Another Strike

[Royster1911]

Another 24 hour strike in support for local gevernment pensions will be on 26th April. Is it doing any good? Will the government listen? A pay increase of 2.5% is on the table for local gevernment workers. This could lead to further strikes. What are your views to strikes?

[golach]

Another 24 hour strike in support for local gevernment pensions will be on 26th April. Is it doing any good? Will the government listen? A pay increase of 2.5% is on the table for local gevernment workers. This could lead to further strikes. What are your views to strikes?

Its not about pay or pay rises its about their Pension rights, the Government is moving the Goalposts again. I say good luck to them, but strike properly not these "one day Toy Town strikes", go the whole hog go out for a week or more.

[Royster1911]

It IS about pay and pay increases golach, as well as preserving our rights to what we signed up for on our contracts. The pension issue does not affect me as I am a year out of the calculation laid out by Highland Council, however, I will still go on strike to back up my union. If I was on a salary of 40K, then I would be quite happy with an increase of 2.5%. However, I am on a salary of 11K. Work it out. Most of that goes back to my employer through the increase in council tax. sob sob. I do agree that they should stop pussyfooting around and go on strike properly, ie 5 working days rather than 1 day

[golach]

It IS about pay and pay increases golach, as well as preserving our rights to what we signed up for on our contracts. The pension issue does not affect me as I am a year out of the calculation laid out by Highland Council, however, I will still go on strike to back up my union. If I was on a salary of 40K, then I would be quite happy with an increase of 2.5%. However, I am on a salary of 11K. Work it out. Most of that goes back to my employer through the increase in council tax. sob sob. I do agree that they should stop pussyfooting around and go on strike properly, ie 5 working days rather than 1 day

I stand corrected ty, keep the Red Flag flying Brother / Sister just did some research but this is what I came up with Royster1911
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4081165.stm

[Drutt]

I stand corrected ty, keep the Red Flag flying Brother / Sister just did some research but this is what I came up with Royster1911
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4081165.stm

Don't forget that the civil service pension arrangements are very different to the local government pension arrangements. As far as I'm aware, the local government strikes, largely organised by Unison, are about pensions and the 85-year rule, not about pay rises (at least, that's what they're telling their members).

[EDDIE]

Striking over a pensions i totaly agree we are all entitled to a decent pension when we retire my view is if you work all your life and contribute to the pension scheme and pay tax and national health tax that gives you the right to have a decent pension.I think its terrible that you can pay into a pension scheme for years and all of a sudden they change it so your pension is rubbish.
But as for striking on the ground that your wages are low i disagree if your on a low wage its up to that person to better themselves whether its a case of changing jobs ,back to college to retrain or moving to a different location were the wages and job opportunity is better thats just the way of the world sadly.
It makes you think sometimes when your on a low wage working hard trying to pay your own way through life without claiming of the social for all the benifits under the sun to find out when you retire your on a pension that you struggle to live on whos got the right idea you or the person that doesnt work and claims all the benefits going and that person will probably end up in the same nursing home as you except the only difference is you will be contributing to the nursing home were the person that has not worked will get it all payed for them.
Its a crazy world we live in.

[Royster1911]

So Eddie, Are you saying that its OK for employers to give you less than you are worth? 2.5% of nothing does not amount to a lot. My workload has increased but not my wage. I do understand the attitude of "get on your bike" (Tebbits statemant, not mine), but at the young age of 56, I cant cycle that far

[EDDIE]

So Eddie, Are you saying that its OK for employers to give you less than you are worth? 2.5% of nothing does not amount to a lot. My workload has increased but not my wage. I do understand the attitude of "get on your bike" (Tebbits statemant, not mine), but at the young age of 56, I cant cycle that far

You said you was on salary of 11k i agree that is a very low salary to live on but you new the wages when you accepted the job nobody forced you.As for the 2.5%increase on your wages saying its not enough you are right it is not enough when you look at the increase put on bills and council tax and so.You have to remember a lot of people in the uk arent even getting an annual increase and for some people there just happy to keep there jobs.
As for you work load increased thats happening all over the uk with a majority of companys its just changing times were companys are trying to run a business more cost effective
But to be honest about it if i was in charge of the council there is no way i would allow a union to dictate how things are run and the council would be very silly to give into union demands.Its like if you owned your own company and your workers are dictating to you its just not on is it?.
When you here of all this striking and people moaning about there wages it not suprising that we are getting flooded with polish people that are greatful and hard working and are willing to work for the same wage that yous are moaning about?

[Drutt]

I think its terrible that you can pay into a pension scheme for years and all of a sudden they change it so your pension is rubbish.

What the government's proposing isn't making people's pensions "rubbish". The local government pension scheme is a contributory scheme, to which you contribute for 40 years. After 40 years of contributions, you get a pension of half of your final salary.

The 85-year rule allows people to retire early, without financial detriment, if their age plus their service reach at least 85 years.

Firstly, this rule is far more likely to be met by men, because women are more likely to take career breaks, to not have spent a lifetime in local government, or to just not have joined at an early age. This is why the government needs to remove the rule - it breaches sex discrimination rules.

Secondly, why should anyone get a full 40-year pension if they haven't actually paid for it? It's council taxpayers who'll pay for it, and council tax seems to have increased quite enough already, thanks very much.

Thirdly, when people working in the private sector are being told they'll need to work until 68 or 69 to have a pension they can actually live on, why should people in the public sector get to retire at 60? It's just not on, and I speak as someone who works in the public sector.