The public sector strikes

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Woodylubber, Nov 30, 2011.

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  5. Woodylubber

    Woodylubber Obsessive compulsive name changer

    I too keep writing posts then deleting them, I had my say earlier on in the thread but if public services did for the public as much as you lot are trying to do for your selfs they probably would'nt need to be cutting them like there gonna
     
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  8. I used to have a non-contrib pension payment of £1600 a month. Now I don't. Things change. I didn't strike when it changed - I had been made redundant because the company I worked for had been taken over by people who couldnt cope so they started pruning from the top - the company was bought for £87 million and sold later for £3 million. That can happen in the private sector. It was a final salary scheme which wont happen, i still have a nice sum sitting in a pension somewhere which gets eroded every year by fees. I don't strike about it. I have another pensiosn scheme with a different employer. The fact is that things change and what you negotiate isnt really worth a fig in the long term. That's just how it is.
     
  9. Just read back and the gist seems to be that anti-public sector peeps have been screwed over and done nothing about it (or couldnt do anything about it) and are upset because another group of workers are organised and are trying to fight back. I havent heard one public sector employee or union official slagging off workers in the private sector.
     
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  11. From the private sector perspective, it's not about getting screwed over, it's about accepting reality. We all benefited in the good times, public and private sectors. The private sector has no choice but to accept reality now that we have a recession. Business goes up and down so we earn more / less. People live longer, so we get paid out less from our pension pot as it has to last for longer.

    I think the frustration in the private sector is that we think that public sector workers do not accept that there are ups and downs. I for one have no problem with the public sector striking for their rights and to retain their conditions, but I do not think that they are aware of the implications of what they are doing. There is less money around, and many private companies have cut pay / hours / pension benefits in order to maintain employment levels. If the Government doesn't make savings on public sector employment costs, there will be greater and faster job losses in the public sector. In the end, the books will have to balance and more jobs will go if costs are not cut. Not easy choices, but choices nonetheless.
     
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  13. This thread is getting boring now. ::)
     
  14. bugger missed this thread and don't have time to read all of it, but here's my two pennorth;

    i support the strikes. i support workers, public and private sector. i was on strike on wednesday and i even support those that decided to cross the picket line (i assume they have their own reasons for doing so) to a better fairer pension.
    The pensions are important and i also support private sector for better conditions/pay and pensions (ford, balfour beatty, unilever all about to take strike action)

    as 'workers' all we have is our labour and that seems to be very important in todays society, as our intrinsic value appears to be upon our ability to work/add to the economy (the very young, old and disabled are feeling the consequences of such a society). No one takes the decision to strike lightly, it is the last resort but personally i feel that we should make a stand against the ideological cuts this govt is making.

    For me, this wasn't just about my pension (i don't intend staying in education, i can't stand seeing it so diluted and becoming a sausage factory to churn out the next generation of compliant worker bees), but it was about showing this govt that we are not happy, and there are more of us as every cut bites.

    strike action seems to be the only thing govts respond to; protests are ignored, direct action condemned as 'mindless' etc etc. the unemployed, sick, disabled and young cannot strike to try and secure a better future, but i can and many of us took the opportunity to, not just because of pensions but as a clarion call to the government that we are not prepared to pay for the banks gambling debts.

    the pensions 'banner' was the only way so many unions were able to come out together.

    the heinous and despicable acts carried out by this govt cannot go unchallenged. we are now in a society where the the most vulnerable are paying for the financial crisis created by the banks. It's said that a society is judged by the way it treat its most vulnerable... we should be judged harshly if we allow this to continue.

    George Osborne, when first in downing street, allowed Vodafone off a £7bn tax bill. why should we pay? how many surestart centres could stay open? how many heating allowances would that've supported?

    rant over (ish) feel very strongly about this.... press and parliament trying to divide us (private/ public, worker/unemployed, british/immigrant etc) because all the time we are busy fighting each other we are not fighting them.
     
  15. p.s. just in case any of you think i'm a milliband supporter, I'm NOT. (and would hate to be thought of as such). That simpering tory apologist can 'go Marmite' an'all! :)
     
  16. I don't work in the public sector, but I am all for strikes. I think if you have something worth having then you've got to fight to keep it. Good luck to them all. If the government want to save money, start encouraging people to buy British made products or at least European ones. Say no to China, India & other third world country products. Also stop companies like Tesco & Mc Donalds making millions every year, whats wrong with a few million profit, why be greedy? :)
     
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  19. so, what did happen to private sector pensions? i think this needs to be part of the debate.
    the £18bn 'pension holiday' that companies took in the 90's *may* have something to do with it. uncannily, many reported record profits during this time.
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2004/jul/10/pensions.jobsandmoney?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038

    there is only one country that has survived the 2008 'crash' and we rarely here why or how (perhaps it will give us ideas?). Refusing to pay a debt that ordinary people did not create Icelandic people forced their parliament to resign and constructed a new constitution.(http://sacsis.org.za/site/article/728.1) this week they had the CEO of the first bank to collapse arrested. making those responsible, accountable. :)
     
  20. Hi Erm. I Late to the thread but all good! Respect for fighting the fight!
     

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