Public Sector Strike(s)

pd52

Credit-Crunched wrote: »

"The main benefits to being a civil servant is the good pension scheme (or was)."

And the flexi time
And the holidays
And the sick pay
And the cushty office job
And the lunch breaks
And the coffee breaks
And the Early finishes on Friday
And the Free Parking
And the discounts for local council gyms

These are all the other reasons my friend enjoys being a civil servant. I don't even get a lunch break due to my workload! and I stay on until 7 unpaid ever night....

Holiday 25 a year, most people i know in the private sector get this.
lunch and coffee breaks- just what the law says we are entilted to, the same as a shop factory worker etc.
Free parking/ you having a laugh? discounts at the local gym, really?, early finish on a friday, not really no i was in work until 5pm last friday and so were most of the section i was working on.

Define 'cushty' office job please?.

pd52

tartanterra wrote: »

Wouldn't know as I don't receive any of these things. I do know Public servants who get company cars, car allowances, insurance and bonuses though.

local cleaner at council? binman?

dori2o

Credit-Crunched wrote: »

"The main benefits to being a civil servant is the good pension scheme (or was)."

And the flexi time In my department it's not true flexi
And the holidays
And the sick pay Pretty similar to any other large employer
And the cushty office job I don't see any diofference between this office job and the next
And the lunch breaks 1 15 minutes in the morning, and 1 15 minutes in the afternoon. Seems quite normal for the vast majority of employers
And the coffee breaks so you never drink whilst at work
And the Early finishes on Friday If only
And the Free Parking If you call £525 a year free
And the discounts for local council gyms Only the one in the building provided by the Civil Service Sports Council which is funded by the members

These are all the other reasons my friend enjoys being a civil servant. I don't even get a lunch break due to my workload! and I stay on until 7 unpaid ever night....

More fool you.

Jack_Johnson_the_acorn

tartanterra wrote: »

Wouldn't know as I don't receive any of these things. I do know Public servants who get company cars, car allowances, insurance and bonuses though.

You are so envious......

Get a better job then........ As people on here keep saying, if you're not happy you know what to do. :rotfl:

As both you and I know, it's not quite that simple with such difficult economic times present.

ali-t

Credit-Crunched wrote: »

"The main benefits to being a civil servant is the good pension scheme (or was)."

And the flexi time don't really see what the issue is. Flexi isn't a perk. It is time back for extra hours that have been worked as there is no overtime paid. We work extra when there is an increase in work required and can take the time back when it is quieter.
And the holidays I lost a weeks holidays per annum when I moved to the public sector
And the sick pay ok, I give you this one and where I work there is a massive crackdown on sick pay/time etc
And the cushty office job how do you know it is cushty unless you know what people are doing. What a sweeping generalisation
And the lunch breaks they are unpaid - how is that a perk?
And the coffee breaks no more than in the public sector. working time directives are in place, the same ones that are applicable in the private sector
And the Early finishes on Friday who does? Definitely not across the board unless people are on reduced hour contracts. services are provided round the clock across the public sector so I don't see how the public sector finishes early on a friday?
And the Free Parking for who? Anytime I park anywhere I have to pay. I can claim it back but could also do this in other sectors so this isn't something that I would consider to be a public sector perk
And the discounts for local council gyms I wasn't aware that this was the case across the board. I also would have thought it was part of an income generation strategy rather than a perk.

These are all the other reasons my friend enjoys being a civil servant. I don't even get a lunch break due to my workload! and I stay on until 7 unpaid ever night....

FWIW, it is rare that I get a lunchbreak, I (and many public sector colleagues) work additional hours and don't claim the time back. Like someone said earlier, this should not be a them and us as it is always the people further down the food chain who resort to squabbling. It is us near the bottom of the foodchain that are not fat cats/lazy blah blah blah etc.

OptionARMAGEDDON

pd52 wrote: »

such as? can you provide a link? hard facts and details to support this? I can tell you for one in the DWP progression payscales were gone years ago, your pay increase is negotiated with the unions and dept every 2 years through months and months of negotiations, so stop being such a pretentious twit

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storyCode=6018413

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/default.aspx?id=766

http://www.dfpni.gov.uk/pay_2010_circular.pdf

Want more? As for the DWP, having spoke to mates who have lost their jobs, I think the only requirement for job centre plus employees is "Can you breathe"?

elantan

MacMickster wrote: »

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. 1% pay rise ... wow i wish ... i havnt had a pay rise in over 5 years ... i have had a pay cut and rights taken away from me though ... and i earn £2 an hour less than my public sector counterpart ... and working on any public holiday ... including xmas day i get single time ..i am more qualified than my public sector counterpart as well

• 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. welcome to my world

• 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. whats a pension? i get no pension ... nothing ... nadda from my employer ...

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.

i have sympathy for the public sector workers ... they were promised things and now the government has changed their minds ... but the government has changed their minds on so many things ... public sector workers are getting the raw end of the deal ... but i would give my h ind teeth to have a job in the public sector

olly300

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Ok, thats fine.

But if thats the case, I want to see company cars, car allowances, share schemes, insurances and bonuses gone for the private sector.

Then we will really be on a par.

Fair?

At the lower end of the pay scale the public sector pays people more.

At the lower end of the pay scale in the private sector you don't get any of the benefits you mention apart from the possibility of joining a share scheme.

These are generally a con as they are a way of keeping employee renumeration down and keeping employee turnover lower as if you want to benefit from your shares you have to stay with the employer for a while.

Edited to say: In the jobs I've gone for where they have offered shares the pay has been lower. Talking to friends and family in the know i.e. they deal with businesses of all sizes books I was told to avoid them.

Anyway unless you are in the top 1-5% in any sector you aren't going to have any decent perks.

tartanterra

pd52 wrote: »

local cleaner at council? binman?

Of course.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2010/04/27/birmingham-city-council-could-face-1bn-bill-after-women-win-equal-pay-case-65233-26328507/

Birmingham City Council could face £1bn bill after women win equal pay case

"A Grade 4 worker - which included a care assistant and refuse driver - should have earned just £12,291, but the highest-paid driver took home £50,000.
Mr Savage said: “Bonuses alone accounted for £15,000 of the street cleaner’s salary, £19,000 for the refuse collector, and £20,000 for the refuse driver. Part of the bonus was an attendance allowance just for turning up"

Sums it all up really.

Jack_Johnson_the_acorn

Credit-Crunched wrote: »

It is NOT a pay cut, a pension is a VOLUNTARY contribution, you can choose to opt out if you do not like the new terms, yes you will be impacted but please do not make out like this is a pay cut as it is not

Well if it's not a cut in real terms, what is it? We aren't getting anything in return for the increased payments..... In fact we will be receiving less, working longer and many will be losing their jobs....

But the public sector have it so cushy;)

I've worked as a HGV engineer in the private sector and the pension was actually quite good comparatively. Left due to health reasons, can only do desk work now, I would be supporting any employee (private or public) if they're having constant bombardment of their accrued rights.

Oh well, I will be striking tomorrow, in bed of course.:T