November 30th Strikes - UK

[Melmont]

So, whats your true and honest opinion about the Public Sector Strikes going ahead in the UK on the 30th regarding pensions which will involve over 2 million Social Workers, Teachers, Care Workers, Police Officers/PCSO's, Ambulance Workers, Nurses, Ambulance Workers, Binmen and Dinner Ladies?

Personally, I'm all for the strikes.. I agree that if people are living longer, then they should work longer and pay more into their pensions, however I don't agree that they should get out less than what they've put in to help reduce a stupidly high deficit. As unison outline, more gets paid in NHS pension contributions ALONE than gets handed out in state welfare benefits.

[Shadowlandistan]

I wish we could get 2 million Americans out to protest like this. Good luck to you across the pond!

[Tubbsalot]

As a person who neither lives in Britain nor follows British news very closely, my impression is that the Tories are mostly interested in making a bunch of stupid superficial changes and actually making things worse, thereby gaining the approval of a substantial section of British society.

Also as a person who doesn't live in Britain, I don't understand the tiny font. Is this some British humour thing?

[Melmont]

I wish we could get 2 million Americans out to protest like this. Good luck to you across the pond!

Hahaa, thanks! I'm not going on strike personally, I'm still at college but I just wanted to see others opinions.. Whats up with striking in America?

[Melmont]

Also as a person who doesn't live in Britain, I don't understand the tiny font. Is this some British humour thing?

No humour, just me.. When I wrote the whole thing, it seemed loads so I just made it smaller :--)

[Shadowlandistan]

I wish we could get 2 million Americans out to protest like this. Good luck to you across the pond!

Hahaa, thanks! I'm not going on strike personally, I'm still at college but I just wanted to see others opinions.. Whats up with striking in America?

Hah true, I've been to Occupy Wallstreet a few times. In America strikes are illegal (mainly because of precedent set by our worst president Ronald Reagan who fired all the air traffic controllers in the 80s for striking), but if a union calls for one then there are certain instances when it can be legal. It's a very blurry line, but if enough people actually cared enough to get 2 million people to strike, then I don't see how they could fire everyone.

[Chinese Regions]

I am totally pissed of, not because they went on strike, because of the fact that it is only my year that go to school.

[Melmont]

Hahaa, thanks! I'm not going on strike personally, I'm still at college but I just wanted to see others opinions.. Whats up with striking in America?

Hah true, I've been to Occupy Wallstreet a few times. In America strikes are illegal, but if a union calls for one then there are certain instances when it can be legal. It's a very blurry line, but if enough people actually cared enough to get 2 million people to strike, then I don't see how they could fire everyone.

Banning strike infringes peoples civil rights, so the long the government keeps it banned, the more people are likely to revolt. They would make strikes illegal in the UK if we let them, thankfully the trade unions have too much of say on things!

[Vellosia]

To be honest, what entitles public sector workers to pensions that are relatively more generous than the vast majority of private sector ones?

And the public will back the Government, as nearly always happens with strikes.

[Alyakia]

Hah true, I've been to Occupy Wallstreet a few times. In America strikes are illegal, but if a union calls for one then there are certain instances when it can be legal. It's a very blurry line, but if enough people actually cared enough to get 2 million people to strike, then I don't see how they could fire everyone.

Banning strike infringes peoples civil rights, so the long the government keeps it banned, the more people are likely to revolt. They would make strikes illegal in the UK if we let them, thankfully the trade unions have too much of say on things!

i doubt strikes as a whole are actually illegal in the U.S.

last i checked there was a strike on about verizon shit there

they already made secondary action illegal here because they're a bunch of babies so ):

[Fionnuala_Saoirse]

To be honest, what entitles public sector workers to pensions that are relatively more generous than the vast majority of private sector ones?

Relatively limited lifetime earning potential in a lot of cases offset by fucking tasty pensions.

[Melmont]

To be honest, what entitles public sector workers to pensions that are relatively more generous than the vast majority of private sector ones?

And the public will back the Government, as nearly always happens with strikes.

Not when it comes to their pensions. And damn right their pensions should be better than private sector ones.. They're the one's that educate your children, look after your disabled sisters welfare, operate on you when you're on deaths door (All of that was metaphorical of course) They deserve a comfortable standard of living when they retire for services to the public, if nothing else.

[Greed and Death]

So, whats your true and honest opinion about the Public Sector Strikes going ahead in the UK on the 30th regarding pensions which will involve over 2 million Social Workers, Teachers, Care Workers, Police Officers/PCSO's, Ambulance Workers, Nurses, Ambulance Workers, Binmen and Dinner Ladies?

Personally, I'm all for the strikes.. I agree that if people are living longer, then they should work longer and pay more into their pensions, however I don't agree that they should get out less than what they've put in to help reduce a stupidly high deficit. As unison outline, more gets paid in NHS pension contributions ALONE than gets handed out in state welfare benefits.

With the Iranian attack on the embassy and such they are being unpatriotic they need to work for less to support the UK war effort.

[Vellosia]

To be honest, what entitles public sector workers to pensions that are relatively more generous than the vast majority of private sector ones?

Relatively limited lifetime earning potential in a lot of cases offset by fucking tasty pensions.

If you're a public sector worker who retires on a salary of £40k a year, you are not entitled to anything more than a private sector worker who retires on the same amount.

Yet the public sector worker gets a better pension.

[Vellosia]

To be honest, what entitles public sector workers to pensions that are relatively more generous than the vast majority of private sector ones?

And the public will back the Government, as nearly always happens with strikes.

Not when it comes to their pensions. And damn right their pensions should be better than private sector ones.. They're the one's that educate your children, look after your disabled sisters welfare, operate on you when you're on deaths door (All of that was metaphorical of course) They deserve a comfortable standard of living when they retire for services to the public, if nothing else.

And private sector services are any less important...how?

And the strikes have no chance of success. The Government won't back down; it's already won.

[Melmont]

Not when it comes to their pensions. And damn right their pensions should be better than private sector ones.. They're the one's that educate your children, look after your disabled sisters welfare, operate on you when you're on deaths door (All of that was metaphorical of course) They deserve a comfortable standard of living when they retire for services to the public, if nothing else.

And private sector services are any less important...how?

And the strikes have no chance of success. The Government won't back down; it's already won.

I have to agree with that one, the only way to gets result is an indefinate strike...

And lets be honest, what do private sector business REALLY offer the people of Britain, other than services or products at extortionate prices that rise in line with this ridiculous government & its english banks' figures of inflation and interest rates.

[The Matthew Islands]

Are the job centers shut tomorrow?

[Alyakia]

Not when it comes to their pensions. And damn right their pensions should be better than private sector ones.. They're the one's that educate your children, look after your disabled sisters welfare, operate on you when you're on deaths door (All of that was metaphorical of course) They deserve a comfortable standard of living when they retire for services to the public, if nothing else.

And private sector services are any less important...how?

And the strikes have no chance of success. The Government won't back down; it's already won.

hey

here's an idea

instead of fighting to take things away from public sector workers

how about

you fight to give them to private sector workers too!

[Melmont]

So, whats your true and honest opinion about the Public Sector Strikes going ahead in the UK on the 30th regarding pensions which will involve over 2 million Social Workers, Teachers, Care Workers, Police Officers/PCSO's, Ambulance Workers, Nurses, Ambulance Workers, Binmen and Dinner Ladies?

Personally, I'm all for the strikes.. I agree that if people are living longer, then they should work longer and pay more into their pensions, however I don't agree that they should get out less than what they've put in to help reduce a stupidly high deficit. As unison outline, more gets paid in NHS pension contributions ALONE than gets handed out in state welfare benefits.

With the Iranian attack on the embassy and such they are being unpatriotic they need to work for less to support the UK war effort.

The only reason the UK is at war with so many countries is because we seem to be forever in debt to the USA for their efforts in helping us win World War II against the Germans.

[The Matthew Islands]

The only reason the UK is at war with so many countries is because we seem to be forever in debt to the USA for their efforts in helping us win World War II against the Germans.

wut

[Melmont]

Are the job centers shut tomorrow?

Not entirely sure, check your local authority website.

[Melmont]

The only reason the UK is at war with so many countries is because we seem to be forever in debt to the USA for their efforts in helping us win World War II against the Germans.

wut

I mean the only reason we're participating in so many wars is because of USA and our debt to them for helping us out in the Second World War.

[Vellosia]

And lets be honest, what do private sector business REALLY offer the people of Britain, other than services or products at extortionate prices that rise in line with this ridiculous government & its english banks' figures of inflation and interest rates.

Just about everything you use in your life, interestingly enough.

[The Matthew Islands]

wut

I mean the only reason we're participating in so many wars is because of USA and our debt to them for helping us out in the Second World War.

Actually, we paid our debt to them in 2001 IIRC when we made our final payment.

I think we are in Afghanistan because they attacked America, and said they were coming for Britain next. Lo and behold, they did.

[Melmont]

And lets be honest, what do private sector business REALLY offer the people of Britain, other than services or products at extortionate prices that rise in line with this ridiculous government & its english banks' figures of inflation and interest rates.

Just about everything you use in your life, interestingly enough.

Fair comment, but as someone mentioned earlier.. Private Sector workers can earn as much money as they want in their jobs, Public Sectors can't. Therefore, over their working lifetime, Private Sector workers can put more into their pension pots if they want better pensions.. the average private company director will receive £240,000 a year in pension compared to the £4,500 a year of a Nurse, £7,000 a year of a Social Worker, and £13,000 a year of a doctor. Also, we need to bear in mind that the average Private Sector worker pays 2-4% of their monthly earnings into their pensions, as opposed to the 6% monthly pensions contributions of Public Sector workers. If Public Sector workers pay in anything less than 6% of their monthly wages into their pension funds, they get NO contribution from the Government AT ALL, meaning that during their working lifetime, Public Sector workers will pay more into their pensions anyway, and surely this accounts for something.