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The UK Strike


Frederick

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In fairness and I did see JC on The One Show, he said that the strike was a good idea and there had been a lot of positives on Wednesday. And then he said, this is the BBC so all points of view should be aired and then he said that all strikers should be shot.

 

Frankly anyone who took it other than it was ie the bloody press then it is a great shame. I wasn't offended. It was JC, one expects some sort of irreverent comment or verbal diahorrea, that is how he makes a living.

 

So gaffe certainly not. He was invited and they knew who they were inviting.

 

Someone line the press up and shoot them please, well the journalists who make something out of nothing  AT ALL!!

 

I am angry about this to be honest, really really angry now, about press stupidity.

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They had a teacher and a nurse on R2 Jeremy Vine show. The nurse was on £40k a year and the teacher said she was on £14k a year although strangely I see the the lowest scale teacher seems to be on around £21.5k per year (source). The real point of the 'chat' was to show that there is now a big public and private difference in pensions with private sector workers being worse off. As JV pointed out you will be very lucky to find any private sector pension which is now final salary linked unlike the public sector. He also said that private pensions were much lower in general than public sector ones. This was confirmed by those phoning in and having a go at the two guests.

Of course the guests pointed at the 'fat cat' pensions that directors receive saying it was unfair. Of course these 'fat cats' are in senior positions and as pensions are linked to salaries (I.e. the more you earn the more you pay in) and given the responsibility that these people have it's normal. Yes they do get bonus's, mainly in the form of shares, but these are performance related, if they perform badly the company suffers and the shares reduce in value. What really got my goat was the nurse who said she felt sorry for private sector workers and their poor pensions and that of course they supported the private sector workers and hoped that their action would lead to more balance pensions across the sectors. Well excuse me I don't remember ever seeing any support from the public sectors when Brown screwed the private sector pensions.

I liked the nurse's comment about she was in the same boat as the mothers phoning in because they have to stay at home, using their holiday entitlement, to look after the kids as the schools were closed as her kids school was also closed and even worse she was loosing a day pay! Did she leave her kids 'home alone' to attend the interview?

Also, when the public sector workers talk about 'fat cats' they might like to consider that Prentis (General secretary of UNISON) is on a salary of £92,688 (2009/10) and had further benefits in the form of expenses and pension rights of £127,436 (again 2009/10). UNISON said, and I quote, "Our members know what he earns and he was just re-elected as general secretary so they have confidence in him. It’s an important job, we need to have somebody at the top of his game and the best for our members, and that’s what Dave Prentis does.” Isn't that just the same sort of response that the companies give when questioned about their 'fat cats'?

Seems to me these people are just as bigger hypocrites as those allegedly in the private sector.

As for JC's comments, well we all know what he is like and it's the BBC's fault for asking him because they know he will come out with something like this even if he does say it as a joke (although some might agree with him, not me I should add).

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Did any one see Newsnight ? A Union leader, who has not attended the talks, only sending his deputy, called Francis Maude a liar to his face. Then Francis Maude questioned the Unions own pension scheme for its employees and it got heated again, the Union leader was very personal and insulting and there by lost the argument in my book......
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[quote user="Quillan"]They had a teacher and a nurse on R2 Jeremy Vine show. [/quote]

Jeremy Vine is the radio equivalent of the Daily wail. only selected comment is put on air.

What I find strange is the way the frightened media post phone scandal are painting a picture of how bad the public sector are but it seems to be on the basis that the private sector has been screwed so now it's your turn so accept it.

Maggie allowed Co pension funds to be raided so schemes with big surplus's like BT now have a massive deficit. Gordon followed on by taxing the pension funds.  When I worked in the industry I had a good idea of what various people in many industries earn and I am reasonably sure the £40,000 nurse must have been a staff nurse or above and they do put in a lot of hours to earn it. Back to my point that people don't want everyone on parity for earnings or pension as to be deemed well off in either you must have more than others so doing others down is just part of the process.

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[quote user="Théière"]

[quote user="Quillan"]They had a teacher and a nurse on R2 Jeremy Vine show. [/quote]

Jeremy Vine is the radio equivalent of the Daily wail. only selected comment is put on air.

[/quote]

So how do they selectively edit a live show with live people calling in then? Please don't say it pre recorded because it isn't because of the comments made by the callers that were only relevant to the day and the time unless the BBC has crystal balls of course.

As a general comment it seems it's OK for the public sector to have a go at the private sector but when they bite back it's unfair. As too nurses putting in a lot of hours, well is that different to the private sector, are you saying that private sector workers are lazy by comparison?

As to the nurse in the program I seem to remember that she was working outside London. The median payment for nurses in 2011 is £44k+.

I can remember over twelve years ago walking in to the wrong canteen in our local hospital. At the door going in was the pay scales and salaries and too be honest I though that whilst not outstand they were not bad, certainly a lot more than some jobs.

Where were the unions then when Thatcher and Brown raided the pensions then?

Sorry but I have absolutely no sympathy for public sector workers taking this action at the moment and put them in the same boat as the BA cabin crew when they were on strike. I'm just glad I no longer pay tax in the UK.

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[quote user="Quillan"][quote user="Théière"]

[quote user="Quillan"]They had a teacher and a nurse on R2 Jeremy Vine show. [/quote]

Jeremy Vine is the radio equivalent of the Daily wail. only selected comment is put on air.

[/quote]

So how do they selectively edit a live show with live people calling in then? Only certain callers are put through thus the debate can be steered.

Where were the unions then when Thatcher and Brown raided the pensions then? Good question, Maggie, well we know what she did to the unions, Gordon, I still wonder how he got away with it

Sorry but I have absolutely no sympathy for public sector workers taking this action at the moment and put them in the same boat as the BA cabin crew when they were on strike. I'm just glad I no longer pay tax in the UK.

There was avery good point made, I think it was one of the Dragons. If I paid you 24000 this year you believe your worth that after a week so I'll have to pay you more. Income for some jobs is well out of kilter for what people do. Adjustments would be harsh but for some but maybe necessary, footballers top that list in my book, property management agents are not far behind but that's just me [:)]

[/quote]
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There were four passport check lanes open yesterday in Portsmouth, for one ferry arrival that was near-empty of passengers (plenty of freight, but they have different arrival arrangements). We have never got off the ship and out of the port more quickly.

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I have worked in both the private and public sector.

In the Private Sector I remember working bl--dy hard to get good results, but being rewarded on top of my salary/commission with financial bonuses’ or ‘Employee of the Month’ goodies like a Ferrari for the weekend or luxury hotel breaks, etc. Did I stop to consider the plight of the lower paid Public Sector in Maggies ‘Golden Days’ – did I hell!

Serving some years later in the Public Sector, I also worked dam’n hard with long hours and also got good results. Did I receive a bonus or any extra ‘bunts’? No, not a penny. But I carried on doing a worthwhile job that – although moderately paid – came with the contractual agreement of a decent pension at the end of my working life

Re last Wednesday’s strike, consider this: Francis Maude's publicly funded pension is £43,825 a year with a pot of £731,883 David Cameron's publicly funded pension is £32,978 a year with a pot of £550,725 George Osborne's publicly funded pension is £32,978 a year with a pot of £550,725 Nick Cleggs's publicly funded pension is £28,404 a year with a pot of £440,000 Eric Pickles' publicly funded pension is £43,825 a year with a pot of £731,883 Vince Cable's publicly funded pension is £39,551 a year with a pot of £660,507 Andrew Lansley's publicly funded pension is £39,551 a year with a pot of £660,507 Danny Alexander's publicly funded pension is £26,404 a year with pot of £440,942.

The average public sector ‘Gold Plated Pension’ pension is around £4,000 a year.

All In This Together?!?!? I think not!

Of course there are people on ‘cushy’ jobs in both sectors. But the majority of workers – both private and public - are hard working ordinary folk who just want to be treated fairly.

There should be decent, fair pensions for all. Not just for Bankers, CEO’s or Civil Service /Town Hall bosses. (Or MP’s!!)

I know many people like to bash the unions, but think on this. We can thank the unions for weekends off, eight-hour working days, maternity leave, retirement ages, occupational health and safety, workplace pensions, paid holidays, equality laws, the right not to be sacked because you got married, had a baby, or became ill, pay increases, the minimum wage. No wonder the current Government is attempting to convince you they're evil!

And if you think I’m in a public sector job for life – wrong! After more than twenty years working in a job that had a direct impact on the security of the community, I was made redundant last summer!

We all make career choices - right or wrong.

Rant over!

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 Well just for the sake of balance I heard about an RAF officer about to retire £100,000 lump sum and £32,000 a year !

Only yesterday I saw politicians from opposite sides agree that MPs salaries would have to be altered too......

 Both the lower paid and those due to retire in the next 10years are immune from the changes, but if they don't like them  perhaps they should just opt out, easy......[:)]

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Pots what the hell are these pots. I'd get rid of them tout de suite. Makes no sense to me that any pension fund would pay out huge amounts, they gamble on the duration of the life of a person, so why would they pay in advance, the person could be dead the next day.

You all may understand this, but this person does not, I have enough common sense to know that this is plain stupid and I'm really not interested in any explanation as to why anyone deserves fortunes as lump sum payments AND not pay tax on it. For goodness sake my Dad pays tax on his £500 a month private pension, there is something wrong, really really wrong with the whole caboodle.

That's from me who said that the property prices were looney and unsustainable. Either I am mad and all the world is sane, or everyone else just about is off their rockers and in greed zone that is beyond me.

 

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