Teachers' & other public servants' strike

egg&chips · 28-06-2011, 22:20

Well, for the first time since a minor industrial fracas at Accrington Garages in 1985 I find myself on the point of striking on Thursday. I would rather not, if only because of the loss of a day's pay, but the chances are that I will lose around £90k over 25 years (if I live that long) should the pension reforms go ahead. I'll apologise now to anyone inconvenienced by the strike, but Michael Gove's attitude strengthened my resolve to withdraw my labour. If no-one says "enough" now, it will just get worse for all those in the public sector.

cmonstanley · 28-06-2011, 22:36

support you 100% this is a benchmark to see what else they can get away with, stealing pensions etc you dont see the mps stealing from their pensions.its not only about pension its about the destruction of public services.firemen ,nurses,police ,teachers and civil servant jobs just today tj hughes,jane norman and habitat in liquidation with rumours about curries thornton shutting 150 stores thats whast only reported on the bbc .more civil servants heading for the dole queue.we are heading for a double dip reccession due to this dip sticks policies this why we should support the strike what they are doing is theft on a grand scale robert maxwell did this and was getting prosecuted so why not cameron.

cashman · 28-06-2011, 22:37

yeh got my respect mate.

garinda · 28-06-2011, 22:41

If 'you'd rather not' strike, why are you?

Do you feel pressurised?

cashman · 28-06-2011, 22:46

In my experience rindy, most folk would rather not strike, thats a fact, sometimes yer just left wi no other option. the days of pressurised strikes are long gone.imho. the bitch stopped that by changing the rules on ballots.

garinda · 28-06-2011, 22:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

In my experience rindy, most folk would rather not strike, thats a fact, sometimes yer just left wi no other option. the days of pressurised strikes are long gone.imho. the bitch stopped that by changing the rules on ballots.

Thanks.

Just curious. Having never having striked.

Mind you, there isn't a union for fashion 'hos.

Well not one I was ever invited to join.

shillelagh · 28-06-2011, 23:03

good luck ....

agree with you cashy .. people would rather not strike .. its loss of pay etc ... and especially when its teachers who are held responsible for teaching the kids of today .. people say .. why are you striking .. its another day off school for you we have to sort out childcare

ossy kid · 29-06-2011, 01:07

Good luck. We've just had our posties legislated back to work after a "LOCK OUT". So the highly paid management rich cats lock out the workers and then go to government to have them legislated back to work. Something wrong there. Bedmates comes to mind.

Studio25 · 29-06-2011, 01:10

Full support here, too - coming from a school governor AND someone who will be badly inconvenienced by Thursday's strike.

People seem to forget - the purpose of a strike is to inconvenience someone. In the case of businesses, it's the shareholders or whoever reaps the benefit of the profit. In the case of public sector workers, it's the public.

If nobody is inconvenienced by a strike, the grievance isn't noticed, so there's no point doing it.

Eric · 29-06-2011, 05:10

Good luck egg&chips; may the Force be with you

gynn · 29-06-2011, 05:30

The teachers and other public servants have every right to be angry, because they are being made to pay for the failings of national politicians of both parties who took short term gains at the expense of long term planning.

The reason given for the changes to the scheme are that people are living longer, and there isn't the money in the funds to pay them. But that information was available back in the 1980's, so why did Conservative Chancellors Lawson and Lamont allow for reductions in the employer contributions to pension funds to make them not fully funded? Answer: short termism.

The information was also known to Labour Chancellor Gordon Brown in the 1990s so why did he remove the tax breaks enjoyed by ALL pension funds, which again led them to suffer shortfalls? Answer: short termism.

The effect of these policies over many decades is what we are seeing today, with Hyndburn Council's pension fund, for example, in deficit by 50 million pounds, and for every one pound that it pays to its employees, the Council has to put 28 pence into the Pension Fund.

It is a situation that can't be sustained, but it is one that could and should have been foreseen decades ago, and with proper planning would not have arisen.

So the teachers and public servants have every right to be angry.

egg&chips · 29-06-2011, 06:51

Thanks folks. The only question now is, do I go on the rally or do I stay at home and catch up with paperwork?

cashman · 29-06-2011, 07:04

think the rally mate, but thats just my twopennorth.

cashman · 29-06-2011, 07:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by gynn

The teachers and other public servants have every right to be angry, because they are being made to pay for the failings of national politicians of both parties who took short term gains at the expense of long term planning.

The reason given for the changes to the scheme are that people are living longer, and there isn't the money in the funds to pay them. But that information was available back in the 1980's, so why did Conservative Chancellors Lawson and Lamont allow for reductions in the employer contributions to pension funds to make them not fully funded? Answer: short termism.

The information was also known to Labour Chancellor Gordon Brown in the 1990s so why did he remove the tax breaks enjoyed by ALL pension funds, which again led them to suffer shortfalls? Answer: short termism.

The effect of these policies over many decades is what we are seeing today, with Hyndburn Council's pension fund, for example, in deficit by 50 million pounds, and for every one pound that it pays to its employees, the Council has to put 28 pence into the Pension Fund.

It is a situation that can't be sustained, but it is one that could and should have been foreseen decades ago, and with proper planning would not have arisen.

So the teachers and public servants have every right to be angry.

Whilst that is perfectly true, in my view the shortfalls came about,cos pension funds were taking "Pension Holidays" fer 1 yr or more,as far back as the 80s, when as you say this information was known! the reason given,was a massive surplus in the funds! the ordinary worker did NOT get a break,but carried on paying his dues, so in my view those that milked the pension system should be made to make up the shortfall, They Caused It!

why on earth should people who have always paid their dues suffer?

Benipete · 29-06-2011, 07:34

I'd leave it for a couple of weeks then go on strike for 6/8 weeks.