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5:00pm Wednesday 30th November 2011 in Blackpool
By Catherine Pye, Reporter
20,000 public sector workers took part in demonstrations across East Lancashire today to protest over changes to their pensions.
A thousand of those marched noisily through Blackburn town centre this lunchtime amid a sea of flags, banners and placards, travelling to the beat of drums and the shrill of whistles and vuvuzelas.
For 45 minutes workers – some who had brought their children and even their pet dogs - converged outside Blackburn town hall in King William Street where union bosses whipped the crowd into a fervour.
“We’ve been shafted by pay freezes, shafted by job evaluations and now they’re trying to shaft us in our pensions. It’s one shaft too many”, said GMB representative Tim McDermott.
A chant of ‘Get your hands off our pension’ was started by members of the University and College Union, and NASUWT member Lesley Ham said the Government was “not only attacking public service workers but attacking those close to our hearts.”
Union officials estimate that over 95 per cent of schools and colleges were closed in East Lancashire, where 7,000 people work, and 50 per cent of hospital workers were on strike - a total of around 1,000 staff.
Most of the other members involved are employed in local government and in community health centres.
Unions are protesting against Government plans to make staff pay more and work longer to earn their pensions.
Tim Ellis, Unison officer for East Lancashire said: “It was a magnificent response to the day of action. It was uplifting and inspiring.
“It showed the determination of the ordinary people who maintain our public services not to have their pensions cut.”
He added: “The support from the public was continuous and vocally expressed. It undermined the government’s argument that the public wouldn’t support the dispute.”
In Blackburn with Darwen, public buildings remained open including markets and leisure centres, with the exception of Waves and Darwen Leisure Centre.
A skeleton bin collection service ran, but all libraries were closed.
Car and van drivers blew their horns in support of striking workers picketing outside the Royal Blackburn Hospital. Dozens of workers stood singing and chanting at both the staff entrance and main ambulance entrance.
In Burnley, the main council switchboard was closed and there was disruption to some services, but the St Peter’s Leisure Centre and Burnley Market ran as normal.
Outside Burnley police station, control room staff who answer 999 calls, crime scene investigators, PCSOs, criminal justice support staff and front counter workers formed a picket line, with some of them joined by their children.
Assistant secretary of the Lancashire police workers branch of UNISON, James Tattersall, stressed that members did not take strike action lightly.
“This is not a dispute against Lancashire Constabulary, it’s in protest at the Government’s plans to raise pension contributions by 50 per cent, while make us work longer for less.
“To strike is a last resort, I understand police officers are handling emergency calls and if there was a major incident we would return to work immediately.”
At Burnley General Hospital, approximately 100 strikers, including nurses, domestic staff and theatre technicians manned picket lines at four entrances.
Sharon Coulton, 57, a domestic worker at Burnley General Hospital for the last 14 years, said her retirement expectations had been drastically changed.
In Hyndburn, all council offices were closed, but bin collections were carried out as normal.
In Pendle, the markets remained open though Contact Pendle Centre, which includes Pendle Borough Council’s main switchboard, was closed. Staff were on standby to respond to emergency problems.
At Nelson and Colne College, 80 lecturers and other staff were on strike.
No teaching took place although the college remained open for students to use the library and other facilities.
In the Ribble Valley, no services were suspended, but some operated at a reduced level.
Rossendale Council’s offices were open as normal but household waste collections were prioritised and garden waste collections suspended.
A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said the service had been operating with a reduced workforce and there were less ambulances on the road than normal.
Although 999 calls were answered and responded to, it was thought some patients experienced a slightly delayed response.
The patient transport service only operated for patients who require urgent care.
Some less urgent procedures in East Lancashire hospitals were postponed as well as outpatient appointments for yesterday.
All magistrates courts in East Lancashire, including Blackburn, Burnley, Reedley and Hyndburn were open and operating as normal, as was Burnley Crown Court.
All job centres across Lancashire also remained open and benefits were issued as normal.
Jake Berry, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, condemned the strikes, calling them “outrageous and irresponsible”.
He said: “This was a prime example of the trade union movement riding roughshod not only over the wishes of the general public but also over their own membership. Only a quarter of union members voted for industrial action.”
He added: “These strikes have led to 27 schools in my constituency being closed which means that around 10,000 kids couldn’t go to school today. It has particularly affected single parent families.
“These strikes have caused huge disruption in the community and to many of our small businesses who are already struggling in these hard economic times.”
The day of action is the biggest of its kind for more than 30 years.
Comments(59)
DCI
says...
11:05am Wed 30 Nov 11
Twicki1
says...
11:24am Wed 30 Nov 11
BurnleyBorn&Bred
says...
11:27am Wed 30 Nov 11
Jack Herer wrote:What a load of drivel....it is you that needs to get in the real world,not everyone who works in the public sector are on inflated wages with grotesquely bloated pensions.
These people need to get in the real world.
Why should the majority of already hard done to, hard working people pay for someone else's grotesquely bloated pension?
It ain't fair people. We are skint as a country and you parasites want to continue to bleed everyone else dry. How are you any different than the bankers?
Stop being so selfish and get in the real world like everyone else, where the books have to balance and the finances have to stackup.
The Curator
says...
11:37am Wed 30 Nov 11
Jack Herer
says...
12:30pm Wed 30 Nov 11
The Curator wrote:I'd love to be on a megaphone today. I'd gladly go round every single picket line to tell them all to their faces.
JACK HERER
Some of your usual nonsense i see .
I have suggestion for you . Next time you are passing your local school ,why don't you pop in and call them "greedy selfish pigs " . Your words not mine from a previous post i noticed . Maybe you could also try this at the hospital or GP's surgery perhaps ,when you next need their help . You also could nip out next collection day and see how your bin men take to your "greedy selfish pigs " accusation .
Let us know how you get on please .
Joseph Yossarian
says...
12:41pm Wed 30 Nov 11
hoppyhol
says...
1:10pm Wed 30 Nov 11
BurnleyBorn&Bred wrote:Due to the national minimum wage your situation cannot be any different from any other 'low-paid' worker, except they do not have the luxury of an additional pension over and above the basic state pension that they receive. Unless they invest in a private pension themselves which again they would be no better off than Public Sector employees as the are open to the economic situation that every worker finds themselves in.
Jack Herer wrote:What a load of drivel....it is you that needs to get in the real world,not everyone who works in the public sector are on inflated wages with grotesquely bloated pensions.
These people need to get in the real world.
Why should the majority of already hard done to, hard working people pay for someone else's grotesquely bloated pension?
It ain't fair people. We are skint as a country and you parasites want to continue to bleed everyone else dry. How are you any different than the bankers?
Stop being so selfish and get in the real world like everyone else, where the books have to balance and the finances have to stackup.
i would lay down my monthly pay slip in front of you along side your own and give you the choice of which you would prefer for the rest of your working life (that is if you are employed) and i can almost guarantee it would be your own you would pick up off the table.
some of us are on such a low income you would not believe ,and just a very small pension to look forward to when we retire .....if we live to see that day...
i struggle as it is from one payday to the next,i do not go out do not go away on holiday,i do not spend money stupidly,and just a very small pension to look forward to when we retire and this government are wanting to take an extra £37 a month from my pay for a pension with less benefit at retirement age.....if we live to see that day.
some people who are claiming benefits are better off than myself and part of my monthly pay goes to support them.........why should we not fight for our rights !
bbgal
says...
1:29pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Blackburn Realist
says...
1:46pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Jack Herer wrote:Jealous little hater! Regardless of whether you think it wrong or right that the public sector workers get a "gold plated" pension or not,the fact is they should get what they signed up for. It's wrong and immoral that this government want to take away what is rightfully theirs. You go to the picket lines and have your say and I guarantee you would be put right and hopefully have some of your ignorance knocked out of you.
The Curator wrote:I'd love to be on a megaphone today. I'd gladly go round every single picket line to tell them all to their faces.
JACK HERER
Some of your usual nonsense i see .
I have suggestion for you . Next time you are passing your local school ,why don't you pop in and call them "greedy selfish pigs " . Your words not mine from a previous post i noticed . Maybe you could also try this at the hospital or GP's surgery perhaps ,when you next need their help . You also could nip out next collection day and see how your bin men take to your "greedy selfish pigs " accusation .
Let us know how you get on please .
Someone needs to.
j bee
says...
1:56pm Wed 30 Nov 11
BurnleyBorn&Bred wrote:i am not against anything you get but i dont want a penny of my tax paying money going to anybody else , which is wrong all the rest of the country just get a state pension which you get also
Jack Herer wrote: These people need to get in the real world. Why should the majority of already hard done to, hard working people pay for someone else's grotesquely bloated pension? It ain't fair people. We are skint as a country and you parasites want to continue to bleed everyone else dry. How are you any different than the bankers? Stop being so selfish and get in the real world like everyone else, where the books have to balance and the finances have to stackup.What a load of drivel....it is you that needs to get in the real world,not everyone who works in the public sector are on inflated wages with grotesquely bloated pensions. i would lay down my monthly pay slip in front of you along side your own and give you the choice of which you would prefer for the rest of your working life (that is if you are employed) and i can almost guarantee it would be your own you would pick up off the table. some of us are on such a low income you would not believe ,and just a very small pension to look forward to when we retire .....if we live to see that day... i struggle as it is from one payday to the next,i do not go out do not go away on holiday,i do not spend money stupidly,and just a very small pension to look forward to when we retire and this government are wanting to take an extra £37 a month from my pay for a pension with less benefit at retirement age.....if we live to see that day. some people who are claiming benefits are better off than myself and part of my monthly pay goes to support them.........why should we not fight for our rights !
Hopping mad
says...
2:05pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Your ferret stinks
says...
2:15pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Blackburn Realist wrote:Well said BR, unfortunately no matter how hard you try it's a fact that sometimes you can't educate pork!
Jack Herer wrote:Jealous little hater! Regardless of whether you think it wrong or right that the public sector workers get a "gold plated" pension or not,the fact is they should get what they signed up for. It's wrong and immoral that this government want to take away what is rightfully theirs. You go to the picket lines and have your say and I guarantee you would be put right and hopefully have some of your ignorance knocked out of you.The Curator wrote: JACK HERER Some of your usual nonsense i see . I have suggestion for you . Next time you are passing your local school ,why don't you pop in and call them "greedy selfish pigs " . Your words not mine from a previous post i noticed . Maybe you could also try this at the hospital or GP's surgery perhaps ,when you next need their help . You also could nip out next collection day and see how your bin men take to your "greedy selfish pigs " accusation . Let us know how you get on please .I'd love to be on a megaphone today. I'd gladly go round every single picket line to tell them all to their faces. Someone needs to.
Hopping mad
says...
2:46pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Rosie's mum
says...
3:22pm Wed 30 Nov 11
dodgyjohn
says...
4:06pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Joseph Yossarian
says...
4:07pm Wed 30 Nov 11
julespent
says...
4:51pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Lifeinthemix
says...
5:10pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Michael@ClitheroeSince58
says...
5:40pm Wed 30 Nov 11
oldblue
says...
5:58pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Keep Darwen Green
says...
5:59pm Wed 30 Nov 11
BurnleyBorn&Bred wrote:Well said, I work in the private sector and can see the way the conservative party is trying to get private sector tax payers to turn on the public sector.
Jack Herer wrote:What a load of drivel....it is you that needs to get in the real world,not everyone who works in the public sector are on inflated wages with grotesquely bloated pensions.
These people need to get in the real world.
Why should the majority of already hard done to, hard working people pay for someone else's grotesquely bloated pension?
It ain't fair people. We are skint as a country and you parasites want to continue to bleed everyone else dry. How are you any different than the bankers?
Stop being so selfish and get in the real world like everyone else, where the books have to balance and the finances have to stackup.
i would lay down my monthly pay slip in front of you along side your own and give you the choice of which you would prefer for the rest of your working life (that is if you are employed) and i can almost guarantee it would be your own you would pick up off the table.
some of us are on such a low income you would not believe ,and just a very small pension to look forward to when we retire .....if we live to see that day...
i struggle as it is from one payday to the next,i do not go out do not go away on holiday,i do not spend money stupidly,and just a very small pension to look forward to when we retire and this government are wanting to take an extra £37 a month from my pay for a pension with less benefit at retirement age.....if we live to see that day.
some people who are claiming benefits are better off than myself and part of my monthly pay goes to support them.........why should we not fight for our rights !
Chris P Bacon
says...
6:29pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Jack Herer wrote:And we're off! Jack Herer takes the lead in the stupid stakes and though there are a few on here who run him close, he's going to win this strike one uncontested.
These people need to get in the real world.
Why should the majority of already hard done to, hard working people pay for someone else's grotesquely bloated pension?
It ain't fair people. We are skint as a country and you parasites want to continue to bleed everyone else dry. How are you any different than the bankers?
Stop being so selfish and get in the real world like everyone else, where the books have to balance and the finances have to stackup.
Lifeinthemix
says...
6:43pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Noiticer
says...
7:03pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Chris P Bacon
says...
7:09pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Lifeinthemix wrote:And perhaps you should have read the post rather than attacking what you THINK I wrote.
bacon perhaps you should educate yourself before typing on here.
we the people pay the treasury £468.9 billion every year, we are not skint.
succesive governments since the second world war have built up a social system in order they can merge with under the corporate script. our money is being mismanaged by handing over our civil system to the corporate interests, who then dictate to the civil.
its nothing new its called fascism.
grow up son your constant aggressive response to people who care, is wearing very thin...
Charities pay zero tax and in case you have not noted, they are administering our civil system as subsidiaries of the big corporate bods such as Serco, Ingeous Deloitte (pricewaterhousecoop
ers), A4e amongst others.
the corporations pay zero tax because they ensure they carry massive debt.
the taxpayer is paying the interest of the corporations which is increasing thus we get less service from the outsource providers as the contract costs rise to pay the increasing corporate debt.
don't bother replying...you couldn't if you tried the rest of your angry little life.
'Kean on getting out..!
says...
7:33pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Noiticer wrote:I had to cross a picket line this morning and it was very intimidating with all the shouting and jeering at innocent patients walking by.The nurses who could be bothered today had to make me some tea and toast to settle my nerves after all the upset the strikers did.It was horrific I'm still a bit upset so one of the nurses has had to bring me home via an exit away from those hooligans.
This Government is rapidly turning into the worst for a generation or more. It is run by relatively young, affluent, arrogant, uncaring, inexperienced but savvy, smooth-tongued public relations' spinners who are rapidly revealing the Tory Party as once again the nasty party which is determined to reduce the average person to being a subservient servant with few employment rights, on the lowest wage possible and so passive as to let them walk over them just as it was in Victorian times and in the early 20th century. The last resistance to their plan are the public servants well unionised and prepared to some extent to fight back. If they fail the Tories will be jumping for glee as Cameron is already reportedly beginning to do.
Make no mistake, the country is being run by a bunch of very right wing and cunning politicians ready to advance the rich and corporate bodies who are their backers. If they succeed the social progress made since 1945, when our fathers and mothers had fought a war against fascism and to make the UK a better place than it was in 1939, will be completely wiped out and we will all be losers in so many ways.
not too old to care
says...
7:42pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Monotoni
says...
7:45pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Lifeinthemix
says...
8:05pm Wed 30 Nov 11
ladysal
says...
8:07pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Keep Darwen Green
says...
8:51pm Wed 30 Nov 11
maggie-T
says...
8:55pm Wed 30 Nov 11
everywhere is sh1t
says...
9:08pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Lifeinthemix
says...
10:19pm Wed 30 Nov 11
ladysal
says...
11:25pm Wed 30 Nov 11
Jack Herer
says...
7:20am Thu 1 Dec 11
ladysal wrote:A cash cow for the government? What planet are you on?
What planet are you on? Explain to me exactly who will be retiring at 55? Even now, the earliest anyone can possibly retire in LGPS is 60 ( and I think it is higher than that). I will have to be 65 on the current scheme and if the changes come in it will go up to 68. So, I will have to pay at least 3% extra from my salary, wait an extra 3 years to retire and get less money at the end of my working life. Who do you know who would sit back and take that sort of a change? I've just seen an interview with someone who as a primary school teacher earning around £25k will lose£6,000 a year under these proposals! It's not about the money, it's about the fact that we seem to be seen as a cash cow for the government: "we need some more money! I know, let's trash the public sector pension funds again" don't forget, that 3% isn't going into the pension fund is it? Otherwise, why would our retirement pensions be shrinking?
Jack Herer
says...
7:28am Thu 1 Dec 11
Chris P Bacon wrote:One of the wealthiest country in the whole world? How are you measuring wealth exactly as we are very very very much in the red, not the black, as a country. We are skint to the point of owing money - lots and lots and lots.
Jack Herer wrote:And we're off! Jack Herer takes the lead in the stupid stakes and though there are a few on here who run him close, he's going to win this strike one uncontested.
These people need to get in the real world.
Why should the majority of already hard done to, hard working people pay for someone else's grotesquely bloated pension?
It ain't fair people. We are skint as a country and you parasites want to continue to bleed everyone else dry. How are you any different than the bankers?
Stop being so selfish and get in the real world like everyone else, where the books have to balance and the finances have to stackup.
'The people need to get in the real world'! You wouldn't know the real world if one day we were faced with the tragedy of you waking up in it.
'We are skint as a country'! We are one of the wealthiest countries in the history of the whole world and you bleat about the guff you believe from the loonies running the asylum!
You've lost this one as surely as Steve Kean has lost the confidence of those who support the team he has the misfortune to manage.
Good call
says...
7:50am Thu 1 Dec 11
maggie-T wrote:Another sheeple.Where do you get this crap about public sector workers retiring at 55 from if that is true,it'll only be jobs like the police which is physically demanding."Sky high benefits" another heap of shi1e jobseekers allowance for a under 25 is 50 odd quid a week.The likes of you have fallen for the government propaganda hook,line and sinker. Baaah.....
You never saw the unions complaining when Gordon brown and the labour party wrecked every single final salary pension scheme in the country, they fail to realise that the people who pay their wages, us, the taxpayer, will not take this burden alone, we will not work till we are 68 so that these public sector workers can retire at 50-55, it's a battle that we must not back down from, the unions are using these people to launch a war against the Tory party, there is a lot of injustice in this country, most of it when people are on sky high benefits or unsustainable pensions provided by the working class people of this country, it's time they woke up and said hello to the real world.
Allan Whitehead
says...
9:17am Thu 1 Dec 11
DCI
says...
10:00am Thu 1 Dec 11
Lifeinthemix
says...
10:45am Thu 1 Dec 11
Allan Whitehead
says...
10:49am Thu 1 Dec 11
DCI wrote:DCI,
MYTH - There's a big public sector pensions deficit that has to be repaid.
There is no funding gap - the public sector schemes were assessed for long term risk and adjusted accordingly three years ago and are now very secure.
Both the local government pension scheme and NHS pension scheme are currently cash rich with income far exceeding outgoings - some £2 billion in the case of the NHS pensi...on scheme.
MYTH - Public services and public service pensions are causing the financial crisis.
It was the banking sector's reckless risk taking and excessive greed that caused this global recession.
MYTH - We're all in it together. Everyone has to make sacrifices right now - why not public sector workers?
We are all facing cuts to our public services - on top of this public service workers are facing unprecedented job cuts and a pay freeze.
We will all end up paying more tax if people drop out of the scheme to end up relying on the state in their old age.
MYTH - It's not fair, why should the public sector get good pensions when the private sector doesn't?
The average director of a FTSE 100 company has a final salary pension worth £3.6m or £174,963 a year, while the average occupational pension generally is £9,500 a year and the average public service pension is £7,800 a year. That's the real unfairness.
UNISON thinks everyone deserves an adequate pension, including workers in the private sector. We should improve bad schemes rather than make good ones bad.
Providing adequate pensions means that fewer people will be receiving welfare handouts after retirement, which would cost the taxpayer more money in the long run.
MYTH - Public sector workers have it too good with huge pensions.
The average public service pension is around £7,800 a year, for women working in local government the average is £2,800 a year, while the median for women working in the NHS is £3,500 a year: hardly huge pensions.
Saving towards an occupational pension in many cases means a person is receiving fewer welfare benefits during retirement, saving the taxpayer money.
MYTH - Taxpayers are paying for public service workers' pensions. That's not fair.
Everyone's taxes are used to pay for all public services - stethoscopes in hospitals, the salaries of primary school teachers, people to change the light bulbs in street lamps, and part of these people's pay is their pension.
A pension is part of someone's salary package and is no different than an annual salary, a car, or the London weighting allowance. It's not fair to change something in a job contract after someone accepted the job.
One in five people working in the UK works in public services. They are taxpayers too.
Jack Herer
says...
12:43pm Thu 1 Dec 11
DCI wrote:Brilliant please campaign to have public sector pensions taken away from tax payer burden.
MYTH - There's a big public sector pensions deficit that has to be repaid.
There is no funding gap - the public sector schemes were assessed for long term risk and adjusted accordingly three years ago and are now very secure.
Both the local government pension scheme and NHS pension scheme are currently cash rich with income far exceeding outgoings - some £2 billion in the case of the NHS pensi...on scheme.
MYTH - Public services and public service pensions are causing the financial crisis.
It was the banking sector's reckless risk taking and excessive greed that caused this global recession.
MYTH - We're all in it together. Everyone has to make sacrifices right now - why not public sector workers?
We are all facing cuts to our public services - on top of this public service workers are facing unprecedented job cuts and a pay freeze.
We will all end up paying more tax if people drop out of the scheme to end up relying on the state in their old age.
MYTH - It's not fair, why should the public sector get good pensions when the private sector doesn't?
The average director of a FTSE 100 company has a final salary pension worth £3.6m or £174,963 a year, while the average occupational pension generally is £9,500 a year and the average public service pension is £7,800 a year. That's the real unfairness.
UNISON thinks everyone deserves an adequate pension, including workers in the private sector. We should improve bad schemes rather than make good ones bad.
Providing adequate pensions means that fewer people will be receiving welfare handouts after retirement, which would cost the taxpayer more money in the long run.
MYTH - Public sector workers have it too good with huge pensions.
The average public service pension is around £7,800 a year, for women working in local government the average is £2,800 a year, while the median for women working in the NHS is £3,500 a year: hardly huge pensions.
Saving towards an occupational pension in many cases means a person is receiving fewer welfare benefits during retirement, saving the taxpayer money.
MYTH - Taxpayers are paying for public service workers' pensions. That's not fair.
Everyone's taxes are used to pay for all public services - stethoscopes in hospitals, the salaries of primary school teachers, people to change the light bulbs in street lamps, and part of these people's pay is their pension.
A pension is part of someone's salary package and is no different than an annual salary, a car, or the London weighting allowance. It's not fair to change something in a job contract after someone accepted the job.
One in five people working in the UK works in public services. They are taxpayers too.
Jack Herer
says...
12:43pm Thu 1 Dec 11
DCI wrote:Brilliant please campaign to have public sector pensions taken away from tax payer burden.
MYTH - There's a big public sector pensions deficit that has to be repaid.
There is no funding gap - the public sector schemes were assessed for long term risk and adjusted accordingly three years ago and are now very secure.
Both the local government pension scheme and NHS pension scheme are currently cash rich with income far exceeding outgoings - some £2 billion in the case of the NHS pensi...on scheme.
MYTH - Public services and public service pensions are causing the financial crisis.
It was the banking sector's reckless risk taking and excessive greed that caused this global recession.
MYTH - We're all in it together. Everyone has to make sacrifices right now - why not public sector workers?
We are all facing cuts to our public services - on top of this public service workers are facing unprecedented job cuts and a pay freeze.
We will all end up paying more tax if people drop out of the scheme to end up relying on the state in their old age.
MYTH - It's not fair, why should the public sector get good pensions when the private sector doesn't?
The average director of a FTSE 100 company has a final salary pension worth £3.6m or £174,963 a year, while the average occupational pension generally is £9,500 a year and the average public service pension is £7,800 a year. That's the real unfairness.
UNISON thinks everyone deserves an adequate pension, including workers in the private sector. We should improve bad schemes rather than make good ones bad.
Providing adequate pensions means that fewer people will be receiving welfare handouts after retirement, which would cost the taxpayer more money in the long run.
MYTH - Public sector workers have it too good with huge pensions.
The average public service pension is around £7,800 a year, for women working in local government the average is £2,800 a year, while the median for women working in the NHS is £3,500 a year: hardly huge pensions.
Saving towards an occupational pension in many cases means a person is receiving fewer welfare benefits during retirement, saving the taxpayer money.
MYTH - Taxpayers are paying for public service workers' pensions. That's not fair.
Everyone's taxes are used to pay for all public services - stethoscopes in hospitals, the salaries of primary school teachers, people to change the light bulbs in street lamps, and part of these people's pay is their pension.
A pension is part of someone's salary package and is no different than an annual salary, a car, or the London weighting allowance. It's not fair to change something in a job contract after someone accepted the job.
One in five people working in the UK works in public services. They are taxpayers too.
Jack Herer
says...
12:49pm Thu 1 Dec 11
Allan Whitehead wrote:Simple we can't afford to pay anymore.
Strikes and Pickets Why,
Well many years ago when we had child labour, some forward progressive organisations, began to think it was wrong to have children working at 11, 12 and 13 years of age.
Therefore, they agitated until the Government of the day altered the rules slightly, and allowed children to go to school and be educated. However, this was much against the grain with many members of parliament. Then one day, it was realised by the people they were being used to make Mill and Foundry Owners very rich, so when they became old, they would not want.
Because of being educated, the workers began to realise, they also reached a time when the mill, and foundry owners, no longer needed their services, because, they could not maintain the previous stamina they had shown when younger. Then came the great wars, and many took part in these fights for freedom. After, these wars came another breed of persons one who would stand up for themselves. (Possibly, due to the fact, they had seen how powerful they had been, when they all grouped together for a particular cause) If it had worked during the great wars, why not in peacetime?
Following, many others who would receive pensions for their service. Regular Soldiers, Policemen, Bankers, unions very slowly achieved pensions for manual workers, we already had the state pension, now works pensions became into being, and many workers contributed to provide themselves with a pension for their elderly years. Now because the public sectors appear to be at the upper end of the scale, having negotiated their conditions, and agreed them, with their so-called bosses. Someone wishes to change the rules. Why?
Allan Whitehead
says...
1:41pm Thu 1 Dec 11
Jack Herer wrote:How fascinating it is to read so many selfish comments. How would you feel if an insurance company decided to alter its terms and conditions after you had paid a substantial premium, and you had taken note of all the small print?
Allan Whitehead wrote:Simple we can't afford to pay anymore.
Strikes and Pickets Why,
Well many years ago when we had child labour, some forward progressive organisations, began to think it was wrong to have children working at 11, 12 and 13 years of age.
Therefore, they agitated until the Government of the day altered the rules slightly, and allowed children to go to school and be educated. However, this was much against the grain with many members of parliament. Then one day, it was realised by the people they were being used to make Mill and Foundry Owners very rich, so when they became old, they would not want.
Because of being educated, the workers began to realise, they also reached a time when the mill, and foundry owners, no longer needed their services, because, they could not maintain the previous stamina they had shown when younger. Then came the great wars, and many took part in these fights for freedom. After, these wars came another breed of persons one who would stand up for themselves. (Possibly, due to the fact, they had seen how powerful they had been, when they all grouped together for a particular cause) If it had worked during the great wars, why not in peacetime?
Following, many others who would receive pensions for their service. Regular Soldiers, Policemen, Bankers, unions very slowly achieved pensions for manual workers, we already had the state pension, now works pensions became into being, and many workers contributed to provide themselves with a pension for their elderly years. Now because the public sectors appear to be at the upper end of the scale, having negotiated their conditions, and agreed them, with their so-called bosses. Someone wishes to change the rules. Why?
The figures were conceived by Gordon Brown who's reckless non-regulation of the banks has brought the country to it's knees, and also had forecasts based on the money tree he thought the bankers, who he was knighting in droves, had found.
There was no money tree. There is no money. We are currently borrowing and borrowing and borrowing. Billions upon billions upon billions. Outside of countries on the brink like Greece and Ireland and Portugal, we have the biggest debt. It's because we were doing similarly things spending under Labour. All borrowed.
That's what's changed. There ain't no money tree.
pdb951
says...
3:45pm Thu 1 Dec 11
Hopping mad
says...
4:25pm Thu 1 Dec 11
Jack Herer wrote:Why do you say we have no money left when we give the EU 9.4 billion, we spent 300 million a day on Libya, 0.7% of GDP to other countries who have their own aid program and are due to spend 100 billion on the update of trident. Also Osbourne is promising more money to the IMF to bail out Greece and Italy.
Allan Whitehead wrote:Simple we can't afford to pay anymore.
Strikes and Pickets Why,
Well many years ago when we had child labour, some forward progressive organisations, began to think it was wrong to have children working at 11, 12 and 13 years of age.
Therefore, they agitated until the Government of the day altered the rules slightly, and allowed children to go to school and be educated. However, this was much against the grain with many members of parliament. Then one day, it was realised by the people they were being used to make Mill and Foundry Owners very rich, so when they became old, they would not want.
Because of being educated, the workers began to realise, they also reached a time when the mill, and foundry owners, no longer needed their services, because, they could not maintain the previous stamina they had shown when younger. Then came the great wars, and many took part in these fights for freedom. After, these wars came another breed of persons one who would stand up for themselves. (Possibly, due to the fact, they had seen how powerful they had been, when they all grouped together for a particular cause) If it had worked during the great wars, why not in peacetime?
Following, many others who would receive pensions for their service. Regular Soldiers, Policemen, Bankers, unions very slowly achieved pensions for manual workers, we already had the state pension, now works pensions became into being, and many workers contributed to provide themselves with a pension for their elderly years. Now because the public sectors appear to be at the upper end of the scale, having negotiated their conditions, and agreed them, with their so-called bosses. Someone wishes to change the rules. Why?
The figures were conceived by Gordon Brown who's reckless non-regulation of the banks has brought the country to it's knees, and also had forecasts based on the money tree he thought the bankers, who he was knighting in droves, had found.
There was no money tree. There is no money. We are currently borrowing and borrowing and borrowing. Billions upon billions upon billions. Outside of countries on the brink like Greece and Ireland and Portugal, we have the biggest debt. It's because we were doing similarly things spending under Labour. All borrowed.
That's what's changed. There ain't no money tree.
Jack Herer
says...
4:37pm Thu 1 Dec 11
Jack Herer
says...
5:06pm Thu 1 Dec 11
Hopping mad wrote:My beloved Tory PM? I'm sorry but you have me very much mistaken for someone else.
Jack Herer wrote:Why do you say we have no money left when we give the EU 9.4 billion, we spent 300 million a day on Libya, 0.7% of GDP to other countries who have their own aid program and are due to spend 100 billion on the update of trident. Also Osbourne is promising more money to the IMF to bail out Greece and Italy.
Allan Whitehead wrote:Simple we can't afford to pay anymore.
Strikes and Pickets Why,
Well many years ago when we had child labour, some forward progressive organisations, began to think it was wrong to have children working at 11, 12 and 13 years of age.
Therefore, they agitated until the Government of the day altered the rules slightly, and allowed children to go to school and be educated. However, this was much against the grain with many members of parliament. Then one day, it was realised by the people they were being used to make Mill and Foundry Owners very rich, so when they became old, they would not want.
Because of being educated, the workers began to realise, they also reached a time when the mill, and foundry owners, no longer needed their services, because, they could not maintain the previous stamina they had shown when younger. Then came the great wars, and many took part in these fights for freedom. After, these wars came another breed of persons one who would stand up for themselves. (Possibly, due to the fact, they had seen how powerful they had been, when they all grouped together for a particular cause) If it had worked during the great wars, why not in peacetime?
Following, many others who would receive pensions for their service. Regular Soldiers, Policemen, Bankers, unions very slowly achieved pensions for manual workers, we already had the state pension, now works pensions became into being, and many workers contributed to provide themselves with a pension for their elderly years. Now because the public sectors appear to be at the upper end of the scale, having negotiated their conditions, and agreed them, with their so-called bosses. Someone wishes to change the rules. Why?
The figures were conceived by Gordon Brown who's reckless non-regulation of the banks has brought the country to it's knees, and also had forecasts based on the money tree he thought the bankers, who he was knighting in droves, had found.
There was no money tree. There is no money. We are currently borrowing and borrowing and borrowing. Billions upon billions upon billions. Outside of countries on the brink like Greece and Ireland and Portugal, we have the biggest debt. It's because we were doing similarly things spending under Labour. All borrowed.
That's what's changed. There ain't no money tree.
You sound like somebody who is just bitter and twisted and can't see the bigger picture here. Do you work? If so, how would you like your employer turning round to you tomorrow and saying sorry Jackie we cant afford to pay you what we promised you today we can only afford £2 an hour. I know what you would say.
How was you educated I wonder?
Was you born in an hospital?
Do you have your bins emptied?
These are some of the things your paying for, I earn what the going rate is for doing that job. I then, out of that money I have earned pay into a pension that was offered to me when I sold my labour to the government.
I don't hear you harping on about what your beloved Tory PM is on and how he is going to reduce his.
Your just a sad individual and I wish you had been down there on the megaphone because I will guarantee it would have been stuck up where the sun don't shine.
The Curator
says...
6:21pm Thu 1 Dec 11
Jack Herer
says...
7:19pm Thu 1 Dec 11
The Curator wrote:Really? Brilliant, then you must be disgusted at the millions and millions of seriously low paid private sector workers who are forced to pay huge amounts of their hard earned money going on other people's pensions.
JACK HERER
No reports yet as to how you got on with your megaphone and your disgraceful "greedy selfish pigs "
accusation .
There are very many low paid public sector workers , ,so according to your logic you think it is ok to steal money from their pockets /pensions etc ?. This in some way, according to you to make up for **** ups by the previous government . Whilst fat cats get richer and richer .
Theres loads of money out there it is just not going to be allowed to filter down to the ordinary working person , who has worked their buts off all their days ,whilst others have sat on handouts .
No more of your political clap trap please as most of us have had enough .
I like many are fine in my real world , perhaps you would like to join us .It's great and full of realism and we don't approve of pinching cash from low paid .
maggie-T
says...
12:18am Fri 2 Dec 11
Blackburn Realist wrote:We should all get what we signed up for, we, the producers of the country lost our pensions when Gordon browns (fair) labour party stole our pensions, he ruined every final salary scheme in the country, we never heard a peep out of you selfish bstads then did we?
Jack Herer wrote:Jealous little hater! Regardless of whether you think it wrong or right that the public sector workers get a "gold plated" pension or not,the fact is they should get what they signed up for. It's wrong and immoral that this government want to take away what is rightfully theirs. You go to the picket lines and have your say and I guarantee you would be put right and hopefully have some of your ignorance knocked out of you.
The Curator wrote:I'd love to be on a megaphone today. I'd gladly go round every single picket line to tell them all to their faces.
JACK HERER
Some of your usual nonsense i see .
I have suggestion for you . Next time you are passing your local school ,why don't you pop in and call them "greedy selfish pigs " . Your words not mine from a previous post i noticed . Maybe you could also try this at the hospital or GP's surgery perhaps ,when you next need their help . You also could nip out next collection day and see how your bin men take to your "greedy selfish pigs " accusation .
Let us know how you get on please .
Someone needs to.
Joseph Yossarian
says...
9:15am Fri 2 Dec 11
Elegant1
says...
11:30am Fri 2 Dec 11
DCI wrote:Well said! If those who speak against the srike are realistic they would realise what this government is capable of! I have lived in many places and know that a Tory government is for the wealthier aspect of society. Not the working class wether ithat class is working or not!
These people (public sector workers) also pay taxes and are now facing years of near pay freeze. With inflation running so high this effectively means a sustained and brutal pay cut.
I'm not surprised some of the less enlightened private sector workers are falling for the Con-Dems ploy to divide and conquer by setting public sector against private sector. In REALITY, only the rich will be ammune from these cuts in living standards.
Do you really want a 68 year old paramedic extricating you from an upturned car, or our children taught by elderly teachers who are unable and frankly too knackered to control a classroom? Of course in reality this wont happen because these hard working professionals will be forced to retire on sick grounds well before that age (at greater expense to the taxpayer).
Elegant1
says...
11:54am Fri 2 Dec 11
Jack Herer wrote:It is comments like this that cause problems. If you understand the situation of the striker's try to understand what has led them to take the actions they do! many PS are on very average or poor salaries. they cannot afford to have their wages "fixed" to help balance the books. They are trying to survive! It is you that needs a dose of reality!
The Curator wrote:I'd love to be on a megaphone today. I'd gladly go round every single picket line to tell them all to their faces.
JACK HERER
Some of your usual nonsense i see .
I have suggestion for you . Next time you are passing your local school ,why don't you pop in and call them "greedy selfish pigs " . Your words not mine from a previous post i noticed . Maybe you could also try this at the hospital or GP's surgery perhaps ,when you next need their help . You also could nip out next collection day and see how your bin men take to your "greedy selfish pigs " accusation .
Let us know how you get on please .
Someone needs to.
julespent
says...
5:26pm Fri 2 Dec 11
The Curator
says...
7:25pm Fri 2 Dec 11
julespent wrote:Cracking post
Jack Herer you didnt reply to my post? You are not listening to what people are saying. I will be paying into a pension scheme for 50 years and this government wants me to receive less than £100 per week. This is why as a woman i went on strike. I am a hard working woman. During my working life I have wiped backsides, worked on peace work in a factory. What is my tax paying for? Lets hope you dont need NHS treatment, please write your full name and date of birth and then we can leave you in the gutter when you need medical treatment. When you get older lets hope you are able to wipe your own ars*
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Jack Herer says...
10:51am Wed 30 Nov 11
Why should the majority of already hard done to, hard working people pay for someone else's grotesquely bloated pension?
It ain't fair people. We are skint as a country and you parasites want to continue to bleed everyone else dry. How are you any different than the bankers?
Stop being so selfish and get in the real world like everyone else, where the books have to balance and the finances have to stackup.