do you agree with this

[emmie]

in the local paper, every primary and secondary school in the borough will close its doors next thursday, as teachers go on strike, over proposed changes to their pension scheme, NUT branch secretary says these changes will drastically reduce our pensions, and the government should be acting to ensure everyone has a decent pension.

[sara3]

did you get that XL doc Redhelen? I did.. I closed it quite quickly as my figures were also shocking.

[emmie]

redhelen do you have a public sector pension, only that i wondered how people who have paid in private schemes view this.

[jno]

that's the thing... people work in the public sector for less money because they think the pensions (which are basically deferred salary) will be better than in the private sector. But if the goalposts are moved during the game...

[R1Geezer]

Can you explain how you are losing 120k Helen?

[R1Geezer]

Unless they are going to strike until they get their way I can't see the point. They lose a day's pay, the kids lose a day's education and the government won't even notice. A pension is not a right, it has to be paid for, why do they imagine they are somehow exempt from the economics that the rest of us must adhere to?

[anotheoldgit]

I am fed up with public sector workers moaning about their pensions.

In the real world (that being the private sector) a good few firms have withdraw their pension schemes, how do you think those workers are going on?

Regarding teachers going on strike, they along with emergency workers should not be allowed to go on strike, after all in the case of the teachers, our children's education is at risk.

The police and the military are not allowed to go on strike, so why should those others be allowed to?

[Gromit]

AOG
The police get considerable perks (lots of extra pay) to forefit their right to strike, though that may change
http://www.telegraph....-right-to-strike.html

Anyone who is unhappy with their terms and conditions at work has a right to strike, and that is proper. In the teachers case, many stand to lose a lot of money (the Government need that money because it gave all our money to bankers).
But the public sector pensions are a black hole and the problem should be tackled. Any new teachers should not be promised such a lucrative pension. Existing teacers should be offeted something in return for what they will lose in retirement.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

Interesting your Telegraph link:

/// Many officers believe they are entitled to the considerable perks available to them because they have forfeited the right to strike.///

Pray, what are the 'considerable perks' available to the military for forfeiting their right to strike?

[nicolab6]

I know this will be very unpopular, but "anyone who is unhappy with their terms and conditions has a right to...." go and get a job with Ts&Cs they are happy with. Yes you will struggle, but we all are, there's no special treatment, the economy is in a bad way because we've had too many years of people spending what they don't have.

[TWR]

Could this be connected to what has been said? a Supermarket in our town has started with the help of this new employment strategy ( volunteer) have workers working FOC on nights to see how the go on if there is a vacancy, would you call this " going back to the sweat shop days?

[B00]

No i don't bloody agree with it. I'm having to take a day's holiday from work thanks to this strike.

[smart1]

As someone who has worked in both the public and private sectors, can I just say that I was low-paid in both jobs. In the private sector, I could not affordto opt-in to the company pension scheme. My public sector pension is now being interfered with because the country is in trouble. As an individual, I don't see why after working for 42yrs that 'moving the goalposts' should be acceptable. If the government - despite the ecomomy, aren't made aware that people won't just lie down for this - will see this as carte blanche to continue eroding progress in this country, and regressing all but the rich to living like peasants in the Victorian era.

[emmie]

that was my first thought, that parents will have to stay home, or find a babysitter, or take the child to work, that won't happen im sure, but if its not just one borough, then mutiply that across the country, lots of angry parents and equally unhappy employers who find their staff can't come in because there is no one to look after children, Add that many companies won't pay you for that day, or take it as a days leave, lose, lose which ever way you look at. Its not as though teachers are underpaid.

[TWR]

Boo, a lot of people are going to unconvinced by this strike, do you not think that this government & especially Thatchers hopo are going to far? they are crippling people from all walks in life & it's becoming F--K you jack we are alright by the plonkers that are running this country.

[emmie]

who was it raided private pensions please tell me.

[emmie]

The print was so heavily unionised that once you had a job there, that was it, you never had to look for another, unless you wanted to, and those jobs when the man retired, and that wasn't 65, usually went to the son, and so forth, i knew guys who worked in the business, and it was a case of who you knew, not if you were suitable for the post, and when it came to the crunch, and they were told that changes had to be made or they would go bust, they were up in arms, but change it did, there was no choice. And quite frankly i am always amazed that anyone thinks no matter whether its public or private sector that anyone owes you a living or pension for life. Teachers can go on strike, so can anyone, but when the trains, schools, hospitals close, what then. We have been here before, the winter of discontent, and i don't think anyone would want to go through all that again.

[Kromovaracun]

"In the real world (that being the private sector) "

How is the public sector world less 'real' than the private sector one?