Civil Servants. Your View?

[EcclesCake]

I am intrigued by the regular slating of Civil Servants. they are often portrayed as being idle, over paid, over pensioned, jobs worths in the press and frequently don't get a better deal on AB. Why is this?

The Civil Service employs a vast number of people with an astonishing spread of skills and abilities. Some of these Civil Servants may spend their days in an office pushing paper and some may spend their day in hostile environments under rocket attack.

It seems to be the assumption that all Civil Servants are the former none are the latter and there is chuff all in between.

What are your views of Civil Servants?

[Tilly2]

I thought they sat around drinking tea. I am obviously wrong.

[baza]

without the civil service the tea producing countries would go skint.

[wolf63]

I think that many are employed in horrible jobs with lousy pay.

[Mamyalynne]

I would no more lump all Civil Servants together as I would any other profession.

I base my opinions on each dealing with a person not the profession as a whole.

[EcclesCake]

Civil Servants sit around drinking tea in much the same way teachers work 9-4 and get half the year off for holidays ;-)

[baza]

that sounds about right, the public image.

[Tilly2]

You're right there, Eccles.

[Svejk]

just cos teachers do nothing doesn't mean others should.

[Tilly2]

Well, someone has to do some work, somewhere.

[shoota]

Rather they were civil than surly....

[EcclesCake]

I have a very particular way of dealing with my surly servants!

[Peter Pedant]

.

I hadnt understood at all that they were 1) human, 2) had souls 3) and may be shy sensitive and artistic

over paid with very very large..... pensions paid for by us largely
I dont know where I got that from.....

[shoota]

I want to be Eccles surly servant now.

[jasmin26]

I am a Civil Servant and don't have time to sit around and drink tea all day ! I started work at 7.10 this morning and finished at 17.50 . I didn't even get a lunch break .

[EcclesCake]

Silly me, I forgot that Civil Servants don't pay tax..... Peter please try harder.

Shoota, just be harder.....you let me down last time ;-)

[zebo]

As a much maligned teacher, I wanted to be a Vicar, an hour or so on Sunday am, the odd wedding and burial, how hard could it be?

[EcclesCake]

Zebo, you forgot about the 08.00 service. Do you really fancy an early start?

I'd think twice about that career choice.

[zebo]

08:00 is later than I started work when I was teaching!

[237SJ]

I don`t have any strong feelings either way. I don`t have any sympathy when they complain about their pensions as I work in the private sector (enough said) but when I deal with our local council, I find the people there very nice. I take as I find, really.

[EcclesCake]

Jasmin, don't come along and dispel the myth of idle Civil Servants you'll give the others a bad name ;-)

Zero, if you're going to have a one day a week career you want to ease yourself in gently an 11 o'clock service is early enough......