Dave wrote:

That's like the rest of us then. Welcome to the real world

Yep , think the government owe you a living ? try working for a company that has been bought by one of the big private equity boys like Bridgepoint or CVC Capital Partners, that is reality for millions in the Private sector, Jobs lost, pensions closed, rationalisation, globalisation and any number of other initiatives that make rich people even richer at the expense of employees. Unfortunately public employees are now in the same boat as the rest of us and better get used to it because you can not defy the laws of economic gravity. In the next 10 years if you haven't changed you will be privatised, don't say it can not happen because it has already started 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

As I am already a pensioner the strike won't affect me and I am also self employed.

Having said that the state pension of just over £100 a week isn't enough to live on,so a company pension scheme or private pension is a must. If you continue to work past pension age your pension is deducted from your personal allowance, something not mentioned anywhere. Pensioners can't go on strike they are stuck with what they get. In my case I started work at 15 yrs old and still working nearly 67 years old yet if I hadn't got a
previous company pension as well as having paid into a private pension fund there is no way could I consider giving up work until I died. Yes I would love to give up work but selling a business under the economic climate we find ourselves in is nigh on impossible.

Those on strike don't realise the union leaders are still getting paid for the day, thats solidarity for you, we earn and members loose out !!!! great.

There are so many people desperate for a job the strikers should consider themselves lucky to be in work, maybe start sacking some of the strikers and giving the jobs to the unemployed may bring those on strike to their senses Ex 2010 Freelander2 GS-e Diesel manual Silver owner

I'm going to let this guy explain the strike

&feature=youtube_gdata_player

NOT SAFE FOR WORK OR THOSE WHO DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO A COUPLE OF SWEAR WORDS

There seems to be a trend of people in the private sector enjoying this and laughing in the face of public sector workers cos they are now in the same boat as private sector workers.

I took out a pension with CIS when I was about 17 and in the private sector. I have been in the public sector since 2007. I don't pay enough into my CIS pension for it to earn anything major and I am on a low wage so my LGPS is low also.

That said I am just grateful to be in job having gone through 2 restructuring processes and do not intend to strike. I intend to work hard in my job and my studies so that I can get a degree to further my career prospects.

If it makes private sector workers feel good though, as I type I am laughing in my own face  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I dont work in the public sector but my wife is a teacher and did strike

I don't confess to knowing it all but it does amaze me the people with very right wing views without knowing the facts.

thing is, many other unionised work forces in the private sector go on strike when t&c's get changed however because the impact is much smaller it rarely makes the news

One of the reasons I stand by them striking (and I really am not a fan) is that those public sector workers on the front line (teachers, health workers etc) who don't get paid a great deal (compared to a lot of jobs) and chose a vocation do not have any choice in the matter. Most people in money purchase type schemes in the private sector are give the choice how much they want to contribute, but I think if they were told all of a sudden almost 10pc was being taken then I think some people would have something to say about it, and if you don't like it you cod go work for another company, if you are a trained teacher what is your choice? Ok so you could go work in a private school but these jobs will be hard to come by, or you could opt out but then you are missing out and a benefit you are entitled to.

Granted I think they need to accept that the retirement age is going to increase for everyone and I think it is also probably a good idea to change final salary to average salary so that these people who take on extra roles to pick up extra pension towards the end of the career don't abuse the system, but this does need to be done in a way that does not discriminate people who may take time out from work.

Oh and anyone who don't think teachers work hard, my wife is part time working 2.5 days a week and sh still clocks up around 36hrs per week, she was working today at home and despite the percieved long holidays, she regularly works several days during them, two of the 6 weeks are spent working in and out of school and she has no flexibility during the normal working week, unlike many jobs.

So there  Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

Welcome to the real world! When I worked, I rarely did less than 8 hours, the worse was 23 hours on the trot, used to have my lunch attached to the computer or reading reports and had 30 years of being on call 24/7 and holidays disturbed. I paid 13% towards a pension and yes I reaped a six figure lump sum and a monthly pension that would be a reasonable wage for most, but them is the breaks. When I was teaching, I realised I'd have to work until I was 65 and my pension would be a bit mean, so I moved jobs. They do have an easy life in honesty compaired to most and it suits some people, especially those to whom it is a good second income, so good luck to them. You can't have your cake and eats it.

At the end of the day - LG employees are the only people Government can directly 'play with' and get away with it  2002 Honda VFR800
2002 Toyota Celica 140 Silver (mid life crisis - again!)
2007 FL2 GS Manual Army Reconnaissance Green + freel2.com sticker
2004 Toyota Celica 140 Black - Gone
2000 Toyota Celica 140 Silver - Gone
1998 Toyota Celica ST Pearl Green - Gone
1996 Nissan Primera 1.6 - Gone
1994 Rover Montego 1.6 Auto - Gone

True, you also have to take through with the smooth, that's life, no extended warranties on pensions. LG is/used to be the preserve of the play it safe brigade, the ones not to take risks.

Well said Mr Worm.

They may have been striking but I couldn't get a game at my golf course yesterday - fully booked  MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

So if Private sector = Low pay, long hours , poor pension , no holidays... whose fault is it ? .... exactly, those pesky Public sector workers who caused the financial crash and brought out policies that ruined the economy and raided pension funds and destroyed workers T&C's...

Oh...wait a minute that was the bankers and Government!

Unbelievable how this Government has got the working classes fighting each other in a race to the bottom. Multi-millionaire " we are all in it together" Mp's must be pinching themselves at the 'look what they have got...take it off them' mentality.

"sorry we had to shaft you but it wasn't our fault"

Divide and Conquer. Baltic blue XS - Alpaca Leather - 18" HSE wheels.

I don't believe the working classes are fighting each other. They may have a differing opinion as regards the LG pensions, but that's a long standing issue. In truth, you can't justify the amount some are getting. It's not getting back what you've put in, it's getting that plus quite a bit more from HM Government. It's also not about suffering low pay in the expectation of getting a high pension some 35 to 40 years later, that's just a handy argument to throw up when your loosing the battle.

The financial crisis was global, it would have happened no matter what the government of the day did. As for the Bankers, I agree they took risks with other peoples money and lost. They should outlaw the yearly bonus. Let them go abroad, the truth is they wouldn't and couldn't. As for the present mish mash of a coalition government, it's a farce, they can talk the talk, but their collective IQ wouldn't hit double figures, but then Westminster has always been the sanctuary of the Old Etonian millionaires for whom poverty is just a concept. It's a pity we are just a bit too 'developed' for a serious change like other countries have undergone recently, it's the only way to transform our corrupt system.

Trouble is all has been achieved by the strikes other than causing a lot of agro for people with Children/having operations etc who now wont have any sympathy. The people they hit most are not the ones who are negotiating with the unions.

Uncle Dave Camerons on GMTV just now. What babble, it must be difficult being a multi millionaire! all you want is George Osborne and Danny Alexander on and my day would be complete! Pity there isnt a vomit icon... Evidently and according to Phil Scofield, Tory faithfull Jermey Clarkson on the One Show said Strikers should be taken and shot in front of their families!

I think one of the key points being missed (hidden) is that currently all the public sector schemes are in surplus ie there is more money being paid in than needs to be paid out to current public sector pensioners. Remember, excluding LG pension scheme which is a fund that you pay into which is invested etc, the remaining schemes go straight in central government coffers. If they can squeeze more money from the current employees it will bring more income in to stave of bankruptcy. Think of public sector employees as an easy target to raise revenue

Very few private sector final salary schemes are in surplus most have multi million black holes...remember these schemes used to be the norm, everyone was happy paying into them then Gordon Brown changed how these schemes were taxed and they all self imploded. As a result final salary schemes are being abolished in the private sector - was this a good move? Is there an increasing liability in the future for the government because pensioners won't have sufficient funds to live off?

No-one argues that retirement ages need raising but how useful is a 70 year old fireman, policeman, nurse etc...can you expect people at 70 to be as physically fit as they were at 60 or less?

Also the more people we have working longer means there are fewer jobs available for school/uni leavers. It's atrocious now with how many unemployed young people there are. Putting more inappropraite people through university has delayed it for 3 or 4 years but they are now coming out with no jobs to go to.

We're doomed...ay tell you we're doomed Capt Mainwaring