Public sector strikes on Wednesday

[suburbanreuben]

Whatever the Whys and Where-fors of the strike, I bet the strikers wished they had Bob Crowe leading them into the fray.
It would be sorted by now...

With an extra weeks holiday to boot!

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

Same as anyone else's argument on this - "I was promised this 30yrs ago, I want my candy..... mwaaaaaaaaaaa....boohoo"

The world changes, accept it. When you were promised that 11% would get £X at the end you'd probably expect to live 10yrs past retirement. Now it could be 20 or 30 years. And who's paying for it? The younger generation. So suck up your 3% loss in wages like a brave boy.

The ageing population would have happened no matter what government was in or what had happened in economy. Ok the figures may vary slightly depending on those factors but the long term trend will be the same.

I don't ever expect to be able to retire properly even with my final salary pension I might get in 30 years time. The generation retiring now may be the last to ever enjoy that privilege in large amounts. So not a huge amount of sympathy for them from me I'm afraid.

 

[brocklanders023]

My first 12 years of work was retail, eventually becoming a manager. I am now work in a quango, although one of the good ones.

I know I've now got a good deal with my pension, and I think it's wrong to strike about it. Someone who has been at my office a lot longer than me (but is same age as me) said when the last strike happened it was pretty much split - older half went on strike, younger came into work.

Seems like the older people think they are entitled to everything under the sun and can't seem to face the fact that things must change. The younger generation realise they have got a reasonable deal and don't moan about it.

I signed a contract to work and I'm not backing out of it. I will gladly come to work on the 30th.

The unions just seem to make things worse nowadays, demanding unreasonable terms (asking for a 4% pay rise IIRC when I joined just as the economic meltdown occurred :roll: ). They seem outdated, overly militant and never seem to be happy with anything. They are just irrelevant to me nowadays and I find them embarrassing.

Maybe the older end believe in sticking together and looking after each other instead of the 'I'm alright Jack, f**k the rest of you' attitude many of the younger lot seem to have. I'm not in the older end but I know which group I'd prefer to be in.

If you really think that all a Union does is demand high wage rises and goes on strike then I'm glad you are not a member of my Union. What is embarrassing is that you seem to have no idea about all the good work Unions do for workers on the shop floor day in day out.

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

Actually I think you're wrong about the younger generation, they do stick together. Well they are here anyway, trying to figure out why the institutionalised oldies, with no idea what it's like "out there", are whining about now.

 

[brocklanders023]

Same as anyone else's argument on this - "I was promised this 30yrs ago, I want my candy..... mwaaaaaaaaaaa....boohoo"

The world changes, accept it. When you were promised that 11% would get £X at the end you'd probably expect to live 10yrs past retirement. Now it could be 20 or 30 years. And who's paying for it? The younger generation. So suck up your 3% loss in wages like a brave boy.

The ageing population would have happened no matter what government was in or what had happened in economy. Ok the figures may vary slightly depending on those factors but the long term trend will be the same.

I don't ever expect to be able to retire properly even with my final salary pension I might get in 30 years time. The generation retiring now may be the last to ever enjoy that privilege in large amounts. So not a huge amount of sympathy for them from me I'm afraid.

Are you for real Rob? I don't think life expectancy has changed that much since I joined my job in 1999 :roll: If I'm expected to take a 3.2% wage cut to pay off the deficit (remember, the money is not going to be used to pay pensions) will you be offering to do the same?

 

[rosstheboss]

You're lucky to have a pension.

 

[brocklanders023]

You're lucky to have a pension.

No, I'm not lucky to have a pension. When I joined the job they told me I could join it if I paid 11%. I decided to join it. What's lucky about that?

 

[NAILTRAIL96]

I'm not in the public sector, I've had to take a cut like many though.
One thing I do know is that nobody gains from strike action.

 

[rosstheboss]

You're lucky to be able to afford to put 11% of your pay to one side.

 

[brocklanders023]

I know I've now got a good deal with my pension.

Tell me Rob, if when you've got a couple of years left before you retire they turn round and tell you you've got to work another 10 years for no extra benifit will you be happy about it?