The Effects of Conservative Cuts 2015-2020

CLAPTON

Moby wrote: »

You are not comparing like with like though. Private businesses are run for the benefit of shareholders, (or at least should be):)
Public services are run for the public at large, (like mine). We are therefore subjected to the idealogically driven agenda of a govmt no matter what our performance is like.
For instance this present govmt in its infinite idealogically driven wisdom has decided to privatise half the service I provide. This has resulted in major redundancies and the use of public money to shore up services using more highly paid sessional/temporary staff to fill the gaps. The disruption caused by the privatisation has led to a major deterioration in the quality of service and achievement of targets. Of course the ultimate costs of this will never be measured.....the agenda moves on. But when govmts talk about efficiency savings etc and reducing the size of the public sector remember the hidden costs both in human and financial terms. It's not as simple as people like to think.

you have neatly summarised what is wrong with the 'public' services

chucknorris

CLAPTON wrote: »

you have neatly summarised what is wrong with the 'public' services

From my observations of the public sector, I have identified 4 main types of worker:

1. Inept, wouldn't be able to cut it in the private sector (at the same rate of pay as the public sector).

2. Idealist, working for reasons other than money, e.g. a particular (not all) nurse/teacher who are doing it mainly because they are contributing to society.

3. Best value seeker, someone who either:
a) Runs a business or has investments, and uses the extra time that you wouldn't have working in the private sector to service these, because it is unlikely that working many additional hours is necessary in their chosen area of the public sector.
or
b) Doesn't want to work longer hours for lifestyle reasons, and is happy to take less pay for less hours and more flexibility.

4. A combination of the above.

princeofpounds

My favourite idiosyncracy of the NHS is the posters that festoon every available surface of hospitals and clinics.


Clearly the world's problems can be solved by a nifty reminder and a few pieces of blu-tack.


I like to imagine there is a huge propaganda department toiling away to produce these, a bit like the Ministry of Truth in 1984.


I often wonder if I stuck a bogus poster up if it would ever get removed.

danothy

Generali wrote: »

The only problem is with your idea is that the poor are getting richer.

You're not thinking comparatively. It's like the opposite of that thing when you say "Don't worry, lots of people fail their driving test the first time" and it makes as good as if they had passed ... comparatively.

gadgetmind

chucknorris wrote: »

From my observations of the public sector, I have identified 4 main types of worker:

Mrs GM is now in the public sector (local council) and I bet she'd agree with all of that!

IronWolf

gadgetmind wrote: »

When the private sector gives people sub inflation rises it's a message that perhaps they need to improve their performance or go an under perform elsewhere.

Unfortunately in the public sector the blanket pay freeze has meant even those that work hard and deserve it dont get a pay rise. The only way to get a rise has been to get promoted, or hop between departments which have different pay bands.

The silly thing is that a lot of departments could give a pay rise as they have saved enough money elsewhere in the admin budgets, its just that the Treasurys blanket freeze prevents them.

princeofpounds

Unfortunately in the public sector the blanket pay freeze has meant even those that work hard and deserve it dont get a pay rise.

That's the age-old issue of collective bargaining.


The treatment of the public sector looks a bit worse in the economic recovery because they were so insulated in the recession. In fact, there was zero recession in public spending during 08/09; the crisis never really happened.


I don't know how much of that Keynesian approach was correct, but I do know that it totally distorts the debate now. No-one in the public sector was calling for cuts inline with private, but they are more than happy to call for rises inline with private.

CLAPTON

IronWolf wrote: »

Unfortunately in the public sector the blanket pay freeze has meant even those that work hard and deserve it dont get a pay rise. The only way to get a rise has been to get promoted, or hop between departments which have different pay bands.

The silly thing is that a lot of departments could give a pay rise as they have saved enough money elsewhere in the admin budgets, its just that the Treasurys blanket freeze prevents them.

why would you get a pay rise for 'working hard' : isn't that what you are already paid for?

department don't have money elsewhere: it is taxpayers money to be returned to the tax payer or to be spent on other more essential services

sadly you display all the faults of the public sector mind set.

stator

Generali wrote: »

The only problem is with your idea is that the poor are getting richer.

Very funny. :rotfl:

ruggedtoast

Generali wrote: »

The only problem is with your idea is that the poor are getting richer.

I think the Consevatives have some plans for that.