Im torn on this issue, I really cant make my mind up if I support them of not, I can see good reasons from both sides but not sure if striking is the answer
I was on strike today. It's not just the fact that we're going to have to pay more, work longer and get less pension at the end of it, but also some of the contributions that I will be paying go towards plugging the hole in the treasury finances caused by bailing out the banks. So some bankers mess up, and get bailed out, and are now back to paying themselves obscenely large bonuses again (the like of which I will never see in the public sector) and public sector workers will have to pay for it. Because of course it was our fault, right? I'm well aware that the government likes to engage in divide and rule, and therefore the standard way of portraying the public sector is cushy jobs on big pensions, but I am in favour of everyone having a decent pension, public or private sector. It should not be a race to the bottom. If you work all your life, you should be able to rely on some sort of decent pension in your retirement.
the thing is i work in construction i lost my pension a 2 years ago i also had a 10% pay cut so we could all keep our jobs that s the real world fact everyone in the private sector is suffering so why should public sector workers be treated any deferent if public sector jobs are that bad and your all so hard done by get another job it s that simple
l wish it could be like that Rustydiver. Sadly us nurses can't really do such a thing. We are bound by our governing body and thus can't strike. But l do agree with what Birminghambay has said. It is true. While people slate us public sector workers for our cushty jobs, we don't get the bonuses that those bankers do. In [glow=red,2,300]FACT[/glow] l get no such thing. We used to get a day off for Christmas shopping. Since we amalgamated with the local hospital that has been taken away from us. Big whoop, one day off or for me 3 hours off because l work term time 3 days a week. A lot of us in the publis sector do not get a great deal. It's just that because there are so many of us, when we do strike there is big press coverage on it. The sad thing is this isn't the end of the matter. The pensions thing will come back to bit us all later in 5-10-15 years time etc etc. Enjoy life now. Live for the moment.
If striking ever actually produced the results the strikers wanted I'd be all for it. But as it is all they are doing is disrupting business at a time when the country as a whole could really do with some stability. I feel for those in the public sector, I've worked in it and my wife current does but what's it going to get them? More than likely nothing more than a day off work.
but the point is every one pensions are getting a kicking its not not just public sector pensions being picked on is it .and yeah the bankers bonus are wrong
all this strike managed to do is give the kids a day of school and cost the a lot of parents a extra days childcare so hope you all had a nice day off work and thanks for costing me a extra forty quid merry christmas
I dont agree with the terms and conditions that people signed up to changing mid to late term in their career, perhaps make changes to people starting in the jobs now so that they can make their career choices based on that, what I do think is that the public sector became too big with a lot of unnecessary jobs during the last 20 yrs, what it does do is make it very painful when the numbers need cutting. I have friends in the National Health service and Police who say that some of the office staff actually make their jobs harder not easier!
People can't moan much about this strike it's been in the planning for the last year so had enough notice to arrange child care arrangements. And yea Birdy true schools need to give notice to parents so striking with little notice wouldnt go down well. When I worked in the private sector I used to get nice big bonuses and incentives, now I get none of them and the pay is even worse. But I enjoy my job.
When the firemen went on strike a few years ago most of the country was behind them This time I think you ve just got everyone backs up moaning about being in the same boat as everyone else
I'm seriously considering stopping paying into my pension and think bugger and worry about it when I get to that age. The government can pay me handouts then if I'm in poverty.