I'd like to pose a question to those of you on here who support tomorrow's strike, especially Grimley. If workers are so upset about pension cuts and pay etc then why did only 1 in 3 Unison members bother to vote in the ballot? This was highlighted by a Minister I saw on the news today. As he said, fewer than a quarter of the membership voted in favour of striking. You'd think more would have voted wouldn't you.

 

So, we should just declare ALL elections null and void if less than 50% vote...? Right, well, that means we'd have to recall all our MEPs, probably get rid of most of the Councillors in the country as well.... Prat.... :rolleyes:

 

The "minister" can f'uck off, David Sca-Moron didn't get voted on anything LIKE a majority either... People living in glass houses, and all that......

 

And I tell you something else, this has become about a hell of a lot more than just public sector pensions.. George Osborne's "autumn statement" is a declaration of war on all of us who hold our public services in some kind of value.. Yeah, this IS ideological, you better believe it... It's Class Struggle, and I think we should stop being so fukkin' apathetic and lame, and actually realise that they're out to get a lot more than just the public sector pensions here... What the hell do you think is gonna happen to public services when almost three quarters of a million people are laid off... They will be totally FUBAR-ed.... These scum-bags said there would be no cuts to frontline services, and people were actually idiot enough to believe them......

 

This is about the Pensioners, it's about the workers, it's about the NHS, it's about the students, it's about the teachers, the doctors, the nurses, the police, the armed forces, the disabled, etc, etc..... I'm not even a member of any of these unions, but I'm savvy enough to see that this shite wont end with public sector workers' pensions.... Actually stand up for something for once in your miserable fukkin' life Chris.... Or maybe you actually want to have your benefits taken away..... -_-

I actually agree with a lot of what you say (although naturally I'm slightly more optimistic about the Labour leadership :P), all three parties are lacking that spark or influential figure who can be a real game changer and I think the whole political landscape is going to be quite scrappy until there's someone who's that bit different. Th*tcher may have been awful but she was something new and people responded accordingly. Blair wasn't as revolutionary policy-wise but the fact that we have three men in their early forties who are supposed to be "good on TV" leading our three major parties is his legacy. I don't know where the next game-changer is going to come from.

Very true. Cameron wasn't the favourite at the start of the election but became the favourite after one speech. In the Lib Dem leadership election following Ming Campbell's resignation (itself more the result of "image" rather than capability) many members would have preferred Chris Huhne on pure policy grounds. However, to describe him as an uninspiring speaker is being kind to him. So some members voted for Clegg as someone who is "good on telly" instead and he won by about 500 votes.

Actually stand up for something for once in your miserable fukkin' life Chris.... Or maybe you actually want to have your benefits taken away..... -_-

Don't you suspect that that may be just the impetus he needs? :D

Don't you suspect that that may be just the impetus he needs? :D

 

So how do you suggest I stand up to the Government Scott? Can't strike can I or go on a picket line?

So how do you suggest I stand up to the Government Scott? Can't strike can I or go on a picket line?

 

Are you deliberately just being fukkin' dense Chris, or did you just not bother to read my post... Did I not just state that I'm not a member of the union, but I'm lending my support anyway....? Did you even bother to go out on the disabled cuts demo earlier this year...? I bet you didn't.... -_-

 

You dont have to be a member of the union to join the strike... Just a concerned and un-apathetic citizen....

 

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook last night. I felt the need to disseminate it, because I think that some myths need to be dispelled....

 

Whilst blasting through the streets tomorrow & shouting to deaf ears, here is at least a list of myths to be killed off:

 

Myth 1: ‘the pension adjustment is needed due to our aging population’ =

these pensions were adjusted 3 years back to take into account the aging problem. At which point both parties were satisfied with the deal & the government promised the pensions wouldn’t be further adjusted for a generation (60 years, if I recall correct). Not only have they simply & casually broken this promise, but the treasury has even openly admitted that they need this money for the deficit.

 

Myth 2: ‘there isn’t enough money to pay these pensions out’ = the LGPS is currently among the largest in the world & not only deemed in full health but is in fact even in excess. In short: even if contributions stopped today, it could keep paying out for the next 20 years. Some of the side pensions are experiencing a deficit currently, but they argue this is normal in the ups & downs of the life span of pensions - & that long term they are fully viable as they are.

 

Myth 3: ‘I don’t want my tax money to pay for others pensions’ = hello? everyone pays for everyone else's pensions! Every earning person (private & council) pays tax/NI contributions that goes towards the State Pension fund. So as much as a fragment of your earnings may go to local council pensions, every council worker are working & paying towards your pension too ~ ok? I might pay for schooling albeit not having a child of my own. Or pay for healthcare, albeit remaining healthy for life. This is what we have been doing for decades already without a problem & if you want to take away your tax contribution towards my pension (indirectly as it may be) then I'd like to take back my tax contribution towards the State Pension you will need later in life. Does that make you feel better?

 

Myth 4: ‘Council workers are spoiled’ = most council workers I know are genuinely shocked & appalled so many people have lost their private pensions. Many of them are married to partners working in the private sector. This fight is NOT us saying ‘we deserve it & you didn’t’. Quite the contrary – unless we can fight & keep our pensions, & this country can be redirected back, we'll *all* loose even more rights. This strike is not only about the pensions; it’s about all the changes the government have imposed on us. And further changes WILL keep rolling in, unless We seriously do our best to halt this progress now. I have signed more petitions than I can count & have demonstrated twice already – if you find me spoiled, where were you?

 

Reality 1: if council workers do end up paying for the deficit from their pensions we are in fact ending up paying twice compared to others. Not only would we pay through our taxes, we would also pay through our pensions. This whilst having had years of pay freeze, a constantly increasing work load & face regular redundancies. We have been black painted by the government for doing jobs which they themselves have hired us to do - & which we do in service for this country to the best of our ability. We don’t live luxury lives, we live normal lives. We nurse you, your children, your benefits, your support services. Sometimes we fail you, because the regulations are set by others than us; the work is coming in too fast & being poorly distributed; the mighty above us move us around with no real regard for the reality on the ground. Often we take abuse from people who believe we are in a position to make their life better, when we are not – we are merely middle hands/workers. But we try to do a good decent job. And to help.

 

Reality 2: if council workers’ pensions fund are ‘bled’ now to make up the deficit, with no signs of this government intending to get our money back from the banks or unpaid tax from the corporations, it is effectively a new pouring of money into a bottomless Black Hole... It will vanish without ever getting compensated. That means, when we reach 65 we’ll all be in the same boat: needing State Pension. So to wish to see us deprived of our pensions today is in effect to say to yourself that you want us all in the same pool as you, fighting for a state pension in 25-30 years time. Does that really make you feel more secure in gaining your state pension?? To keep this pool of money protected is in your interest – it’s not for the itchy fingers of the Government to gamble with; it’s peoples' own set aside savings. Our joint future as we will all face retirement in a few decades.

 

Correct....

And here we have the final proof of the Government's claims that "things are still being negotiated" is an absolute bunch of crap, and the Unions were right all along....

 

Government to impose pension reform

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-...rm-6278010.html

 

The Government today confirmed it was pressing ahead with raising pension contributions next year for teachers and civil servants even though there is no agreement with unions.

 

Up to two million public sector workers went on strike last month in protest at the controversial pension changes, and intensive talks have since been held to try to break the deadlocked row.

 

The Education Department and the Cabinet Office today announced that changes from next year would go ahead, although further talks will be held about future arrangements.

 

Unions attacked the announcement, saying increased contributions were being imposed without agreement.

 

Most teachers will contribute more under the changes, which ministers said were part of the Government's long-term reforms to control the increased costs of people living longer and to "re-balance" the contributions paid by scheme members and taxpayers.

 

The changes, which will save £314 million from the teachers pension scheme next year (2012-13), are part of the wider £2.8 billion savings from public sector pensions by 2014-15 which the Chancellor announced in last year's Spending Review, which will see public sector workers pay an average contribution rise of 3.2%.

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So, Francis Maude and his side-kick Danny "Beaker" Alexander can go f**k themselves.. Time for a General strike.. One out. ALL OUT....