The British economy needs to brace itself for a prolonged period of industrial strife, the like of which has not been seen for 30 years, the country's top union leaders have told The Observer.

 

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber warned: 'We are heading for a very difficult period. I think we are going to see more disputes, certainly in the public sector.' Detailed discussions on the balloting of 280,000 PCS civil servant members are to begin this week. A series of 'imaginative' linked one-day strikes is planned.

 

GMB leaders have told The Observer that their members are 'mutinous', and there is serious concern that the 1.3 million NHS workers who have just agreed a three-year pay deal with the government could re-open negotiations. Unison said the 2.5 per cent pay deal previously agreed included a 're-opener' clause if inflation kept rising.

 

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, told The Observer: 'If inflation continues to spiral we will re-open negotiations. If the government refuses to renegotiate the agreement we would have no alternative but to ballot our members.'

 

The TUC's Barber added: 'At a time of high and rising inflation the emphasis must be on [protecting] the low and medium earners. It's not pay that's been driving inflation. It's been commodity prices. It ought to be possible to prioritise the living standards of lower earners.'

 

And in a final assault, Barber said: 'It would be a help if government directed its attention to the highest earners, who continue to look after themselves.'

 

His comments come as momentum builds towards a fresh wave of strikes in the public sector. This week, unions will meet senior Labour figures to impress upon them the need for workplace reform as part of a fourth Labour government. Included on the unions' wish list are compulsory audits by companies to ensure equal pay for male and female workers. Unions also want reform of labour laws, making it easier to stage industrial action, more generous pensions and a higher statutory minimum redundancy payout.

 

But employers have expressed concerns about wage demands and the implications of the legal changes being pushed. David Yeandle, deputy director of employment policy at manufacturing trade body the EEF, says: 'Our members are just as concerned about what pressure unions are going to put on the government to change the labour laws. The changes would have big financial implications.'

 

Source: The Observer

 

But with food prices increasing by 7%+, heating bills up by 30%, and likely to go up again later this year, mortgages staying high, petrol prices going through the roof, can anyone blame them for protected their living standards?

But with food prices increasing by 7%+, heating bills up by 30%, and likely to go up again later this year, mortgages staying high, petrol prices going through the roof, can anyone blame them for protected their living standards?

 

Precisely... This and the fact that the bosses, MPs and greedy fat-cats are routinely awarding themselves huge, inflation-busting pay-rises and expect the workers of this country to make do with actually LOSING money in real terms, is a bit fukkin' rich.... <_<

 

Frankly, I'm all for a General Strike... Every ordinary worker in the land, be it cashier, bank clerk, office worker, nurse, fireman or teacher, should just walk out, even if just for a day. Let's see how these w/ankers manage the economy without our labour and toil......

I work in the public sector. I'm getting a 0% increase this year. But fear not. I get a 1% increase in 2009! Yipee!!!! :yahoo:

 

 

:arrr: :arrr: :arrr: :arrr: :arrr:

 

Precisely... This and the fact that the bosses, MPs and greedy fat-cats are routinely awarding themselves huge, inflation-busting pay-rises and expect the workers of this country to make do with actually LOSING money in real terms, is a bit fukkin' rich.... <_<

 

Frankly, I'm all for a General Strike... Every ordinary worker in the land, be it cashier, bank clerk, office worker, nurse, fireman or teacher, should just walk out, even if just for a day. Let's see how these w/ankers manage the economy without our labour and toil......

 

and just how would a general strike work?...

 

the worse thing to do in this situation is to strike for more money. that is not the way to curb inflation...it fuels it and then youre back to square one.

 

when times get tight you HAVE to tighten your belts and take it on the chin. i cant afford a holiday this year... much though i wanted one... tough.

 

theres no law, no dictat, no promise, that says that everyones ENTITLED to a year on year rise in the standard of living.

I work in the public sector. I'm getting a 0% increase this year. But fear not. I get a 1% increase in 2009! Yipee!!!! :yahoo:

:arrr: :arrr: :arrr: :arrr: :arrr:

 

if i want a pay rise...i have to do more work. i dont get paid holiday, i dont get sick pay... workers in this country have never had it so good.

and just how would a general strike work?...

 

the worse thing to do in this situation is to strike for more money. that is not the way to curb inflation...it fuels it and then youre back to square one.

 

when times get tight you HAVE to tighten your belts and take it on the chin. i cant afford a holiday this year... much though i wanted one... tough.

 

Fine, fair enough... So, that rule should apply DOUBLY to the fukkin bosses then, and MPs and these b'astard fat cats who award themselves huge bonuses... Workers should just "take in on the chin" while these greedy c;unts cream off the top???? As my Geordie mate would say.... Awa' and sh!te man.....

workers in this country have never had it so good.

 

You're as big an idiot as Craig with that statement..... ESPECIALLY seeing as how Gordon fukkin; Broon took away the 10p rate of tax for the poorest workers......

 

 

Fine, fair enough... So, that rule should apply DOUBLY to the fukkin bosses then, and MPs and these b'astard fat cats who award themselves huge bonuses... Workers should just "take in on the chin" while these greedy c;unts cream off the top???? As my Geordie mate would say.... Awa' and sh!te man.....

 

totally agreed.... one rule for all...

You're as big an idiot as Craig with that statement..... ESPECIALLY seeing as how Gordon fukkin; Broon took away the 10p rate of tax for the poorest workers......

 

.... bareing in mind it was brown who implemented it in the first place,, but never mind, the standard of living is still the highest its ever been across the board. so yes, things are getting tight, prices are going up, so we need to tighten our belts and ride it, fueling inflation would be stupid.

totally agreed.... one rule for all...

 

But that AINT what's happening though mate. So, how can workers be expected to just lie back and take it while these others are just feathering their own nests...? They're certainly not taking into account the fragile state of the economy, they're just being greedy..... If the bosses. MPs, etc, led by example, then I reckon much of this industrial action would not be taking place... It's like the Orwellian saying - "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others...."

fueling inflation would be stupid.

 

Tell that to the Fat Cats and the MPs mate, NOT the ordinary workers.... There is really no reason on earth for the likes of Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco, etc not to be able to pay people a decent living wage.....

 

Tell that to the Fat Cats and the MPs mate, NOT the ordinary workers.... There is really no reason on earth for the likes of Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco, etc not to be able to pay people a decent living wage.....

 

im in agreement. but striking isnt the answer... striking for more money that is.

if i want a pay rise...i have to do more work. i dont get paid holiday, i dont get sick pay... workers in this country have never had it so good.

 

I'd better work harder then. Maybe I should do nights? OK, the Office is closed but still.... Yes, I get paid holidays. I get paid sick leave too. Or I would if I'd had any days off sick in the past 4 years. I work on average 44 hours a week (excluding lunch breaks). Plus I work from home most nights and some weekends (unpaid). I have a Uni Degree and 22 years experience. I earn £23,000. That is the maximum pay scale for my grade. I've had below inflation pay rises for more years than I can remember. I'm in charge of 15 people.

 

When I started in the Civil Service all those years ago my wage was on a par with similarly qualified people in the private sector and indeed was higher than same grade Local Authority staff. Over the past few years my wage has lagged so far behind it's unbelievable. And this year to be 'offered' a 0% wage increase when the cost of living is rocketing is the final insult.

 

Do I feel like I've never had it so good? Do I f*ck. I've never been so angry in my whole working life. I'm just holding out for some kind of redundancy package and then I'm out of that hell-hole. I'll get a job as a Tanker Driver instead. ;)

 

Still, on the plus side I earn more than about 98% of the 500 odd people in my Office. Most of those poor sods are on about £15,000 or less. <_<

 

I'd better work harder then. Maybe I should do nights? OK, the Office is closed but still.... Yes, I get paid holidays. I get paid sick leave too. Or I would if I'd had any days off sick in the past 4 years. I work on average 44 hours a week (excluding lunch breaks). Plus I work from home most nights and some weekends (unpaid). I have a Uni Degree and 22 years experience. I earn £23,000. That is the maximum pay scale for my grade. I've had below inflation pay rises for more years than I can remember. I'm in charge of 15 people.

 

When I started in the Civil Service all those years ago my wage was on a par with similarly qualified people in the private sector and indeed was higher than same grade Local Authority staff. Over the past few years my wage has lagged so far behind it's unbelievable. And this year to be 'offered' a 0% wage increase when the cost of living is rocketing is the final insult.

 

Do I feel like I've never had it so good? Do I f*ck. I've never been so angry in my whole working life. I'm just holding out for some kind of redundancy package and then I'm out of that hell-hole. I'll get a job as a Tanker Driver instead. ;)

 

Still, on the plus side I earn more than about 98% of the 500 odd people in my Office. Most of those poor sods are on about £15,000 or less. <_<

 

Come on Rob, respond to this one.....

 

This is EXACTLY the sort of thing I'm talking about... Sheer p***-taking....

 

Jupe, if you guys feel like striking, go ahead, you'll certainly have my support....

 

im in agreement. but striking isnt the answer... striking for more money that is.

 

It aint just about "more money" though is it...? There's deffo principles involved here as well... The fact that Politicians are awarding themselves HUGE pay rises, grabbing just about every bloody "expenses" claim that they can get away with, creaming yet MORE money off the taxpayer and then turn around and tell people that they have to be "realistic" with their own pay demands, is clearly the straw breaking the camel's back... You CANNOT have such a naked system of double standards and expect the ordinary working class person with a family to support to just accept it.... Yeah, it's about money, but it's also about PRINCIPLES as well..... Something that the vast majority of MPs wouldn't understand if it kicked them up the arse.....

 

I'd better work harder then. Maybe I should do nights? OK, the Office is closed but still.... Yes, I get paid holidays. I get paid sick leave too. Or I would if I'd had any days off sick in the past 4 years. I work on average 44 hours a week (excluding lunch breaks). Plus I work from home most nights and some weekends (unpaid). I have a Uni Degree and 22 years experience. I earn £23,000. That is the maximum pay scale for my grade. I've had below inflation pay rises for more years than I can remember. I'm in charge of 15 people.

 

When I started in the Civil Service all those years ago my wage was on a par with similarly qualified people in the private sector and indeed was higher than same grade Local Authority staff. Over the past few years my wage has lagged so far behind it's unbelievable. And this year to be 'offered' a 0% wage increase when the cost of living is rocketing is the final insult.

 

Do I feel like I've never had it so good? Do I f*ck. I've never been so angry in my whole working life. I'm just holding out for some kind of redundancy package and then I'm out of that hell-hole. I'll get a job as a Tanker Driver instead. ;)

 

Still, on the plus side I earn more than about 98% of the 500 odd people in my Office. Most of those poor sods are on about £15,000 or less. <_<

 

you work less then clare (who has 2 jobs) and get paid twice as much...

 

why did you let your wage lag behind?

 

ok, not EVERYBODY in employment has 'never had it so good' but ffs the very fact that the standard if living we all enjoy is at an all time high proves by default that we are well off, as a whole.

 

if the pay is so poor.... why do it?... do something else, this is what i dont get... people start a job knowing full well what the pay and conditions are, then moan about it!

Jupe, if you guys feel like striking, go ahead, you'll certainly have my support....

 

......... and what good will that do?... oh yeah, push up inflation even more so everyone else will join in and want more.. m8, you should have been around in the mid 70's, then you wouldnt be so keen to fuel inflation.

people start a job knowing full well what the pay and conditions are, then moan about it!

 

Christ, didn't you even read Jupiter's post.....? As I understand what she wrote, she started her job in the Public Sector two decades ago when the pay and conditions WERE considerably better...... So, how the hell you can come away with this utter cack is beyond me......

 

She has every bloody right to "moan".... Her experience and knowledge is worth a damn sight more than what she's getting paid... It's fukkin' insulting..... Jupiter has skills and the many years of experience that Clare, I'm sorry to say, just does not have, so I dunno why you're even comparing the two of them to be honest.....

 

......... and what good will that do?... oh yeah, push up inflation even more so everyone else will join in and want more.. m8, you should have been around in the mid 70's, then you wouldnt be so keen to fuel inflation.

 

Inflation is out of control not because of pay rises but because of the Govt's TOTAL FUKKIN' INCOMPETENCE...... <_<

 

And you still dont answer my point why the fukk should MPs be getting outrageous pay rises and "bonuses" (well, expenses, but let's face it, they're treating them like bonuses..) whan the rest of us are expected to put up with sh!t.... I mean, come on... This Govt has failed miserably time and time again, and the buggers want a fukkin' PAY RISE?????? Oh, PUH-LEEEEEZEEEE.... :lol: :lol: :lol: Do me a favour...... In any other profession the whole bloody lot of them would be fired for their sheer incompetency.....

 

These buggers ARE the Weakest Link in the country...... It's their abject failures which have led to the economy being fukked, we suffer for it, they get rewarded, fukk that...... <_<

 

you should have been around in the mid 70's,

 

As I understand it, in the mid-70s the cost of living was absolutely NOTHING like it is now... Wages were actually adequate to deal with living expenses, most people did receive wage increases according to inflation and the professionalism of teacher, nurses, doctors and public sector workers was held in far higher regard... And you didn't have Stealth Taxes and VAT on just about everything going.... You could say that perhaps people were being a bit greedy then, not so now, the woeful rate of the minimum wage is completely inadequate, unfit for purpose.....

 

As far as I'm concerned workers have far more justification to go out on strike now than they did in the mid-late 70s..... It really IS high time to make a stand against this Govt and against the greedy bosses who exploit their staff.....