Intelligence....

[Ric Barnes]

*downs tools*

We here! We Queer! We dont want any ah dat shit!

Plus an extra 0.05% on their pension plans, a 30p per hour pay rise and a basket of fruit upon retirement.

[Alah]

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/s...-201111304607/

[Zonino]

Genuine overheard quote from Kate who just nipped into town to the bank:

Guy 1 - "Hi mate, how you doing, you on strike then?"
Guy 2 - "Yeah"
Guy 1 - "What you up to then, got anything planned?"
Guy 2 - "I can't can I, bloody kids are off school, what's up with that?!"

I agree things need to be done. Working more years is inevitable with an ageing population but it's the severity of our cuts in such a short space of time. Like I said before, the government themselves public sector are not reducing their pay or changing their pensions. Brown took a cut in his salary, don't see Cameron doing that, do you?

Hmm, I'm not sure about this, PM's can't set their own pay, their is a full commission of some sort that agrees the salaries of MPs and ministers etc. He might have ran a commission into pay that resulted in a pay cut for himself, but if he did, then Cameron certainly inherited that pay plan so you can't call him out on it.

I'm sick of people saying public workers have a cushty life - I've worked both the private and public sectors. You work for a private company, you can make as much money as you deem possible and go up the corporate ladder if to the top if you choose. I can get to the top of my profession if I wish but how much I earn is determined by goverment. Again to reiterate from yesterday - private workers give us the sympathy when they're rollling in it, as soon as the shit hits the fan, we're told we're a bunch of moaners and count ourselves lucky. Can't win.

You don't have it easy, but you have historically received fringe benefits including pensions that were better than the national average. What's happening is they are being taken away, piece by piece. Annoying, but not wholly unfair in the grand scheme of things. At least you had the benefit of them when they were still around. The main gripe I have if that most of the strikers are basically using the fact that it's the government doing it to you as though that's some sort of policy decision to attack union members and and such (likely) labour voters. That's bollox. The government as an employer are the same as any other organisation, and they have to be efficient, and profitable, and not waste shit. Every public sector worker I know whether they be army, nurse, or teacher can point to waste in their jobs. So can all my non public sector workers. If your employer is happy to let the good times roll then more power to your arm. Just because it's the government doing it does't make it more unfair, it just gives you a platform to stand on and bemoan your persecution.

Yes, I can see the idea of benefits for those that weren't unemployed last year but remember it's us that's paying for it and if they keep cutting pay, contributions will falter and these benefits become unaffordable anyway.

Many people need benefits. In my late teens I was a recipient of housing benefit, council tax benefit, income support etc. I lived off the state who effectively paid for my rented terrace while I went to college, where I bummed about then quit to get a job. I've never stopped working since, and have paid it back. Don't complain about people on benefits, the whole point of a civilised society is to look after those less fortunate, and if you would really live on £50 a week job seekers allowance instead of your safe secure job with a marginally smaller pension contribution, then you would be welcome I'm sure.

I don't want to be arguing with you Heather, hopefully you know the stance and tone I am making is more conversional that confrontational, but you are the only one on here on that "side" as it were.

[funkymonkey2]

I love the mash You're right about big corporations, Alah. Shitloads of profit, just less than that previous years. Ah well, just make the government employed workers pay the difference

[Alah]

I love the mash You're right about big corporations, Alah. Shitloads of profit, just less than that previous years. Ah well, just make the government employed workers pay the difference

They arent paying any difference. All the Private Sector Workers who feared for the jobs and took 10% cuts at a time when the company was making record profits paid for it! I dont see how that is fair tho? They dont have a soap box to stand on tho, there is no strike action for them. They had to just like it or lump it!

Anyone not happy about their pension should do the same! They should be thankfull they even have a pension. And if it's not good value for money, then opt out, and invest that money elsewhere. We're in a time of great debt, people want the government to sort it out but then complain the second it affects them. Dry em.

[funkymonkey2]

I'm liking the discussion, Dan. I'm just trying to get our grievances across. Every workplace, private or public has a complaints procedure. Our bosses just happen to be in control of the entire country's coffers. You say we should be happy to have the pension when we did as it's better than anyone else gets. That's up to individual employers, I guess and from what I suspect it will soon be compulsory for private sector to have occupational pensions in place. I think it's grossly misrepresentative about how much pension we actually get in comparason to what we pay in. Currently, the average is about five and a half grand. To put in perspective. I pay about £180 odd a month to my pension. This will increase by another 2.5% at least. I've been working for 7 years which makes my contributions over 15 grand, right? By the time I retire you can imagine the size of the contribution. Yet, for my lump sum, it will not be half my annual salary at the time of retirement but an AVERAGE figure of my working career. It's like you putting £50 a month in to a bank and after 10yrs only getting £4000 back but you have to pay in for another 2yrs before you can get it...does that make sense?

Basically, economic downturn - have to help businesses so make cuts in public sector. They're also increasing apprenticeships for young people - all well and good but what's going to happen when there's no jobs at the end of it?

As for benefits, I got fuck all from the government. Worked 3 jobs to put myself through uni and teaching college yet can't even get on the housing market.

[jmc]

No-one can get on the housing market. I cant, and I went to university for 10 years, which I paid mostly myself (by whoreing myself to engineering firms in exchange for fees) AND I once played metal gear solid for 3 days and my thumbs went numb for a month.

[Ric Barnes]

I sympathise with those who wish to, but can't get on the housing market. I got lucky and bought in the mid 90's when property prices were real low and I was in a solid relationship providing 2 incomes to the household. However, after a split up I was left as sole mortgage holder, and as house prices had soared I had to find big money for a settlement and needed to remortgage. It's not easy running digs on one income..! Basically I was left in shit. I think I'll go on strike over this.....

[music4damasses]

I saw 4 people picketing outside Rugby St Cross Hospital. It made me change my entire outlook on this thing........sorry my mistake, it didn't

[Ric Barnes]

Were people beeping their horns as they drove past..?