30/11 Strikes.

Ahleckz said:
My Student Union is supporting the strike, and has suggested that we get involved. I've just emailed the President to ask why we (the Student Union represents the student body) are supporting this and what steps were taken to find out that this course of action is what the wider student body want.
I await a reply.
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They're students so by association a lot of them are morons with ZERO real life experience by default. They'll do anything as long as it's leftest, hip, cool and an opportunity to 'stick it to the man' 90% of them would have no idea what the strike it about but hey, never let an opportunity pass to wave a few banners about, kick a few doors and hopefully get your pasty mug in the local rag.

I wouldn't hold my hopes up.
 
Glad to see the teachers stood at the entrance to the school im working at getting abuse from passing motorists. Maybe it will be a wake up call of just how good they have/had it.
I mean a job for life, early retirement, plenty of holiday, sick pay, easy working conditions, generous pension, yea i can see the need to strike :rolleyes:
 
MrMoonX said:
Wow I bet you suck at uni, your supposed to learn by yourself for most of the time anyway, it isn't middle school
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Harsh... To be honest I have paid for a year's worth of post graduate education and expect a certain level of support and participation in my education from the lecturers. To say their job is over and done once they have read out an hour long paper every week would be ridiculous! (and make supporting their claims for a decent pension even worse as they would be getting payed a lot for say 8 hours a week work).

I know full well I have to put the time in to learn but the fact that the strikes are causing my uni to be closed makes it even worse. I'm not impressed by the attitude of my students union as I don't see this as sensible negotiation.

For reference in negotiation theory (from my final year of undergraduate) this situation is where both sides have opted for the most extreme course of action in an attempt to gain the most moderate and favourable outcome. I personally disagree with type of action as it isn't negotiation from either side and makes everyone look incredibly childish.
 
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Another issue comes from ComRes: 56%
agreed that public sector workers "have to
take their share of the economic pain
which means accepting reductions in their
pension provision". Just 28% disagree and
16% say they don't know.

taken from guardian live feed.
 
Maybe if they don't want to vary their contributions or their payouts they can all commit hara-kiri when they hit 75 or whatever, in line with the original expectations.
 
two million government workers striking... I didn't even notice.

If it was not the for bin men and the teachers, no one else would even notice.

Government offices striking, wow major impact to the economy... hahaha
 
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The problem is all this is based on equality and in the real world all jobs and employee value are not equal.

For example, an office worker at town hall should receive a much lower pension benefit i.e. a significantly lower government (employer) contribution, than say a fireman or police officer or even teacher. A teacher in a tougher London school should receive a better pension deal and effective contribution than one working in a quiet rural hamlet. Front line NHS medical staff (Nurses / Doctors) should receive much better pension contributions than back office or PCT admin / management.

The simple fact is that these strikes really show the unions and the public sector up. They can’t hide behind the rhetoric they did under labour where they were arguing that private sectors were on much higher pay etc etc. The private sector has been annihilated by the recession. Admin / call centre staff in our Town Hall earn 16-20k, admin staff in most commercial offices and small businesses earn what 12-15k? Cleaners in our Town Hall are paid better than retail floor staff in the shops.

Simple fact is these strikes will cost money and this will result in more public sector job cuts.
 
topshot said:
Glad to see the teachers stood at the entrance to the school im working at getting abuse from passing motorists. Maybe it will be a wake up call of just how good they have/had it.
I mean a job for life, early retirement, plenty of holiday, sick pay, easy working conditions, generous pension, yea i can see the need to strike :rolleyes:
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Glad to hear it :)
 
I work in a university, and am a member of Unison, but have just crossed the picket line to come in to work. I support my colleagues right to strike for what they believe in, but also at the same time I reserve the right to not join in with something I don't agree with.

I don't believe the strikes will achieve anything in the long term, and I holding on to the current pensions isn't sustainable at the moment.

Crossing the actual picket line wasn't too bad as I managed to sneak in a trade entrance, but the fact that my office is a big glass box on the front of the building, overlooking the Council office picket line isn't great, lol.
 
Messiah Khan said:
I work in a university, and am a member of Unison, but have just crossed the picket line to come in to work. I support my colleagues right to strike for what they believe in, but also at the same time I reserve the right to not join in with something I don't agree with.

I don't believe the strikes will achieve anything in the long term, and I holding on to the current pensions isn't sustainable at the moment.

Crossing the actual picket line wasn't too bad as I managed to sneak in a trade entrance, but the fact that my office is a big glass box on the front of the building, overlooking the Council office picket line isn't great, lol.
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Good man /applauds
 
I think the problem is national pay structures. There is no reason why pay can not be locally accountable in county areas or NHS trusts or unitary authorities. Central funding to support this could be sorted out. The high cost of living areas may pay out a bit more to retain and encourage staff but it will be agreed and afforded locally.
 
Castiel said:
Realise that people are going to be angry that they are being forced to lose money, and are potentially being asked to contribute more to a scheme they have no benefit from so that those who do benefit do not have to increase their contributions themselves.:p
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This pretty well sums up my views on the matter. I agree that public sector workers were promised a certain package when they started their job. In an ideal world that shouldn't change and so I do understand why they are striking. However the finances simply don't work unless private sector workers pay more tax on their behalf.

I work in the private sector and so I would be one of those asked to pay more tax to fund their pensions. From a purely selfish point of view I can't afford to pay any more tax. My finances have been stretched repeatedly over the last few years and money is too tight now. Most days I work 12 hours (despite being contracted to 7) and the only way I've managed to get payrises in the last few years is to keep moving jobs. My job is frequently under threat and many of my colleagues have been made redundant recently. Life is simply too stressful and financially tight for me to pay more into someone elses pension right now.

I certainly don't support this strike and hope the government hold their nerve and fight it.
 
Messiah Khan said:
I work in a university, and am a member of Unison, but have just crossed the picket line to come in to work. I support my colleagues right to strike for what they believe in, but also at the same time I reserve the right to not join in with something I don't agree with.

I don't believe the strikes will achieve anything in the long term, and I holding on to the current pensions isn't sustainable at the moment.

Crossing the actual picket line wasn't too bad as I managed to sneak in a trade entrance, but the fact that my office is a big glass box on the front of the building, overlooking the Council office picket line isn't great, lol.
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SCAB!
 
Messiah Khan said:
I work in a university, and am a member of Unison, but have just crossed the picket line to come in to work. I support my colleagues right to strike for what they believe in, but also at the same time I reserve the right to not join in with something I don't agree with.

I don't believe the strikes will achieve anything in the long term, and I holding on to the current pensions isn't sustainable at the moment.

Crossing the actual picket line wasn't too bad as I managed to sneak in a trade entrance, but the fact that my office is a big glass box on the front of the building, overlooking the Council office picket line isn't great, lol.
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Good man. Though it shows just how bad the Unions are when you're forced to try and sneak into work to stand up for what you believe in.
 
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