Public Sector Pay Cuts

Originally Posted by Nelson

As far as I'm aware the police pension scheme isn't getting changed yet. There's loads of rumours going around, but nothing concrete. They've been talking about taxing commutations since the early 90's and still not done it yet. MBK and Shelly, have you got anything to document what you're saying, or you believing the scaremongering?

Traditionally the Tories have been good to the Police. I'll wait to see something concrete before I start to worry...

Well we were all pulled into a meeting by the Supt and he confirmed it was correct for us...!

Never heard anything about them actually taxing commutations though, just that they are putting up the contributions, which apparently they can do in the terms of the pension. I was meaning that I get less money than Shell because I am on the new pension scheme where I do the 35 yrs for less money...!

As I said before though, I don't mind the pay freeze or the jump in pension contributions (ours get thrown into the central pot) if it is gonna help us out of this mess. I firmly believe the public sector HAD to take this sacrifice becasue the private sector needs a break in order to allow struggling business etc get back onto their feet. If they had hit the public sector again then there would be more unemployment as more businesses folded thus driving us further into debt and recession.

[Sir Trev]

Originally Posted by G

The inhouse resources are largely incomptetent and work shy.

<snip>


Now this is one department in one local authority, I know they are not all the same and there will be some good ones. But I work with a lot, and the majority are like the above.

This is what I found as well. Lots of people moving paper about very inefficiently refusing to change their ways, as they knew damn well they would be down-sized or re-allocated to other duties. In my case the shop steward was one of the worst - she was never in the office as she was "off sick", but still managed to make the three day union conference... Her incompetency was legendary and she was constantly shunted off to other areas as none of the managers wanted her. She was under the impression that she was untouchable, was pompous to the extreme, hated us hard working private-sectorites who had been brought in as we showed her lot up, and as a consequence was one of the worst wastes of oxygen I have ever encountered.

I know it's not the same everywhere - please don't flame me!

[timwilky]

Getting in the neck just now from the harpy outside my office. What have the tories ever done, It is not fair that school building has to be cut back, not fair that public services should be cut etc.

Sorry it is not fair that somebody has spent the next 5 years tax revenue before it has even been collected.

Originally Posted by Sir Trev

I know it's not the same everywhere - please don't flame me!

Too right it's not. Here in Liverpool the team is committed and overstretched and there really isn't enough resource to go round. If they cut, well they will have to dump me first as I'm a contractor not an employee.

"2.04pm:
The home secretary Theresa May has said she is ready to discuss providing additional assistance if needed by Northumbria police."*

Bad luck Moat. If only you'd waited til October when all of those public servants in the police force who've invented jobs for themselves have been culled.

*taken from Guardian news blog

[Bri w]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

I firmly believe the public sector HAD to take this sacrifice becasue the private sector needs a break in order to allow struggling business etc get back onto their feet. If they had hit the public sector again then there would be more unemployment as more businesses folded thus driving us further into debt and recession.

100% agree with that. But if its tax the individual, and not the business...

Originally Posted by timwilky

Sorry it is not fair that somebody has spent the next 5 years tax revenue before it has even been collected.

It was so blatant in the last year that Gordy and crew were on a vote buying exercise. There was a bit of me praying they'd get back so they would have to reap what they'd sown. As it was an almost a win win for them. If they'd got back in they have achieved the vote buying exercise, and if they didn't it blows up in whoever got in power and makes them look like numpties.

We took a 20% cut last feb, admitantly we were only required to work 4 days a week but. In November we returned onto 5 days with no increase in pay. We were told it was either 20% pay cut or no job after a few months. No brainer really. Best of all considering the industry we were the lucky ones!
No sympathy to the public sector who havnt even felt it in their own pocket yet. Missowenski (teacher) complained now we've voted Tory she won't get a raise over the next few years! If looks could kill I tel ya, upset she's missing out on 2% more while I'm sat there with 20% less also having not had a raise in over 2 years.

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Well we were all pulled into a meeting by the Supt and he confirmed it was correct for us...!

Never heard anything about them actually taxing commutations though, just that they are putting up the contributions, which apparently they can do in the terms of the pension. I was meaning that I get less money than Shell because I am on the new pension scheme where I do the 35 yrs for less money...!

As I said before though, I don't mind the pay freeze or the jump in pension contributions (ours get thrown into the central pot) if it is gonna help us out of this mess. I firmly believe the public sector HAD to take this sacrifice becasue the private sector needs a break in order to allow struggling business etc get back onto their feet. If they had hit the public sector again then there would be more unemployment as more businesses folded thus driving us further into debt and recession.

Still never heard anything more of it. The federation reps are all saying that nothings been confirmed, unless your Super knows something that the federation doesn't!

I still don't believe it's fair to lump the emergency services in with the "public sector" as a whole. Yes, I agree we get good terms and conditions in comparisons, but we do a vastly different job in most respects, with little or no opportunity to kick up a fuss in the way of strikes or other action.

Originally Posted by Nelson

Still never heard anything more of it. The federation reps are all saying that nothings been confirmed, unless your Super knows something that the federation doesn't!

I still don't believe it's fair to lump the emergency services in with the "public sector" as a whole. Yes, I agree we get good terms and conditions in comparisons, but we do a vastly different job in most respects, with little or no opportunity to kick up a fuss in the way of strikes or other action.

Think I will listen to my supt thanks.

[yorkie_chris]

I can only speak from my own very brief experience with the machinery of local government when I used to attend the calderdale youth parliament.

Lots of well paid people forming chains-of-command to nowhere, for the most part self important idiots, splurging cash on pointless conferences and trying to justify their own existence while building little empires.

From someone basically brought up in my Dad's business to say I was unimpressed by the whole culture of the "organisation" is a great understatement.


They've got an axe to swing, I urge them to make sure it's sharp!

Originally Posted by Bri w

But we can't have it both ways, i.e. the Govt rides in and saves the world won't come as a freebie. We've got to pay for that recovery.

You've got an unnatural situation which must be resolved, there's a lot of people in expensive positions adding no value to GB... they've got to go.

Originally Posted by maviczap

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

If there's one thing that's money against a wall it's new school buildings to replace the "crappy old ones" that end up working worse than the old ones. Saw all that at my old school (the caretakers were mates of mine). Complete farce, the "upgrades" were worse than what was already there.

Originally Posted by eviltwin

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...

Unemployment benefits will be cheaper than what they currently draw out of the public pocket. I'm not sure 1 million across the whole nation will have such a great effect on private business.

There is only the illusion that the sides are inextricably linked because the current public sector is so bloated.