Public Sector Strike(s)

MacMickster

In his statement today, the chancellor apears to have declared war on the public sector:

• Following a 2 year pay freeze, there will be 2 years of only 1% average wage increase (while inflation is running at 5%). For many this will mean a 4 year pay freeze.

• Looking to move towards regional pay for the public sector - so not only a 4 year pay freeze, but a potential pay cut for those in the more disadvantaged areas of the UK.

• A further increase in state pension age, and hence in the pension age for the proposed new public service pensions, for which workers will have to pay more from their reduced wages.

I strongly suspect that we are heading for a new winter of discontent, with the government taking on the public sector unions. Whilst reform is undoubtedly necessary I feel that this is a dangerous time to risk a fight which would be likely to damage the whole economy for years to come.

abaxas

Easy fight to win as the government has all the aces, jokers, kings and even blank cards.

julieq

Enjoy your day off, public sector. We'll still be here to pick up the tab for your pension when you retire, no worries.

OptionARMAGEDDON

F* ck 'em. I suspect no one will notive if they are on strike anyhow. Simple solution for border control would be to turn away every asylum seeker trying to get in whilst the public sector is on strike.

ILW

I would suspect that the government saves more in wages when they strike than it costs in output etc. Most of the public sector is an expense to the economy.

Wookster

We're all in this together unless you're in a unionized public sector job.

grizzly1911

abaxas wrote: »

Easy fight to win as the government has all the aces, jokers, kings and even blank cards.

Depends if they know how to play them though.

Also depends on whether the public, of which the public sector are a part will accept the pain.

The public sector is easy to bash but large parts of do still provide a worthwhile and some areas very necessary service. Don't dispute there are areas that need pruning but they only ever take the live wood not the dead wood.

Even if you dismantled it entirely it doesn't mean the cost to society would be any less and individually many individuals would pay an awful lot more.

Never mind we can still afford mass imigration, overseas aid, unecessary wars and allow rampant tax "avoidance".

chucknorris

julieq wrote: »

Enjoy your day off, public sector. We'll still be here to pick up the tab for your pension when you retire, no worries.

Why would I strike? I wouldn't get paid for that day and the students coursework that I'm marking would end up being done at the weekend unpaid. Apart from that what's left is still a great pension deal anyway.

OptionARMAGEDDON

grizzly1911 wrote: »

Depends if they know how to play them though.

Also depends on whether the public, of which the public sector are a part will accept the pain.

The public sector is easy to bash but large parts of do still provide a worthwhile and some areas very necessary service. Don't dispute there are areas that need pruning but they only ever take the live wood not the dead wood.

Even if you dismantled it entirely it doesn't mean the cost to society would be any less and individually many individuals would pay an awful lot more.

Never mind we can still afford mass imigration, overseas aid, unecessary wars and allow rampant tax "avoidance".

If you think that the public sector going on strike is going to be well recieved by the majority of private sector workers who are facing all the pain, think again. The government knows this. The government wont break the strike. The furious middle class private sector will when they get absolutely no support and everyone is baying for further state sector cuts.

Other interesting note, I dont know many in the public sector who CANT strike (police and military) that support the strikers either. Most I speak to think they should rot, be sacked and rehired on 75% of their original pay. Its not as if there is much work outside for them all, is there?

oldvicar

chucknorris wrote: »

Why would I strike? I wouldn't get paid for that day and the students coursework that I'm marking would end up being done at the weekend unpaid. Apart from that what's left is still a great pension deal anyway.

Yes you would be financially worse off by striking. But you would have demonstrated that you don't like promises made to you to be broken.

chewmylegoff

OptionARMAGEDDON wrote: »

If you think that the public sector going on strike is going to be well recieved by the majority of private sector workers who are facing all the pain, think again. The government knows this. The government wont break the strike. The furious middle class private sector will when they get absolutely no support and everyone is baying for further state sector cuts.

the strikers themselves will break the strike, because they've only called a one day strike.