Public Sector Strike

with the public sector workers striking tomorrow what do you make of it?

I personally support strike actions and workers rights come first in order to support their families.

My old man works in the london ambulance and will be striking tomorrow do you know anyone who will be striking and would you?

Where's the poll option for neutral?

Neutral option added.

I don't think the unions ever stopped to think about the true cost of tomorrow's strike to the economy when we're facing an unknown financial situation that we've not seen on the present scale.

(29-11-2011 20:22 )babelover48 Wrote:  I don't think the unions ever stopped to think about the true cost of tomorrow's strike to the economy when we're facing an unknown financial situation that we've not seen on the present scale.

fair enough
but when youve been paying your pension for 20+ years surely you should have the right to decide when to retire especially in the medical profession when early retirement is common practice. The goverment dont help themselves after the appointed 2 year pay freeze they then anounce only a 1 percent pay rise apposed to a 2 percent

public sector pay raise 4times as much as payraises in the private sector in 2yrs. tough but fair, wodensum your old man is being abit irresponsible by striking there could a huge tragic accident so there would be not enough ambulances to get the injured to hospital. unions always call for strike action when they dont get their own way 1st time.

royal mail were due to strike in the run up to crimbo and then decided to call it off has millions of people will complain and businesses would move and some have. it cost royal mail at the time a lot of money.

(29-11-2011 20:48 )bigguy01 Wrote:  public sector pay raise 4times as much as payraises in the private sector in 2yrs. tough but fair, wodensum your old man is being abit irresponsible by striking there could a huge tragic accident so there would be not enough ambulances to get the injured to hospital. unions always call for strike action when they dont get their own way 1st time.

royal mail were due to strike in the run up to crimbo and then decided to call it off has millions of people will complain and businesses would move and some have. it cost royal mail at the time a lot of money.

With all respect i disagree its irresponsible the precutions have been taken In the event of a major accident like 7/7 obviously all the workers would return it is not irresponsible they wouldont abandon the needs of the public the paramedics are stationary and the required amount of calltakers are present

I suppose it depends which perspective you look at it from. From the point of view of those lower to middle pay bracket public sector employees the argument revolves around the question: Why should we pay more in pension contributions for longer only to get less pension at a deferred pension age. The answer from others such as private sector employees might be: At least you have a pension. A lot of private sector pensions have been hit hard and nearly wiped out in some cases, you should count yourselves lucky. Tricky one.

before gordon brown became chancillor of the exchequer in 1997 the pension fund for state pension which made profits was tax free then around 1999/2000 gordon brown put a tax on the profits hence a pension blackhole. we had 13yrs of labour in government where the public sector has become bloated and in many areas the majority of people are employed by the public sector. do you realise that people that strike lose a days pay? also puts a lot people out some have to spend money on a days child care which they cant afford. the strike is at an inappropriate time for everyone.

the unison ballot is less than half of the membership, if new strike laws come into affect which means that unison cannot strike. there should be strike laws which require unions to have over 66% turnout and more than 50% yes vote so if its 65.9% turnout that means there is no strike same when its a 49.9% yes vote.

^^^^ But would that same rule apply to Local Elections and General Elections ?

No-one voted for a Coalition Government and when was the last time a Government had 50.1% of total votes