Are you striking? Do you believe in it?
I have taken the decision not to strike. So far havent had any hassle for my decision but am apprehensive about tomorrow, especially if i have to walk across a picket line. I know my partner got a lot of abuse when he worked through the royal mail strikes.

Being in the private sector which has already taken a hammering (lost pensions, pay cuts if not actual job losses) I shan't be striking.

> which has already taken a hammering (lost pensions

Yep - my OH 'retires' next week. Due to a previous employer going into liquidation after he had been there over 20 years, his occupational pension will be a tiny fraction of what he would have had had he continued his original career as a teacher :( No final salary scheme for him :(

The client I am working at will have a picket line but due to my daughters school being closed I will work from home. I would have gone through the picket line.

I am with JG I am afraid that people do not know how lucky they are and need to take a wider view we are all affected and so we all have had to or should be expected to in the future.

I agree with the others....& really do not think they should be striking, esp. in this current economic climate.
There are so many people in the private sector that have lost or have reduced pensions & unfortunately it seems to be a fairly common thing.
Personally i think they should count their blessings!

I won't be striking--I was made redundant :-)

But I am sympathetic to people who feel striking is the right action to take. I was shocked to hear government ministers saying yesterday that only 2% of pension funds are invested in capital growth and infrastructure projects and that there was capacity to greatly increase this to kick-start the economy. Given the controversy over PFI that sounds to me like playing roulette with people's earnings and future income--who would want to let that go unchallenged? I think this government has been very disrespectful of the good done by the vast majority of public sector workers and has actively encouraged scapegoating to justify monstrous cuts in services and jobs. I feel for people who will be most affected by the strike tomorrow, but this is one day in our lives against the livelihoods of others.

 

In my job, we've had pay freeze for last 3yrs, lost 25,000 across dept in job cuts and now they are asking us to work longer for less pension but yet pay more into our pension.  Yes, I'm striking. 

I don't like the way the government has used divide and conquer tactics during the run up to tomorrow.  e.g By no means are public sector pensions gold plated.  My (contributory) pension is projected to be just over £4k.  By no means are all private sector pensions poor -  If I had stayed in my previous private sector job (moved across the country so had to leave job) I would have got a much better (non contributory) pension.   If anyone should be getting questioned it should be the private sector companies who raided their pension schemes of millions but when faced with a shortfall, rather than replace the money they took out they simply closed the final salary scheme :-(  Or others who simply avoid having a decent pension scheme so as to make better profits.  It should not be a race to the bottom, everyone has a right to a decent pension and there should be much more legislation in place to ensure this happens and to protect accrued pension pots etc. 

The Hutton report on pensions concluded that there was not a need for further hikes in contributions to ps pensions and that, in fact, following the changes introduced a few years ago (e.g changing new entrants to career average and increasing contributions) the 'cost' of ps pensions would indeed start to fall in real terms.  The planned increases are simply an increase in tax on ps employees.

There has to be a time when enough is enough.  Yes people in all sectors are suffering but fortunately for the ps we are still unionised (a good thing most of the time) so we have a better opportunity to organise mass action to make our feelings known to those in power.

I will be working as my union is not involved however I do not know if we will be able to do our procedures as planned due to the lack of clinical support workers.
I am not sure what good it will all do. 
Fact is the pension burden is too great for this countries finances and something has to give.

I am striking and proud to be part of a union who is supporting its members.  The full facts and figures and reasons for strike are too much to go into here.  But believe me, a pension on the rubbish salary I am on would have been small before, now the government wants to reduce it further.  If private sector workers got their acts together and joined unions, they would have been in position to strike when their pension conditions were changed too, instead of moaning because the public sector are actually protesting about it.

I can't afford to lose a day's pay, but am prepared to do it.  I feel that if you are part of a union who has called for a strike you should do so.  What is the point of belonging to one if, when the crunch comes, you can't be bothered?

If you were unfairly dismissed, would you expect your colleagues to support you in action?  Rant over and good luck for anyone striking tomorrow.

Not all public sector unions are striking.  Mine isn't.  As for forcing private companies to support bigger pensions, many could not afford it and would just go out of business and then their employees will have no job let alone a pension.  I think people need to get a grasp on the fact we are facing a huge growth in our aged population amidst a recession to boot.
When a household budget is reduced to have to stop buying steak and get mince instead.  A countries budgets are no different.

>By no means are public sector pensions gold plated.  My (contributory) pension is projected to be just over £4k

Exactly the same as me.  It always amazes me that folk think I will get a huge pension because I'm a civil servant. My pension will not pay my standing orders, so I have no choice but to work past retirement age.

Having a pay freeze for so long has lowered my standard of living drastically, and I have worked full time for 48 years.

I think we ALL are paying for the greed/materialistic ideals that man in general has cherished so much.

Sadly we are ALL in the same boat regardless if we are in the public sector or the private sector.
We ALL are having to work for longer regardless of which sector we are working in.
(Personally I have to work an extra 8 years before I can retire now, something that does concern me
as both my parents were medically unfit for work before they reached the pensionable age now 60/65 and I'm
expected to work to 68 years old. Best I try and keep myself healthy eh! - lets hope genetically I don't follow my parents for health)

I have a pension and it's not a great one, my current pension pot is worth less than what I (and my employer) have paid into it so far.
It's not a final salary scheme. The gamble is will it come up in value before I retire.....none of us really know.
I am in the private sector so not striking..

Unfortunately the majority of us aren't in a position of control, for me I decided to pay into a pension as surely having a pension is better than having none whatsoever. Let's face it with the population ever increasing and also with us peeps living til we are much older through medical advances and advanced nutrition knowledge we are all placing a burden on the society expecting the free services
we have all become used to. But with so many claiming benefits (and some are definitely through no fault of their own) and so few (working) paying contributions in something has to give to balance those books. Whilst yes granted it is 'unfair' that those that went before had so much more sadly we just have to deal with it - you can't get blood out of a stone/magic funds from thin air if they aren't there. The only way that they could do something is to cut elsewhere.....and what would you feel happiest with being cut?

The thing is I don't think any one person has the right answer/solution that is palatable for all.
We ALL have to experience the hardships that are a result of basically mans greed in wanting/expecting more.
Only a very few won't experience true hardships and they are the very very rich....who can afford to keep the same standard of living
regardless of the current economic climate...but even they have been hit by the stock markets...do I feel sorry for them nope.

Do I believe in strikes...hmmm at the moment I think they are hurting the people that can ill afford unpaid days off work to look
after their children or elderly relatives because the public sector are striking.
If it continues long term I can see that those of us in the private sector that are trying desperately to keep heads above water becoming less sympathetic to their cause as our pensions won't get any better...fair? Sadly Life is never fair...

>We ALL have to experience the hardships that are a result of basically mans greed in wanting/expecting more.

*Like* Boxacrazy's post.

Fully support those going on strike.

Staff at our 'local' (20 miles away) hospital are not striking - what they are doing is donating a day's pay to charity. At least they are thinking of others :)

I'm not joining the picket line at work...As it happens I am not working today but if I was I would cross it head held high.
I work for the NHS my hubby is self employed, i can see both sides and consider myself lucky to be in the NHS scheme. As others have said time to sort out the situation with other pensions where large companies steal the pot and private pensions like my OH's where he has paid more in over the last 35 years than he will get back...yet again the big noises at the top never loose out and get million £ pay offs when they "retire". Just who's money are they playing with?
The country is in a poor state and other things are more important. Not least sorting out the EU regulations that only ever seem to affect the UK. Tougher MOT's I see now, what about some of the other counties who's cars are downright death traps...and as for the "human rights" that allow convicted terrorists to reside in UK...words fail me.
Aileen

> (Personally I have to work an extra 8 years before I can retire now, something that does concern me
> as both my parents were medically unfit for work before they reached the pensionable age now 60/65 and I'm
> expected to work to 68 years old.

Neither of my husbands parents lived to enjoy their pensions, his Dad died at 60 and Mum at just 61.  We both won't reach retirement age until 68.

My father brougtht up a large family as a self employed sole trader and doesn't have a state pension, living on Pension credit.

> Being in the private sector which has already taken a hammering (lost pensions, pay cuts if not actual job losses) I shan't be striking.

Amen to that!

M.

I often look at the state of our country these days and think that I am glad I will probably be dead in 20 years. I can't see anything improving soon

> ...As it happens I am not working today but if I was I would cross it head held high.
>

As it happened I did not have to as the handfull of strikers at our hospital could not be bothered to get out of bed and picket ahead of us all going in for our morning shifts and I don't start until 8am :-D

It was only last week that the TV new was reporting about fuel/pensioner poverty, and charities, etc were saying pensioners needed greater financial help - but when it comes to paying a decent pension that will hopefully take people out of poverty in the future, it is another matter.

I am in the public sector and will have to think twice about paying more into a pension scheme - if this means I have to claim Pansion Credit in 20 years time then so be it. At the present time I am more concerned with paying my mortgage and my food/fuel bills. Some private sector workers say we have an easy life and why should the subsidise our pension - but there are loads of things we pay for through taxes that I don't agree with. A Child Tax (as opposed to subsidising parents through Child Tax Credits) would raise billions for the Treasury and will be a "green" tax by helping reduce the population!!

I wish I earned the average income that was discussed today - in my large office, only the management team (8 people max) earn the amounts being discussed. Probably all the high earners are in Whitehall not on the frontline - and I do agree with reducing the number of "Sir Humphreys",

I managed to catch some of pm question time plus the statement from Francis Maud then the responses from the opposition.

Not surprising at all the continually lame responses from labour was quite enlightening. You can see who is pushing their buttons :-)

I also found it quite interesting that the teachers were the ones causing the most disruption but look at their salaries and pensions , ridiculous they are very well paid compared to alot of public sector workers.

As for the argument that the lowest majority of low paid workers were mentioned alot today. Now those low paid workers ate doing some very vital jobs but they are doing jobs that justify low wages because of the nature of the skills required. They do not therefore warrant higher pensions just because they were unable to invest in their future because they couldn't afford it. I as a tax payer will not agree to fund these people to gain that advantage. People in the private sector are in the same boat and are even in worse situations.

My 12 yo wasnt in school today, but I did have an IEP review with the student support worker (an individual education plan!!!) the Student support worker said that she has 400 children tio do the reviews on, and 10 today. if she didnt do them she said to me she would let the children down.
I went in and did the review. I am a Private sectopr worker in the minimum wage with no pension, and am please I am in a job as 1000's more are not. there is one thing if the company is making money hand over fist (As my partners company is doing and giving thier directors 17% pay rise but them pitance!!! even though the company is better off than they ever have been for the past 30 years but  are offering less than they have been!!!)
But for the gioverment, the country is in DEBT, how else are they going to get out of it????? Anyone like to tell us???? SPend our way out of it???? get more debt????? put more people on benefits??????  they have to make cuts. And I am one that has benfitted from the conservative goverment tax credits.........
MAybe it is a case of stop all pensions or the goverment go into the same way as greece is going.
I dont know the answer but know that I see again and again friends not able to get jobs or being made redundent. :( :( :(
Sorry for being tottally wrong in alot of peoples eyes, but I wish more people had a job.
The people that are striking, WHERE do you expect the money to come from????
Is it the goverment???? If so, what do you expect them to cut to pay you??????
I dont know I am just playing devils advocate and know I will make ALOT of enemies asking this.
Now going to click send and wate for the back lash xx

Lea :S :S

>Staff at our 'local' (20 miles away) hospital are not striking - what they are doing is donating a day's pay to charity. At least they are thinking of others :-)

I wish more had done that. My friend had her chemotherapy delayed because of the strike.

That is disgraceful as a union rep stated on the news last night that they said that would not happen.

It makes me so angry about how self centred and lemming like people are :-(

> It makes me so angry about how self centred and lemming like people are

There was a union rep on our local news programme this morning. She said that it was terrible that 'more money had been paid into the pension fund than was paid out' - she obviously doesn't even understand how pension funds work :( :( The money that is going in now has to fund the pensions of the people currently working. The old system of 'current' workers paying for the 'current' pensioners is partly what has caused the whole state sector pension mess :( :(

I agree Daisy.  Someone was interviewed on the news this evening talking saying it was "their" money and they want it.

Having said that I would not call people self centred for striking.  That is their perogative even though I think they have got it wrong :).  They will not get paid for the day after all.

The whole business is very sad and clearly quite devisive for the country at a time when we need to work together more than ever.

It shows how the unions are so outdated in both the way they represent people but also what they should be working towards. I wonder how much the union subscriptions are now and what they pay for :-)

> I wonder how much the union subscriptions are now and what they pay for 

Do (paid) union officials ever go on strike and lose pay ?? :) :)

My OH is in a rare position where he can compare roles within the public sector and private sector.   Without fail, his job  within the private provides a better pension, better salary and T&C.  However he chose to work within the public sector as he felt it was a more rewarding (not financially!) role.    He has already had his pension changed a few years ago(for the worse) - at the time he was assured it would be the last change necessary (hm, are they not saying that again this time....)  On top of years of below inflation pay increases/pay freeze. - enough is enough!  I'm sure if anyones employer tried that and they had the backup of a unionised workplace that they would be conducting industrial action as well.  The planned 3% increase in contributions is simply being ploughed back into funding the deficit - it is simply a 3% tax increase!     Public sector workers are not asking for more, they are simply asking for their contract of employment and t&c's to be honoured.  

I know there are a few people in my work who, if the increase goes through, are intending to withdraw from the scheme and will claim pension credits when the time comes to retire i.e the taxpayer at the time will have to supplement their income.

Perhaps it is time to look again at the whole pensions issue.  People get tax relief on their pensions contributions (thus costing the country in missed tax revenue) This tax relief is vastly more beneficial for higher rate tax payers who will stuff their pensions pots to the maximum permitted (I used to work in executive pensions.....a bit of an eye opener in how the other half live/earn!)  How about we just scrap the tax relief, at least for higher rate earners? 

> Are you striking? Do you believe in it?
> I have taken the decision not to strike. So far havent had any hassle for my decision but am apprehensive about tomorrow, especially if i have to walk across a picket line. I know my partner got a lot of abuse when he worked through the royal mail strikes.

And there are those who were so victimised for striking they have had to leave.Were was the union then? No where to be seen!

I wonder how much the union subscriptions are now and what they pay for

I was a member of Unison for many years and can tell you that subscriptions are based on earnings, so on a sliding scale those on minimum wage pay least, and those on the highest scale pay more. I think in 2007, before I was made redundant the first time, I was paying upwards of £25 a month on a salary of just over £40,000. I never needed to call on Unison for help, but I was glad to pay my way. As for what the subscription pays for, members get discounted services, representation in HR matters and the thing the government intends to end--national collective bargaining.

'like' Lea's post

>Do (paid) union officials ever go on strike and lose pay ??

As if!  It is probably one of the safest jobs in history lol.  There was an interview in my local paper a few days ago with the local paid union official from one of the big unions and he was ranting about fat cat salaries, those paid the least suffering the most and blah blah blah. It was at this point that the interviewer commented that paid union officials are paid in excess of £35K and the head of the union is on around £100K which definitely isn't an average wage and how about their pensions.

It fair put the union fella's gas at a peep!  The only retort he came back with was the the union members decide what is a fair salary for paid union employees.  In the days when I was in the union I don't ever remember being consulted about salaries of anyone.  My overarching memory is of them continually siphoning off money to support the labour party.

> It fair put the union fella's gas at a peep

:) If you do a Google search on Bob Crow of the RMT, you will find that he earns much in excess of £100k and lives in subsidised housing ............... worth a read :)

I am more concerned about my old age pension than my pension from working for the NHS.
When I left school at 16 and started paying tax and NI I expected to retire at 60 like all other women yet now I have to work another 7 years, and this may yet increase.
This country cannot continue to pay pensions, benefits etc and maintain the NHS. Something has to change.
The NHS was set up to look after the men coming back from the war, and their families. I believe child benefit was started to encourage people to have children after the war, to re-stock the country so to speak. Well, we are overflowing now !

I wonder what would happen if all benefits etc were stopped and we all had to get medical insurance. That would be something to strike about.

When the old age pension was introduced it was rare for people to live long enough to collect it; if it was being set up nowadays on the same basis then people would have to work till they were 80.

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">When the old age pension was introduced it was rare for people to live long enough to collect it; if it was being set up nowadays on the same basis then people would have to work till they were 80.

Very much depending on what part of the country you stay in.

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/population/deaths/life-expectancies/index.html

There are wards in Glasgow where the life expectancy of men is....63 :-( 

>Very much depending on what part of the country you stay in. There are wards in Glasgow where the life expectancy of men is....63

Still better than when the pension was introduced. In 1908, when the old age pension was introduced (originally at age 70 but later reduced to 65), average life expectancy was around 50.

My mum works at local hospital and has been full time for 10years so when she retires she gets 10 years towards her pension. She worked part time before that at the same hospital but part timersdid not get included in the pension scheme.

Why was she part time? She was looking after my Nanna who had had a stroke at the age of 63 and was then living in my mother's disability proofed house.The proofingpaidfor by selling my nanna's hard earned home How much did my mum get for looking after my nanna and not putting her in a fulltime nursinghome? Under £14 a week. How much did the nursing home cost? Over £600 a week. She went in the nursing home for 2 weeks whilst my mum had major surgery. She died in there as they were less than useless, she had lived with my mum for over 5 years.

My parents were not in a financial position to really look after her full timebut they did it and have been financially paying for it ever since.  The least they could do is give my poor overworked under paid mum a pension for the full 25 years she's worked there. She striked and I fully support her. My mum buys her own sellotape to use at work as they say they can't afford it. Yet all the managers have had new mercedes last year as company cars!! The money is there the distribution isn't!! The system is abused by those higher up who do not need over 50K a year as a manager.

> The least they could do is give my poor overworked under paid mum a pension for the full 25 years she's worked there.

But she has only contributed for 10 years.  I have worked part time for 22 years, ever since I qualified, and consequently my pension will reflect this but that is fair dinkum because I have also contributed less.
Who should pay for care is a seperate discussion all together :)  I'm afraid I am of the opinion that we are all responsible for ourselves and our families and if our assets are not used to pay for home alterations or care when we become old or ailing who does pay?  Other families working hard for their futures?

I do feel that the old age/care question needs a shake up but I don't pretend to know the answers :(
My grandmother worked at a mill until she was in her 60s. She lived a frugal life and would put her coat on rather than light the fire !
When she eventually went into sheltered housing in her 80s she was entitled to very little because she had savings (Not a fortune, but a few thousand) It seemed so unfair that those who had squandered every penny were then better off than her because of the amount that they could claim for various things.

But on the othe side this who squandered money I assume will also have earnt more money through working and so will have contributed more taxes :-)

> were then better off than her because of the amount that they could claim for various things.

Well, they were not better off as they did not have the savings that she had. 
If her savings became exhausted she would be entitled to the same but in the meantime she had the opportunity to spend a little more on herself if she wished.

As a teacher you just have to be a member of a union - particularly in these times where parents and kids alike have watched far too many 'no win, no fee' adverts and are convinced they can sue you for everything from - telling their child off to them failing their exams due to lack of effort.  I think I pay around £150 a year and this provides me with the all important legal cover and the assistance of my rep when HR pay me incorrectly again or the heating breaks in my building and there is ice on the inside of the windows and I'm expected to carry on working as normal. 

It is a 2 way street and as my union rep supports me and other staff in return we stand by the union.  I appreciate that as a teacher I am paid better than many of the carers and members of other public sector workers but we're all in it together and in order to keep the RIGHT people in these jobs they need to have some perks considering there's no huge bonuses on offer. 

I appreciate everyone has it hard at the moment and the private sector effectively pay our pensions but each sector has different benefits whether it be a company car, travel, discounts in shops etc., cash bonuses, a hamper at Christmas or job security and a pension.

I just think we really all find work longer, pay more, get less a little hard to swallow - even if it is reality.  I am 25 and doubt I'll ever see the money i've paid into my pension so far

> I am 25 and doubt I'll ever see the money i've paid into my pension so far

I don't see why not. I wll be drawing a (small) pension in 2015 that I paid into between 1975-1983 whilst working for a nationalised industry that has since been privatised. The pension is still there. I don't see any reason why yours won't be there when you retire.

I was shocked to hear, a few days ago, that a teacher on £32000 a year can expect a pension of £20000 - now I appreciate that this is probably someone who has worked for 40 years - but I have never heard of anyone getting a pension of 64% of their final salary :( This is far, far more than most people would dream of :(

One of my husband's pensions is estimated to pay out a wonderful £150 a year. We'll try not to fritter it away.

>I appreciate that as a teacher I am paid better than many of the carers and members of other public sector workers but we're all in it together and in order to keep the RIGHT people in these jobs they need to have some perks considering there's no huge bonuses on offer. 

I don't think public sector workers particulary appreciate being "all in it together" when they are the ones picking up the tab :)  Nor do many people receive perks and bonuses as you seem to think.

>I don't think public sector workers particulary appreciate being "all in it together" when they are the ones picking up the tab

We're all in it together, public and private sectors, and all 'picking up the tab'. It's just taken a little longer to reach the public sector, that's all.

> We're all in it together, public and private sectors, and all 'picking up the tab'. It's just taken a little longer to reach the public sector, that's all.

Sorry I mistyped and it ended up nonsense :)  I did mean private sector not feeling "all in it together"  as they are paying more but getting less.