Are Any Of You Striking This Wednesday?

[WW1]

I run my own company but i cant expect the mums i employ to bring their kids in for the day because teachers want to strike, i think its irresponsible! If private sector workers did this they would be without a job

If a private sector worker was a member of a union and went on a legally organised strike they would have exactly the same rights as public sector workers. Anyone who lost their job as a result of a legal strike could sue for unfair dismissal so being public or private sector is irrelevant.

Private sector doesn't work like that

Unions work like that and private sector workers are entitled to join unions. The fact is that many private sector workers are not part of a union so it's not as relevant. However where a private sector worker is part of a union and strikes the employment laws covering this are still valid.

 

[indy and lara]

Rachel it has been clarified that striking is not a break of contract.

Janidog, it is not a case of teachers wanting to strike. People across the public sector are striking because these proposed changes will impact on the retirement of many workers. There is now a strong suggestion that pension lump sums will be taxed at 40% On top of that there are huge increases in contributions while there is a wage freeze and an increased retirement age. Do people really think that you should just accept this?

 

[Janidog]

I run my own company but i cant expect the mums i employ to bring their kids in for the day because teachers want to strike, i think its irresponsible! If private sector workers did this they would be without a job

If a private sector worker was a member of a union and went on a legally organised strike they would have exactly the same rights as public sector workers. Anyone who lost their job as a result of a legal strike could sue for unfair dismissal so being public or private sector is irrelevant.

Private sector doesn't work like that

Unions work like that and private sector workers are entitled to join unions. The fact is that many private sector workers are not part of a union so it's not as relevant. However where a private sector worker is part of a union and strikes the employment laws covering this are still valid.

When BA was striking it caused the company manger hardship, and had they continued then BA would be no more, and on top of all this lots of people who had planned to use their services lost out financially.

If everyone one did this in the private sector then so many companies would go bust so jobs will be lost, whereas in the public sector the govenment are always putting more and more money in to it as they have no choice

 

[Janidog]

Rachel it has been clarified that striking is not a break of contract.

Janidog, it is not a case of teachers wanting to strike. People across the public sector are striking because these proposed changes will impact on the retirement of many workers. There is now a strong suggestion that pension lump sums will be taxed at 40% On top of that there are huge increases in contributions while there is a wage freeze and an increased retirement age. Do people really think that you should just accept this?

In the past public sectors pensions have been too generous which has left a massive whole in the public funds.

The basic question is 'Should you pay for your own pension or should you expect the Government (everyone else) to pay for it'??? In the private sector you get what you pay for and the companies do not have to put money towards it unless you want to, so therefore I feel the strike is bang out of order

 

[Jchihuahua]

I am striking. I'm in the NUT. I can't afford it as I start maternity leave 2 days later but the amount of money I'll lose for one day's pay will be pretty much what I'll lose every month if and when the pension contributions change. I've been paying into my pension for over 13 years now and feel like the goal posts have suddenly been moved so even though money will be a real struggle I feel like I need to back my union.

 

[indy and lara]

Rachel it has been clarified that striking is not a break of contract.

Janidog, it is not a case of teachers wanting to strike. People across the public sector are striking because these proposed changes will impact on the retirement of many workers. There is now a strong suggestion that pension lump sums will be taxed at 40% On top of that there are huge increases in contributions while there is a wage freeze and an increased retirement age. Do people really think that you should just accept this?

In the past public sectors pensions have been too generous which has left a massive whole in the public funds.

The basic question is 'Should you pay for your own pension or should you expect the Government (everyone else) to pay for it'??? In the private sector you get what you pay for and the companies do not have to put money towards it unless you want to, so therefore I feel the strike is bang out of order

I started in the private sector and OH has always worked in it. The vast majority of big firms do make contributions as part of their salary package but of course not all do.

Many workers in the public sector are on very low wages and without a decent pension at the end of their working life, would be dependent on pension credits etc in order to survive. I do not feel that people fighting for the employment conditions that they signed up to in their contracts is 'bang out of order'. Afterall, if I was to decide that I would change my contract to suit myself by for example only working 22 hours a week (or let's be controversial, actually only working the 35 hours I was paid for...)but expecting the same salary the Government would be up in arms. However, when they do just that to myself and colleagues I am just to sit back and take it?

 

[Jchihuahua]

Afterall, if I was to decide that I would change my contract to suit myself by for example only working 22 hours a week (or let's be controversial, actually only working the 35 hours I was paid for...)but expecting the same salary the Government would be up in arms. However, when they do just that to myself and colleagues I am just to sit back and take it?

Imagine what would happen if we actually did only work for the 35 hours we're paid for! I'm in work for at least 45 hours a week and do another 5 or 6 hours a week minimum at home too, as most teachers do!

 

[anna matronic]

Teachers pensions were looked at and revised to fairer (affordable) system 4 years ago, I have joined the pension scheme with the newer rules. The government (at the time of the new changes) agreed that their would be an independent review of the pension schemes if it was felt they needed changing again, life expectancy has not increased since the last change in pensions therefore the pensions are as affordable now as they were four years ago.. No independent review has been agreed, purely because the scheme IS actually affordable. They pensions are not as gold plated as some would like to think.

One union (I don't remember which one) belives the government are actually breaking a contract, after all out pension scheme is a contract. So possibly what the government is even trying to do is actually illegal. but that's an argument I haven't looked into.

 

[Lellow]

After much discussion at work today, im afraid that i just cant bring myself to walk thru the picket line where the rest of my colleagues will be, so i have made the decision to strike.

 

[babyblog]

Rachel it has been clarified that striking is not a break of contract.

Janidog, it is not a case of teachers wanting to strike. People across the public sector are striking because these proposed changes will impact on the retirement of many workers. There is now a strong suggestion that pension lump sums will be taxed at 40% On top of that there are huge increases in contributions while there is a wage freeze and an increased retirement age. Do people really think that you should just accept this?

In the past public sectors pensions have been too generous which has left a massive whole in the public funds.

The basic question is 'Should you pay for your own pension or should you expect the Government (everyone else) to pay for it'??? In the private sector you get what you pay for and the companies do not have to put money towards it unless you want to, so therefore I feel the strike is bang out of order

The point is that when we decided to take our jobs, the pension package was an attractive part of the deal, considering that public sector pay is so poor comparednto private companies. It is unfair to change the rules of the pension so dramatically and then say we have no choice but to go with it.Many of us cannot afford to pay a penny more, considering our pay has already been frozen for two years.

 

[hattiehippo]

Having worked in both the private sector and then in the public sector after retraining as a teacher 8 years ago I've seen both sides. From my experience the private sector is actually much more aware of employment law and better at sticking to it that the public sector - for examples some Head Teachers (thinking of schools of course) seem to think they can make up the rules for maternity leave and returning from it without having to bother about the actual law and the public sector HR departments don't necessarily have the uptodate employment law training that private sector ones do.

After alot of thought I will be striking on Wednesday (NUT) although I didn't last time. I don't believe anyone should just accept changes to their contract/pension without questioning it. Its just such a shame that the government is doing such a good PR job of making out that public sector employees are some kind of drain on society - we do actually pay tax and NI too so technically are paying for our own pensions just as much as everyone else.

 

[stardust599]

I am striking. I can't even afford the pension contributions I already pay

I lose about £70 for the days wage and get £30 hardship refunded by UNISON x

 

[clarsair]

DH and I both work in local government - he's undecided and I'll be going into work.

 

[LPF]

People who don't work for the public sector have skewed views of our pensions based on what they hear on the news.

The NHS pension fund is self funding and massively over fed already - the massive surplus that already goes in pays off the national debt - no prizes for guessing why the proposals have come into rack it in even more. Dh is a teacher, teachers pensions are also self funding.

Physios haven't striked in something like their 170yr history - that goes to show how bad these proposals are and how strongly people feel about how bad they are - don't believe what you read in the papers. Unless you work in the public sector you won't really understand what's going on imo.

 

[Cattia]

I am on maternity leave so won't be striking. I feel kind of bad, like I ought to sacrifice a day of my maternity pay to make my point, but I'm just too skint! And since I would be at home anyway, it wouldn't really be a strike.

 

[MrsBandEgglet]

I don't work in the public sector but I'd like to wish you all luck because I think it's outrageous what is being proposed and i agree nobody should just 'accept' the changes, you just wouldn't do that. I wouldn't if it was my pension

 

[RachA]

Rachel it has been clarified that striking is not a break of contract.

Janidog, it is not a case of teachers wanting to strike. People across the public sector are striking because these proposed changes will impact on the retirement of many workers. There is now a strong suggestion that pension lump sums will be taxed at 40% On top of that there are huge increases in contributions while there is a wage freeze and an increased retirement age. Do people really think that you should just accept this?

Thanks for that. In which case, if I was actually in work then I would strike.

Rachel it has been clarified that striking is not a break of contract.

Janidog, it is not a case of teachers wanting to strike. People across the public sector are striking because these proposed changes will impact on the retirement of many workers. There is now a strong suggestion that pension lump sums will be taxed at 40% On top of that there are huge increases in contributions while there is a wage freeze and an increased retirement age. Do people really think that you should just accept this?

In the past public sectors pensions have been too generous which has left a massive whole in the public funds.

The basic question is 'Should you pay for your own pension or should you expect the Government (everyone else) to pay for it'??? In the private sector you get what you pay for and the companies do not have to put money towards it unless you want to, so therefore I feel the strike is bang out of order

The point is that when we decided to take our jobs, the pension package was an attractive part of the deal, considering that public sector pay is so poor comparednto private companies. It is unfair to change the rules of the pension so dramatically and then say we have no choice but to go with it.Many of us cannot afford to pay a penny more, considering our pay has already been frozen for two years.

That's the thing. When I started my work in the public sector I took a wage cut to do it but I didn't mind because the benefits like pensions and term time hours were so good. Take away the good pension (having already taken away the possibility of being able to work term time only etc) and you are basically left with totally crap wages being paid. Having looked for other jobs don't similar to what I did, in the private sector I would earn a minimum of £4000 per year more.

 

[besttoys]

Hi Lellow, Do what you feel is right. Weigh and think about the consequences each decision will take. And choice what your heart desires.

 

[goddess25]

What are the proposals by the way? I was a nurse in the UK for along time and in RCN, which I know are not supporting the strikes. I think striking is important yes and you should be able to exercise that right. The government need to know that its not acceptable.

 

[KiansMummy]

Im striking, im a nursery nurse and in unison x