Public sector strikes - how will this affect the average family?

gratefulforhelp_2

Go for it. I love it.

Kira000

Indout96 wrote: »

Just like most of the public sector 3 to 4 years ago, funny I didnt see you out with banners when the private companies were cutting pensions and taking away final salary schemes.

Ditto. Increased contributions to pension, increased retirement age, reduced pension benefits. Pay freeze for 3 years, no performance bonus (a big part of our salary calculation) oh, and taking on the work of the 3 other people in the team who were paid to leave.

Sound familiar? Welcome to the world of the private sector! Of course i wouldnt wish ANYONE, no matter what sector, to have a reduction in benefits or living standards in an ideal world. However, the one unavoidable rule, is everything has to be sustainable and will have to be paid from somewhere. Unfortunately the economy is in such a shi*e state, that something has to give. And believe me, screwing up the economy with rounds of strikes which cost the country money, is just going to make the deficit worse, and mean the hit you take gets bigger. This is not just going to "go away" if people shout and stamp their feet. If you dont like the solution, then you have to get the unions to sit constructively round the table and give their own suggestions that give the same £ result in a different way. Shouting strike at the first hint of change is childish and benefits noone!

Incidentally, i was once in a union. I left for two reasons, firstly all tey did was cry strike, and wouldnt engage intrying to find palatable solutions (familar??), and secondly, as soon as i became "management" i was effectively told to !!!! off and sort myself out if i had problems/negotiations to make. But they were still insistent i should supprt the troops when it came to action. Very onesided.

OOps. sorry, rant over.

melancholly

Kira000 wrote: »

Shouting strike at the first hint of change is childish and benefits noone!

you see, i agree that striking all the time and without negotiations is bad, but it really does seem unfair to start on the people striking now as it's the first time they've done so in years.

it's also about far more than just any salary or pension arrangements. it's a statement against the policies of the coalition government. i just can't blame people for doing that....

the government has somehow managed to make everyone start flinging mud at each other.... a sad negative legacy for their big society. regardless of the necessity of cuts and hopefully, a stronger long term economy, the blame culture that is being encouraged makes me sad.

picnmix

My DD class is going to be affected by strikes, I myself work in the public sector so understand the frustration the school staff feel. However from a personal point of view am now really stuck as can't get the day off work as others already booked AL, so have no childcare, not entirely sure what I am supposed to do. My boss is not going to be understanding to my desperate request for another day off! I really am at a complete loss as to what the etiquette is when the teachers strike as to requesting time off. I remember the teachers striking in the 80s when I was at school, but that was only breaktimes and lunchtime.

floss2

picnmix wrote: »

My DD class is going to be affected by strikes, I myself work in the public sector so understand the frustration the school staff feel. However from a personal point of view am now really stuck as can't get the day off work as others already booked AL, so have no childcare, not entirely sure what I am supposed to do. My boss is not going to be understanding to my desperate request for another day off! I really am at a complete loss as to what the etiquette is when the teachers strike as to requesting time off. I remember the teachers striking in the 80s when I was at school, but that was only breaktimes and lunchtime.

Can you work from home at all? Or maybe share childcare with a colleague by taking half a day at home with the kids & half a day in the office & vice versa?

Loobysaver

picnmix wrote: »

My DD class is going to be affected by strikes, I myself work in the public sector so understand the frustration the school staff feel. However from a personal point of view am now really stuck as can't get the day off work as others already booked AL, so have no childcare, not entirely sure what I am supposed to do. My boss is not going to be understanding to my desperate request for another day off! I really am at a complete loss as to what the etiquette is when the teachers strike as to requesting time off. I remember the teachers striking in the 80s when I was at school, but that was only breaktimes and lunchtime.

I have the same problem. My daughters school is closing for that day but my manager has told me that as I have over a weeks notice she is expecting us to all make alternative arrangements and emergency or special leave will not be considered! I'm not friendly with the other Mums at school so don't really know what I'm supposed to do!:mad:

Sweet_Pea_2

I work in the public sector and as far as I know the PCS union has called a strike for the same day. Usually once a strike has been called no one is allowed to then book annual leave, you are OK if you had it already booked before the strike was called though. My problem is that I am no longer in the union, therefore am not striking myself and can not book any leave for that day. We had a snootily worded email from a line manager today which informed us that any one who has kids will be fully aware if it affects them by now, all this information is on the internet and we need to make alternative childcare arrangements pronto as work need everyone who is not in the union to be in that day.

Firstly - it is nowhere on the internet which schools will be affected - not the council or the school website and I have not had any notification from the school. Socan only assume manager made that one up.
Secondly - I phoned the school and they don't know themselves yet if they will be affected.

Can't you tell snooty email came from manger who has no kids.

Luckily OH should be OK for the day off if required. Didn't tell manager that though.

picnmix

floss2 wrote: »

Can you work from home at all? Or maybe share childcare with a colleague by taking half a day at home with the kids & half a day in the office & vice versa?

Sadly no, I work in a hospital so have to have cover in department and people had already booked their hols, half day wouldnt help me anyway, I'll have to figure soemthing out pretty sharpish or will be taking kids to work :eek:

balletshoes

Sweet_Pea wrote: »

I work in the public sector and as far as I know the PCS union has called a strike for the same day. Usually once a strike has been called no one is allowed to then book annual leave, you are OK if you had it already booked before the strike was called though. My problem is that I am no longer in the union, therefore am not striking myself and can not book any leave for that day. We had a snootily worded email from a line manager today which informed us that any one who has kids will be fully aware if it affects them by now, all this information is on the internet and we need to make alternative childcare arrangements pronto as work need everyone who is not in the union to be in that day.

Firstly - it is nowhere on the internet which schools will be affected - not the council or the school website and I have not had any notification from the school. Socan only assume manager made that one up.
Secondly - I phoned the school and they don't know themselves yet if they will be affected.

Can't you tell snooty email came from manger who has no kids.

Luckily OH should be OK for the day off if required. Didn't tell manager that though.

I suspect, although we've had no emails about this so far, that I'll be in the same boat. My DDs school just informed us after school finished today that the school will be closed next Thursday - so I have only just been informed. Tomorrow I will take my letter from the school into work and see if theres anything my manager can do - I do think its unfair for those of us who can't work from home and don't have childcare on tap to have to lose a day's wage because policy states we can't book annual leave for a strike day in these circumstances.

paddedjohn

Why cant the teachers go on strike during the summer holidays? whenever anyone has a go at them for having so many holidays they always reckon the have loads of work to do during the 6 week break.