Public Sector Strike Day

[wellquickwoody]

Despite not giving an opinion, you thumbed down my first post, and you have two 'friends' in your profile, one being Bushy.

*slow hand claps*

And you have 1 friend in yours, well done, we can both read profiles.

Am I not allowed an opinion? Or is it only if I agree with you?

 

[daveinprague]

And you have 1 friend in yours, well done, we can both read profiles.

Am I not allowed an opinion? Or is it only if I agree with you?

Did you give an opinion?

 

[Albumen]

And you have 1 friend in yours, well done, we can both read profiles.

Am I not allowed an opinion? Or is it only if I agree with you?

I think you missed the friends point. Doesn't matter.

Er no. That's precisely what I was looking for, an opinion, but your opening post of the thread didn't give one, and so far I've yet to see one. Disagree away. Dismantling the public sector is a pretty serious issue, so I presume you have an opinion. Show us your balls man.

 

[Nibble]

I think you missed the friends point. Doesn't matter.

Er no. That's precisely what I was looking for, an opinion, but your opening post of the thread didn't give one, and so far I've yet to see one. Disagree away. Dismantling the public sector is a pretty serious issue, so I presume you have an opinion. Show us your balls man.

PLEASE don't anyone start showing their balls. That's a whole other level.

 

[spring hall convert]

the last Labour government curtailing the expansive nature of the rich getting richer. All they seemed to do was spend, spend, spend, and then sold the entire UK Gold reserves at an all time low. Smart move lefties.

Let's not kid ourselves, the last "lefties" Labour Government were booted out with Callaghan in '79. Blair was just Thatcher with a slightly more active social consience and a better smile.

 

[Rod Marsh]

Personally I wouldn't strike. What's the purpose of this one? To raise awareness of a particular issue? I have no idea what it's about therefore I'm struggling to have any empathy with those affected.

 

[Brighton Mod]

I was at Hove dump this morning and whenever I go there they are always the epitome of politeness, helpfulness and good humour. Same with all dealings I have had with Teachers, NHS, Police, HMRC and all the people i have dealt with lately. Guess I just must be lucky

Hove dump is run by Veolia, a privately contracted company.

 

[spring hall convert]

It will make no difference who gets in, the rich will continue to get richer at the expense of all of us.

Only if the non-rich continue to argue amongst themselves. Are we ever going to wake up and realise that bar a minute percentage of this country we are all getting ****ed royally by the political class every single day? Rather than doing anything about confronting the real *******s we are falling for left/right claptrap that ceased to be relevent the minute John Smith died.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Surely the Public sector is a loose term,very wide and varied,i would imagine not every single area has or shares the same concerns?

I would not know as i have never worked within the public sector,but some areas i would imagine are very well staffed,sufficiently funded and do a good job,further they have staff that actually put in a shift and get on with the job in hand,other areas probably are under staffed under funded and have genuine cause for strike action..

Then there is the bandwagon jumpers,the lazy and can't be bothered types,the types that would not last 5 minutes in the private sector,perhaps it's these that have the loudest voices? I genuinely don't know,other than to say my missus will be coming home from work early today due to strike action & is not participating,she belongs to the get on with it type..

Me? i have a week off back to my 12 hour shifts 5-6 days a week,as of Monday..

 

[Captain Sensible]

Good luck to all Striking today. Its not something anyone wants to do but when those in charge (Bosses or Governments) cut cut cut and reduce the levels of services down to the bare bones so that those working in it are a breaking point. This is what happens.

 

[ROSM]

Question time last week was unique in that when teachers pay was discussed, even Bernard Jenkin (who makes Bushy look like a simpering pinko commie) was saying it was the wrong thing to do.

 

[DIFFBROOK]

I'm on strike today. Not because I have been forced to by a so called militant trade union baron, not because I am a militant (so un militant that I despair with all parties and their point scoring), not becaues I am lazy and want a day off....this day off is costing me money. I thought very hard about it and was gonna go in this morning. But when I saw todays news and heard Gove calling those out on strike driven by militant ideology.............sorry this from the most ideological driven Ministers in recent times, well he made my mind up for me.

I'm not asking for special treatment and over the top pay rises. When the country was teetering on the brink of final collapse, it was hard medicine but I accepted 2 years of zero pay rises, restructuring of my pension, 35% cuts in staffing. But, looking at the economy now things look far better than in 2009 and you can bet your bottom dollar that this Govt will trumpet that out loud and clear come election time. I am asking for fair treatment. Average earnings and CPI are around 1.5%. I would accept that as a fair settlement. But this Govt is ideological driven. It doesn't see fairness.

As for modernisation of the public sector. Please, lets have it. Lets have improved IT that actually works. Lets have a culture where staff who make improvements are rewarded for those improvements - that doesn't really happen in the Public Sector. And yes, poor performance and rudeness should not be tolerated. But, I hasten to add that poor performance or customer service isn't just restricted to the public sector. Have you tried calling Electricity, Gas, phone, banking companies for assistance?

I don't expect todays strike will make a bit of difference. But for me its about standing up for my family, my wage and actually my principles of not being treated like a mug. Michael Goves comments seem to suggest that he continues to be a militant ideolical driven minister.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

The illusion of democracy. Just like the Conservatives, Labour are servants of the rich. It will make no difference who gets in, the rich will continue to get richer at the expense of all of us.

You're correct, this is the case,worldwide,in whatever political persuasion one cares to mention,throughout the ages,always has been and always will be.

 

[virtual22]

Was surprised to read this yesterday:-

"It follows criticism of the National Union of Teachers deciding to go out on strike after a 27 per cent turnout in a row over pay and pensions.
The ballot was also held in 2012, something the Prime Minister said was unacceptable."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-ahead-nationwide-walkouts.html#ixzz374A61yST

I know it's the Daily Mail (it came up in the google news feed) so probably not very reliable but if it's right, seems a bit wrong really.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Surely the Public sector is a loose term,very wide and varied,i would imagine not every single area has or shares the same concerns?

I would not know as i have never worked within the public sector,but some areas i would imagine are very well staffed,sufficiently funded and do a good job,further they have staff that actually put in a shift and get on with the job in hand,other areas probably are under staffed under funded and have genuine cause for strike action..

Then there is the bandwagon jumpers,the lazy and can't be bothered types,the types that would not last 5 minutes in the private sector,perhaps it's these that have the loudest voices? I genuinely don't know,other than to say my missus will be coming home from work early today due to strike action & is not participating,she belongs to the get on with it type..

Me? i have a week off back to my 12 hour shifts 5-6 days a week,as of Monday..

It is a loose term, but strikes need to have maximum impact and need to be co-ordinated well in which to work. There are general things the Government is doing to all Public sector workers regarding pensions and other things i may not be aware of. Then there are cuts all over to many many departments and services that are on differing levels. Rather than some sort of disorganised strikes that all happen independently of each other and so localised that most people won't notice, the public sector need to stick together. It goes to show how deeply this austerity is affecting those in the public sector, as to get many different departments and unions agreeing to Strike at the same time in not an easy thing to do. There is a saying that a company gets the Union it deserves, and I guess that is the same for the public sector.

 

[Captain Sensible]

I'm on strike today. Not because I have been forced to by a so called militant trade union baron, not because I am a militant (so un militant that I despair with all parties and their point scoring), not becaues I am lazy and want a day off....this day off is costing me money. I thought very hard about it and was gonna go in this morning. But when I saw todays news and heard Gove calling those out on strike driven by militant ideology.............sorry this from the most ideological driven Ministers in recent times, well he made my mind up for me.

I'm not asking for special treatment and over the top pay rises. When the country was teetering on the brink of final collapse, it was hard medicine but I accepted 2 years of zero pay rises, restructuring of my pension, 35% cuts in staffing. But, looking at the economy now things look far better than in 2009 and you can bet your bottom dollar that this Govt will trumpet that out loud and clear come election time. I am asking for fair treatment. Average earnings and CPI are around 1.5%. I would accept that as a fair settlement. But this Govt is ideological driven. It doesn't see fairness.

As for modernisation of the public sector. Please, lets have it. Lets have improved IT that actually works. Lets have a culture where staff who make improvements are rewarded for those improvements - that doesn't really happen in the Public Sector. And yes, poor performance and rudeness should not be tolerated. But, I hasten to add that poor performance or customer service isn't just restricted to the public sector. Have you tried calling Electricity, Gas, phone, banking companies for assistance?

I don't expect todays strike will make a bit of difference. But for me its about standing up for my family, my wage and actually my principles of not being treated like a mug. Michael Goves comments seem to suggest that he continues to be a militant ideolical driven minister.

THIS!!!!

btw the bosses of any striking workers always always always use the same old rhetoric of 'Militant disorganised Unions'. They always bring up the 70's, always ignore the actual issues and always say that the Unions 'Won't talk to them' and that they should get around 'the table and talk this through'. Not to mention saying its damaging for the public and suddenly try to create a divide between those striking and those affected. Its all in the Union busting handbook.

 

[User removed 4]

I'm on strike today. Not because I have been forced to by a so called militant trade union baron, not because I am a militant (so un militant that I despair with all parties and their point scoring), not becaues I am lazy and want a day off....this day off is costing me money. I thought very hard about it and was gonna go in this morning. But when I saw todays news and heard Gove calling those out on strike driven by militant ideology.............sorry this from the most ideological driven Ministers in recent times, well he made my mind up for me.

I'm not asking for special treatment and over the top pay rises. When the country was teetering on the brink of final collapse, it was hard medicine but I accepted 2 years of zero pay rises, restructuring of my pension, 35% cuts in staffing. But, looking at the economy now things look far better than in 2009 and you can bet your bottom dollar that this Govt will trumpet that out loud and clear come election time. I am asking for fair treatment. Average earnings and CPI are around 1.5%. I would accept that as a fair settlement. But this Govt is ideological driven. It doesn't see fairness.

As for modernisation of the public sector. Please, lets have it. Lets have improved IT that actually works. Lets have a culture where staff who make improvements are rewarded for those improvements - that doesn't really happen in the Public Sector. And yes, poor performance and rudeness should not be tolerated. But, I hasten to add that poor performance or customer service isn't just restricted to the public sector. Have you tried calling Electricity, Gas, phone, banking companies for assistance?

I don't expect todays strike will make a bit of difference. But for me its about standing up for my family, my wage and actually my principles of not being treated like a mug. Michael Goves comments seem to suggest that he continues to be a militant ideolical driven minister.

Good points , well made.

 

[Albumen]

I'm on strike today. Not because I have been forced to by a so called militant trade union baron, not because I am a militant (so un militant that I despair with all parties and their point scoring), not becaues I am lazy and want a day off....this day off is costing me money. I thought very hard about it and was gonna go in this morning. But when I saw todays news and heard Gove calling those out on strike driven by militant ideology.............sorry this from the most ideological driven Ministers in recent times, well he made my mind up for me.

I'm not asking for special treatment and over the top pay rises. When the country was teetering on the brink of final collapse, it was hard medicine but I accepted 2 years of zero pay rises, restructuring of my pension, 35% cuts in staffing. But, looking at the economy now things look far better than in 2009 and you can bet your bottom dollar that this Govt will trumpet that out loud and clear come election time. I am asking for fair treatment. Average earnings and CPI are around 1.5%. I would accept that as a fair settlement. But this Govt is ideological driven. It doesn't see fairness.

As for modernisation of the public sector. Please, lets have it. Lets have improved IT that actually works. Lets have a culture where staff who make improvements are rewarded for those improvements - that doesn't really happen in the Public Sector. And yes, poor performance and rudeness should not be tolerated. But, I hasten to add that poor performance or customer service isn't just restricted to the public sector. Have you tried calling Electricity, Gas, phone, banking companies for assistance?

I don't expect todays strike will make a bit of difference. But for me its about standing up for my family, my wage and actually my principles of not being treated like a mug. Michael Goves comments seem to suggest that he continues to be a militant ideolical driven minister.

Good post.

 

[Brighton Mod]

I'm on strike today. Not because I have been forced to by a so called militant trade union baron, not because I am a militant (so un militant that I despair with all parties and their point scoring), not becaues I am lazy and want a day off....this day off is costing me money. I thought very hard about it and was gonna go in this morning. But when I saw todays news and heard Gove calling those out on strike driven by militant ideology.............sorry this from the most ideological driven Ministers in recent times, well he made my mind up for me.

I'm not asking for special treatment and over the top pay rises. When the country was teetering on the brink of final collapse, it was hard medicine but I accepted 2 years of zero pay rises, restructuring of my pension, 35% cuts in staffing. But, looking at the economy now things look far better than in 2009 and you can bet your bottom dollar that this Govt will trumpet that out loud and clear come election time. I am asking for fair treatment. Average earnings and CPI are around 1.5%. I would accept that as a fair settlement. But this Govt is ideological driven. It doesn't see fairness.

As for modernisation of the public sector. Please, lets have it. Lets have improved IT that actually works. Lets have a culture where staff who make improvements are rewarded for those improvements - that doesn't really happen in the Public Sector. And yes, poor performance and rudeness should not be tolerated. But, I hasten to add that poor performance or customer service isn't just restricted to the public sector. Have you tried calling Electricity, Gas, phone, banking companies for assistance?

I don't expect todays strike will make a bit of difference. But for me its about standing up for my family, my wage and actually my principles of not being treated like a mug. Michael Goves comments seem to suggest that he continues to be a militant ideolical driven minister.

I read with interest what you have written, but still struggle to see the reason why you are on strike. Is it because Michael Gove is ideologically motivated? Thats a very high principle to go out on strike for and has zero percent chance of succeeding in whatever way you expect. Regarding those giving up a days pay, hmmm, last time we had this farce most of those who went on strike in my partners office, used their flexitime to compensate. I reckon you've been mugged off for a days pay by another ideaology. Good luck for today and why aren't you on some picketline?

 

[Superphil]

600,000 (about 50%) of NHS staff get a 3% incremental progression pay rise, the rest get 1%. Why not adjust that so they all get the same? That would seem fairer to all of them wouldn't it?