Do You Support The Public Sector Workers Strike?

[Natasha Whittam]

It looks like the whole of the public sector may go on strike on 30th November as a result of the government increasing their pension contributions.

Are they justified or are they a bunch of deluded tossers who think society owes them something? I am most definitely in the tossers camp.

Let's face it, the vast majority of public sector jobs are pretty well paid for the low skill level needed. So why should they get big fat pensions from the taxpayer? I'd actually go the whole way and stop public sector pensions and make them take out private pensions.

But regardless of that, the economy is on its knees and these people think striking is the way forward. Just suck it up and accept you've go to play your part in putting things right.

Are any of you public sector workers...will you be voting?

[DaveBWFC]

Sack'm all and give people on the dole their jobs.

Problem solved.

I should be PM.

[Diana Prince]

I doubt anyone in the private sector has any affinity with these people.
I don't & voted a definite no.

[Squidgy]

I am not in the union so illegible to vote. I'm not normally a fan of the whole striking thing, but I probably would go out on this occasion given the option.

I can see why private sector workers would be less than sympathetic with their cause, but pensions are a key part of a public service workers employment contract. It's one of the main reasons they can both attract and retain staff.

If you look at the likes of teachers who, in general, are fairly smart cookies, but they don't get paid a massive amount. Most of them would be more than capable of getting decent jobs in the private sector. It is effectively a trade off for them being looked after in their retirement.

The whole thing is a bit of a hot potato right now - It's like taking travel concessions off airline staff and the likes - it's one of the main reasons why people remain in the job.

[Big_Sharps]

Teachers get stupid amounts of holiday, fcúk em.

[Natasha Whittam]

I am not in the union so illegible to vote. I'm not normally a fan of the whole striking thing, but I probably would go out on this occasion given the option.

I can see why private sector workers would be less than sympathetic with their cause, but pensions are a key part of a public service workers employment contract. It's one of the main reasons they can both attract and retain staff.

If you look at the likes of teachers who, in general, are fairly smart cookies, but they don't get paid a massive amount. Most of them would be more than capable of getting decent jobs in the private sector. It is effectively a trade off for them being looked after in their retirement.

The whole thing is a bit of a hot potato right now - It's like taking travel concessions off airline staff and the likes - it's one of the main reasons why people remain in the job.

Points taken, but you are misguided if you think striking will achieve anything. All it will do is cost local councils more in emergency cover which will lead to even more budget cuts in vital areas in the longer term.

Public sector pensions should be removed for any new employees, that would save billions in the coming years.

[The Ghost of Burnden]

Teachers get stupid amounts of holiday, fcúk em.

Do they?

What about the non-teaching days, when teachers have to go in for training but there are no pupils?

What about having only 4 weeks holiday in summer as they have to go in for at least 2 weeks to prepare for the new school year

Or what about they extra curriculum, after school - or even the amount of work they take home after school to either mark or prepare.

Tecahing is a true vocation and does take up the majority of a persons time during, and outside, term times.  In fact if you add up all the hours a good teacher does, both in and outside school hours then those extra hours can add up to the number of days holiday they receive.

Don't get me wrong as there are quite a few piss poor teachers in this country who basically do fcúk all - and you can tell with the standard of education a child recieves from them.  But for many teachers they work god damn hard for their pay, and do deserve they little time off thy get.

[DaveBWFC]

What about having only 4 weeks holiday in summer
 

Poor bastards. Only 4 weeks off in the summer.

They should strike about that.

[Diana Prince]

Poor bastards. Only 4 weeks off in the summer.

They should strike about that.

Which equates to what many people get for the whole year.
Gutted for them.

[barryk32]

What about having only 4 weeks holiday in summer

The poor fcuking lambs.

How do they manage?

Alot of folk only get 4 weeks holiday a fcuking year.

[barryk32]

Fastest finger!!!!

I am concerned about how similar our thought process is.

[Diana Prince]

Fastest finger!!!!

I am concerned about how similar our thought process is.

So am I. It must be a Johnny Fow thing 

[The Ghost of Burnden]

Which equates to what many people get for the whole year.
Gutted for them.

Let me see, most other people can take those holidays whenever they can, right?

Teachers have to take their holidays during non-term times - so they just cannot take a week off here and there, if they feel like it.

Plus the amount of time they do above the school hours does equate to the number of hours extra leave they get.

I will stick up for teachers, no matter what, because if was not for teachers, the level of education you received, and the pupils of today receive (just need to look at the exam results for that - and its not a case of dumbing down on the exams - if you believe that then try a couple of the exams yourself, and see you can do them!  The past GCSE (and/or A-Level) exams are online, just google them).

If it was not for education, how backward would you and everyone else be in the UK or any other "first-world" country?

If it was not for ther basic education system - how many would go on to become doctors, nurses, politicians (ok thats a bad example!), new teachers, IT consultants, programmers, scientists etc etc etc

In fact if it was not for the basic standard of education, in this country - how many people would actually be bosses of private companies, never mind looking after private pensions, or actually working ion the private sector, never mind the public sector.

[DaveBWFC]

Plus the amount of time they do above the school hours does equate to the number of hours extra leave they get.

School hours aren't really the hours most people work though. How many people work from 8.45 until 3pm? Or whatever times kids go to school these days.

[barryk32]

Let me see, most other people can take those holidays whenever they can, right?

Nope, every child in school has parents who cant go on holiday when they please

Teachers have to take their holidays during non-term times - so they just cannot take a week off here and there, if they feel like it.

They are only ever a short while away from their next two weeks off

Plus the amount of time they do above the school hours does equate to the number of hours extra leave they get.

Really??  You actually believe that???

I will stick up for teachers, no matter what, because if was not for teachers, the level of education you received, and the pupils of today receive (just need to look at the exam results for that - and its not a case of dumbing down on the exams - if you believe that then try a couple of the exams yourself, and see you can do them!  The past GCSE (and/or A-Level) exams are online, just google them).

OK http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2011/09/14/gcses-vs-o-levels/

If it was not for education, how backward would you and everyone else be in the UK or any other "first-world" country?

If it was not for ther basic education system - how many would go on to become doctors, nurses, politicians (ok thats a bad example!), new teachers, IT consultants, programmers, scientists etc etc etc

In fact if it was not for the basic standard of education, in this country - how many people would actually be bosses of private companies, never mind looking after private pensions, or actually working ion the private sector, never mind the public sector.

Whats any of that got to do with going on strike?

[Jamster26]

Do these Public / Union strikes ever raise attention? Do they actually succeed or does it all fall on deaf ears?

[Diana Prince]

Baz, it's nothing to do with strike. Also, I'm interested to find that the current generation are apparently cleverer than what grown ups are.
Aye alreet.

[The Ghost of Burnden]

Have you ever tried marking between 28 and 35 lots of essays, or maths work or anyting else, or how about planning for each lesson and not just general lesson plans but individual lesson plans for each student?  How about making sure what the lesson is being planned is within the framework of the curriculum and whether its the appropriate key stage for the child/class.

Thing is for teachers, they get all the shíte laid at their feet, but they are doing their job that the education system allows, so if any complaint you want to throw at, with regards the teaching profession - its not them but the education system that is wrong - and that is something I completely agree with

What has this got to do with the possible forthcoming strikes???

A lot, because when they go on strike - they get docked the number of days they are on strike for (which does have an effect on their pensions, by the way!)

Pensions scheme they signed up to are changing, and they are not being consulted - in fact its a complete overhaul of the pensions and something they did not agree to.  If it had been the case that anyone new coming into the public sector where getting the new pension deals then I honestly do not think there would be this uproar.  

I know from a personal point of view with RBS they closed the old "final-salary" pension scheme to anyone new going to work for them and only had the new options, which were nowhere near as good - and that is the same with the majority of private firms.  With the public pensions, it is the pensions old, present and new that are being reformed.

The question is, if your firm were assisting in the payments of a "final salary" pension scheme, and then suddenly announced that they are changing the rules so that your pension will be much less, than you originally anticipated - how would you feel?  

[The Ghost of Burnden]

Baz, it's nothing to do with strike. Also, I'm interested to find that the current generation are apparently cleverer than what grown ups are.
Aye alreet.

Did I say that they were more clever - or is that you putting words in my mouth?

I actually said that todays exams are not as easier, or as difficult and people think they are and that "dumbing down" is actually not happening and then advised if you wanted to try any of today's exams to google them and try them for yourself.  Teaching and revising techniques have changed and will continue to change and that does make the difference (whether it improves even more or decreases only the future will tell - but for now the results are improving year on year)

If anything, you will be surprised by how much you have forgotten since school days!

[Natasha Whittam]

What about the non-teaching days, when teachers have to go in for training but there are no pupils?

What about having only 4 weeks holiday in summer as they have to go in for at least 2 weeks to prepare for the new school year

That is utter bullshit. My sister is a teacher and gets the full 6 weeks Summer holiday. When they have "teaching days" or "inset days" as they're called round here, the kids get a day off school so it doesn't break into the teachers holiday.

Add in a week for half-term and two weeks for end of term and you're looking at about 12-13 weeks holiday per year.

Fcuk 'em I say. Sorry sis.

[Jamster26]

Baz, it's nothing to do with strike. Also, I'm interested to find that the current generation are apparently cleverer than what grown ups are.
Aye alreet.

Yeah, apparently so. Understandable though, isn't it? Each generation teaches the next one new things and so we "evolve", if that's the right word.

[The Ghost of Burnden]

That is utter bullshit. My sister is a teacher and gets the full 6 weeks Summer holiday. When they have "teaching days" or "inset days" as they're called round here, the kids get a day off school so it doesn't break into the teachers holiday.

Add in a week for half-term and two weeks for end of term and you're looking at about 12-13 weeks holiday per year.

Fcuk 'em I say. Sorry sis.

Is it utter bullshit or just a case that your sister is too lazy to do any prepartion work for the forthcoming year?

how much work does she do outside school?

Has been inspected of OFSTED and what where the outcome of their report on her.

[Natasha Whittam]

The question is, if your firm were assisting in the payments of a "final salary" pension scheme, and then suddenly announced that they are changing the rules so that your pension will be much less, than you originally anticipated - how would you feel?  

I'd be pissed off because my company would be benefiting.

But public sector pensions are paid for by the taxpayer, and when the taxpayer is expected to take cuts all over the show it is very unfair that they have to subsidise public sector pensions.

I don't expect them to be happy about it, but sometimes people have to grow up and see the bigger picture. If the UK ends up like Greece, they won't be getting a penny when they retire because the UK will be bankrupt.

[Natasha Whittam]

Is it utter bullshit or just a case that your sister is too lazy to do any prepartion work for the forthcoming year?

how much work does she do outside school?

Has been inspected of OFSTED and what where the outcome of their report on her.

You dumb bastard. Once they've done the preparation once, they hardly have to change it for the following year. Teaching 5 year olds to read and write doesn't change that much.

Her school is the top school in Lancaster, and she will be head teacher inside 3 years. She does very well.

[DaveBWFC]

and what where the outcome of their report on her.

and what where?

That makes sense. Did you really used to teach?