Well today saw the the first major walk out by Public Service employees for a very long time. From the reports we see on the TV it does not seem to have produced that much public support. In fact they seem to have lost a days pay for not a lot in return. I dare say there a lot of facts and figures that we don't know but generally Civil and Public Servants get quite a good deal by way of pensions which was the trigger for the dispute. Are they being greedy when most of us are having to pull our belts in or have they a just case.

Opinions????

Let's face it, the Country is broke. There is simply no money. You can go on and blame the greedy bankers and the previous government for as long as you like but it won't make any difference. There is no money and that's that. It is a bit like children wanting more sweets when there are no more sweeties in the jar. I used to work in the private sector. My employers went bust and all of us (60 employees) were made redundant at 15 minutes notice. We didn't get any money because there simply wasn't any! eventually months later we were refunded our redundancy pay by the government. I have no pension thanks to Gordon Brown and his cronies who robbed us in the Blair (Bliar!) years. Teachers and Public Sector workers, count yourselves lucky that you have a job! If the Army or the unemployed stepped in and maintained the public services during the strike, I am sure that most of you would turn up for work as you still want jobs!

Am I not right in saying that the UK haven't got any money because we keep on bailing out all the other countries

willowsend wrote:

Am I not right in saying that the UK haven't got any money because we keep on bailing out all the other countries

The question is was it right to strike???

tonyb60 wrote:

willowsend wrote:

Am I not right in saying that the UK haven't got any money because we keep on bailing out all the other countries

The question is was it right to strike???

I was making reference to cheekychops post Let's face it, the Country is broke. There is simply no money
So, in answer to your comment above tony, my opinion is NO because it won't make any difference at all, you can't blood out of a stone

Personally, I don't believe so Tony.

Negotiations were taking place and I think the 'strike' was a bit premature.

Disrupting 'normal folks' lives with strikes by teachers, transport, etc., it just not on, it doesn't just cost the 'strikers' a day pay, it costs everyone else.

They should be thankful they have a job .... they are few and far between nowadays.

Very emotive topic, I await more replies ... keep it clean please folks!

Sadly I can see that this will be the start of many such strikes not only by the public sector but also in regards private companies and perhaps a number of general strikes that we have been seeing in other EU countries. It is successive governments over the last 20 years or so that have demonstrated their incompetence in managing 60+ millions of people and the people want rid of them in an attempt to bring the UK back to what is was...A good country to live in and rear families. But unfortunately this isn't the way to bring about change and in my opinion today was a complete waste of time

willowsend wrote:

tonyb60 wrote:

willowsend wrote:

Am I not right in saying that the UK haven't got any money because we keep on bailing out all the other countries

The question is was it right to strike???

I was making reference to cheekychops post Let's face it, the Country is broke. There is simply no money
So, in answer to your comment above tony, my opinion is NO because it won't make any difference at all, you can't blood out of a stone

I understand where you are coming from but then we could also say what about all the aid money that we send to the so called third world, question there is what happened to the last lot that was sent in other years. I think what some people might say is are these people just being greedy? A family member of mine was told that he has lost a working day every month,with 2 young children how can that be right When I was at work I had to pay 6% of my money towards my pension no questions if I wanted to or not. But I am glad I did as I see the benefit now. By saying this I mean you can only get out what you pay in. As for the teachers I know how much they get and I can assure you they are not skint by any stroke of the imagination. On average they get well paid and get a minimum of 1 week off after every 6 weeks at work (paid holiday I add). Baker days / training days, what a load of rubbish. Good intentions in the first place but many a game of golf/ shopping trips had on these days. Do these people get my sympathy vote er no!

Does striking ever get the desired result? Like it or not the Government was elected to govern. The world is in chaos and strikes over austerity measures will not make any difference because no-one has any money!!!! I do often wonder where all the world Aid money comes from - is there some sort of slush fund? Maybe this fund could now be used to prop up the economy. It is right that questions are being asked by Joe Public, but striking, which causes so many problems for so many people, is not right and will achieve nothing. I remember back in the day, public sector workers in the council used to get more money in retirement than they ever earned. This may not be the case now but I am sure they will be getting a lot more than ordinary folks on a State Pension. By the way - isn't everyone having to work longer before receiving a pension and isn't everybody having to tighten their belts? The gravy train has run dry.

Heres me thinking that Jeremy clarksons comments may of been a bit extreme ...but he did have a point ...but he just put it over badly .

I personally agree with him all they have achieved is ?????????????????????????? Nowt so it was a complete waste of time and resources.

I am very pleased to say that my daughter, who is a teacher, went into work as normal, as did ALL staff, and worked as normal. None are Union members, because they do not like the bullying tactics of the one who tried to get them to join, and who then left the union herself! Well done to all those who worked yesterday....both in the public AND private sectors!!

In my opinion NO! it was a complete waste of time I get the feeling that the strike has NOT had the desired effect! Union members must be well cheesed-off with their fat-cat union bosses for hyping this up so much Suspect the strike has backfired, and with the exception of the nurses, the rest of the strikers weren't ready in the first place the Royal College of Nursing didn't ballot its members so most nurses were never in a position to be able to strike anyway. That together with the unions' agreements that emergency, cancer, dialysis and many other services would continue further decreased the number of nurses who would walk out. As far as the strike is concerned, it might not have had the effect of bringing the country to a standstill in the way our scaremongering right-wing press might have hoped but at the end of the day peaceful democratic withdrawl of labour is the only symbolic action the unions can take even if a waist of time!!!!!

History and facts that's all I will add here look at what happened to Rover? did they achieve anything ? a big fat[size=150:27rvq2yd] NO! and the same applies here they have achieved nothing so it was a complete waste of time ! ! !