Public Sector Pay Cuts

If somebody isn't happy with their pay and conditions why not just look for another job. I am sure that another person will consider stepping into the gap left.
Public sector employment is fairly well of compared to private sector taking into consideration all the extra benefits that go with most jobs.
Jeez with the unemployment and redundancies flying about in the present financial crisis having a job is a plus
The country is skint and you can't have what we haven't got
Welcome to the REAL world

[Bri w]

At the risk of upsetting some I'm with Sir Trev & Dicky Ticker. The Private Sector has had two difficult years and is still taking a battering. Three and four day working weeks, pay cuts/freezes and pension funds that have been raped by Gordon Brown's tax on those funds, and don't forget they will be taxed again when drawn.

I don't wish cuts on anyone, and I do agree that proportional cuts across the whole spectrum would be fairer from the top down but not getting cut is naive. However, as I said earlier in the thread I'd rather see no cuts and income tax rises. Increases in income tax will hit everyone, and the more you earn the more you pay. By all means exclude those on or about the minimum wage. And at least with income tax you won't hit those on benefits.

[timwilky]

Agghhh no rise in income tax, I already pay more than my fair share. All tax should be equal. In my utopia a man is judged and charged for who he is, not what he has.

[Viney]

I havet read the whole thread, but the ting that made me laugh is that they said 'There will be a 3 year pay freeze' So! i havent had a pay rise for 3 years, and wont be getting one this year either.

However, to the OP, thats rubbish, and i am sure that can't be done.

[Bri w]

Originally Posted by timwilky

Agghhh no rise in income tax, I already pay more than my fair share. All tax should be equal. In my utopia a man is judged and charged for who he is, not what he has.

Spoken like a true Yorkshireman.

Totally agree with your sentiment Tim but these a harsh times, and harsh action is needed to resolve them.

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by timwilky

Agghhh no rise in income tax, I already pay more than my fair share. All tax should be equal. In my utopia a man is judged and charged for who he is, not what he has.

Sorry Tim, but they can only do so much with cutting budgets & pay. Taxes will rise that's for certain, even if its not income tax.

There' been a lot of discussion about pay, fair enough, thats what the original post was about. On our local news, the union have told thier members not to sign this new pay contract, as Northampton council did not consult the unions. Seems like they were trying to bully it through?

25% is a lot of wedge for anyone from their salary, especially those on the lower pay scale. It may be better for them to go on job seekers allowance.

How about a 25% increase in council tax, that wouldn't be popular would it, although cutting public sector pay is?

Cutting pay is one thing, but more cuts to other areas are already starting.

No school building now, so my kids still have to be taught in carpy old buildings that haven't changed much since they were built in the 50s & 60's

How long before we all start winging that there's no police about, because there's no budget to pay them. Roads aren't repaired because there's no budget. Council tax will rise thats for certain, otherwise esential services will be cut.

What bugs me, is that certain budgets have been 'ring fenced' like the overseas aid budget. WTF

Look after our own first

Do we really need Trident nuclear weapons? Buy the army more helicopters & bomb proof vehicles and give my kids decent schools to work in. Not nuclear warheads

Originally Posted by Bri w

The Private Sector has had two difficult years and is still taking a battering.

Those working across certain public sector departments have gone through cuts and redundancy rounds that started a lot longer ago than the last two years, long before the recession kicked in.

I wonder why people seem so anti a healthy, strong public sector. Both sides of the economy, public and private are linked. One example: Over 700 school construction projects canned - that's a massive loss to private industry and might put me out of my (private sector) job.

Also, looking at ground level, soon there'll possibly be up to 1 million public sector workers that would spend their wage in the local private economy, instead, potentially drawing unemployment benefit.

Both sides of the divide are inextricably linked...as the guys at local authorities who took the decision to put council reserves in Icelandic banks will testify.

Oh, and for good measure, do I hear the early rumblings from Maude, my diligent local MP, of removing the right to withdraw labour...

[Bri w]

Originally Posted by eviltwin

Those working across certain public sector departments have gone through cuts and redundancy rounds that started a lot longer ago than the last two years, long before the recession kicked in.


I wonder why people seem so anti a healthy, strong public sector. Both sides of the economy, public and private are linked. One example: Over 700 school construction projects canned - that's a massive loss to private industry and might put me out of my (private sector) job.

Also, looking at ground level, soon there'll possibly be up to 1 million public sector workers that would spend their wage in the local private economy, instead, potentially drawing unemployment benefit.

Both sides of the divide are inextricably linked...as the guys at local authorities who took the decision to put council reserves in Icelandic banks will testify.

Oh, and for good measure, do I hear the early rumblings from Maude, my diligent local MP, of removing the right to withdraw labour...

I don't agree with strikes. Been there, been on strike. The Company suffered, and it took years for my savings to return to where they had been.

To be blunt, if you don't like the direction of a Company, go and work somewhere else.

Put another way, if you owned a Company, or managed a Company and you knew that certains actions were needed to protect that Company but some of your employees were fighting you what would you do? Now you can either let the workers manage it, and see it go down the pan, or you can make unpalatable decisions that protect the majority. Now swap Country for Company.

Originally Posted by Bri w

To be blunt, if you don't like the direction of a Company, go and work somewhere else.

As an aside, Tebbit lived two doors down from my old office.

[timwilky]

I agree, if you do not like the direction a companies management takes, leave.

I am from a family where I am the only wage slave. My father formed 4 different businesses, my twin brother, and two younger brothers also run their own businesses. They all would be most upset if an employee said "No, you must run your company at a loss" if the business was not earning enough to pay the wage bill. They would all never consider employing people for who there was no work. I see no difference in public sector.

I have been "On Strike" back in the early 80s when I had to suspend a guy for refusing to do "Blacked" labour. My own union then went out in support of the guys union and for a month we all lived on savings. Nobody won. It was an orchestrated strike for political purposes. After the event both me and the guy knew we had been used. From that point however, I resigned from the union. Whilst I support peoples rights to be members, I view them as subversive and not necessarily in the interest of the members but for the greater glory of the officials