstand Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 But the public sector pensions bill was unaffordable long before the city and banks mucked things up - just that no party dared admit it and address it. The country is skint - for whatever reason it doesn't really matter - but it is. The longer public sector pension reform is put off the more unaffordable it will become - so the pain for future workers would be worse. Start now it will be painful for many but you have to start sometime - and all those thinking of starting out their working life in, or moving to, the public sector know where they stand with regards to pensions. And there is absolutely no point in saying that the private sector should INCREASE it's contribution to their employees pension pot as businesses are struggling as it is. This isn't a 'race to the bottom' as the current reforms will leave they public sector a long way from 'the bottom'. Myself and my company put in total 20% of my salary to my pension - and as of my latest pension statements of a couple of months ago, my 'top line' pension will be less than one third of my current salary even paying in that amount. I could choose to pay more but it would be difficult - but nobody else is going to do it for me if I don't. The world has changed - we ALL might as well accept that. Forget the bankers, rich and well paid politicians - complete red herrings in this debate. When things go bad in life you lower your expectations - a 5000 crowd 15 years ago would be crap - today we'd be celebrating. Times change - things move on - and so must the public sector in respect of pension. Tough yes, fair no, realistic - unfortunately so. HH you are obviously a businessman who has done qiite well for yourself and good on you. Going by your posts you are one of Big Dave's pals in the stockbroker belt who have done ok through him and probbaly will do even better if you take up some of the slack left by the cuts in the public sector. It is also no surprise that the most outspoken on this whole subject have been guys that ,like you, have moved away down south or abroad and are doing pretty good for themselves. The chancellor talks about 700k more reductions in public sector 1% pay rise in each of the next 2 years after a 3 year pay freeze with a 1.5 to 3% increase in the contribution to pensions. Oh and just in case that is not bad enough we will make you work longer and get less when you retire. The idea that the public sector is full of pen pushers sitting back getting big pensions and doing feck all is total rubbish. Staff in many of these places are being asked to do more and more work with less and less resources, there will come a time when it will break or god forbid some staff break!!! and continuing to reduce numbers and cut wages will bring that nearer and nearer. I walked in through the picket lines this morning to a pension calculator which showed the difference in my pension if this goes through. I have been quite easy ozy about things until i looked at it and saw that if I lived for 20 years after retiring and assuming that I retired at 60 after 42 years in the civil service, I would lose 25% of what i was expecting. The likelihood is that I wont retire then and will work on until 66. But the main problem is that people signed up to a pension when they joined they signed a contract. Half of the contract on redundancies has already been ripped up and rewritten and now the pension element is being reviewed. All the people are asking for is: NEGOTIATIONS and a chance to make a decision. If they came to me tomorrow and said right you can stay in that scheme but to stay there you have to start paying 6% of your salary or 4% and you get this then that would I feel resolve the whole situation. But at present there is no option. I have been out of a union for 5 years now but I am seriously considering rejoining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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