Board logo

council tax reduction
jabbahutt - 30/11/11 at 08:39 AM

Morning all

Quick question for the LCB's. I drove past the public sector strikers at this hospital this morning to drop off my daughter on the way to work. If the majority of public sector workers are on strike then they're obviously not providing all the services we pay council tax for.

So can anyone else think of a situation where you have to pay for services even when they're not provided without getting some sort of refund? Maybe everytime public sector workers strike we should strike by deducting the same number of days council tax from that months payment.

just a thought


D Beddows - 30/11/11 at 08:58 AM

At least they were actually out protesting - I have no problem whatsoever with people striking if they feel they have a just cause....... however I drove past 4 schools on the way to work with not a sign of any protests/stikers outside a single one. I do have a problem with people protesting by having a lie in, watching a bit of Escape To Bargain Homes In The Attic then doing a bit of Christmas shopping. If you're not involved in some kind of actual protest then you should be in work imho


Agriv8 - 30/11/11 at 09:16 AM

Yes 90% of my Road TAX not going on Roads !!!!!!!!!!!



Regards

Agriv8


tegwin - 30/11/11 at 09:46 AM

Its an interesting one..... teachers dont need to "picket"... they are sending out a very strong message by simply forcing the school to close... all those children will be causing havoc up and down the country today!

It is a bit daft though isnt it, the Gov want public sector workers to be paid less, work longer and get less pension.... by the time I get to retirement age I dont exepct to recieve any pension atall at this rate!


cliftyhanger - 30/11/11 at 09:50 AM

I have no issues with them not protesting beyond with-holding their labour. After all they are not getting paid while they are striking, so I don't see why they can't do whatever they like. Some feel the need to protest, others go and do something useful (like work on their car)

As for tax refunds, I think you would find it impossible to work out exactly which services had been denied, and what proportion of you taxes that represents. Then you will be told "No"

I do genuinely feel for the public sector workers. I am a supply teacher, so only get paid for the exact hours I work, before anybody makes any comments. I was told the day I was supposed to be working today has been cancelled, so I miss a days pay too. But that is fine.
The trouble is the last government increased the size of the public sector enormously, and of course they expected the jobs to be a secure and the pensions all as they were when they started work. To then be told no pay rise for a year, and now it looks like 1% for the 2 following years, plus working later, plus reduced pensions, all seems very unfair. However, SOMETHING does need to give.
I like the idea of pensions based on career average (I have always hated the way a few get massive promotions a year or 2 before retiring to vastly increase the pension size)
I do worry that, in my area of knowledge at least, teachers do get worn out as they get to 60, and are not as effective. There needs to be a way of using that experience. Maybe use the older teachers for A levels, but that is ageist. Or into school management, teacher training or whatever. The same must apply to the police/fire/ambulance etc services. You dont want a 65 year old fighting fires or chasing a scroat down the street. It all needs serious and intelligent ideas. But it will take a long time to happen. Meanwhile, people will take the legal and correct route to voice their opinions, and hopefully it will remain peaceful.


jabbahutt - 30/11/11 at 10:03 AM

It's not just the public sector though who are suffering though. Everyone is having their retirement age put back and as for not getting a pay rise for a year then a measly 1% & 2% there are plenty in the private sector who haven't had a salary increase for 4 years.

I bet there are plenty of people currently seeking employment who'd jump at the chance of a public sector job with current restrictions and count themselves lucky.


cliftyhanger - 30/11/11 at 10:39 AM

Indeed. As I have always said to those who bemoan teachers holidays, become one! however, the usual response is "couldn't afford to" or some other excuse. People should apply for public sector jobs, however, at the moment I think the number of PS employees really needs to drop by 20%

I have never said it is just the public sector, but NOBODY likes having things taken away, and to make that feeling known is a right. I think we need to be more like the French, and make our feelings known about things rather than just moan


Ninehigh - 30/11/11 at 10:42 AM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Its an interesting one..... teachers dont need to "picket"... they are sending out a very strong message by simply forcing the school to close... all those children will be causing havoc up and down the country today!

It is a bit daft though isnt it, the Gov want public sector workers to be paid less, work longer and get less pension.... by the time I get to retirement age I dont exepct to recieve any pension atall at this rate!


By the time I get to retirement age I expect retirement age to be 85 and I'll drop dead at 79...


skippad - 30/11/11 at 11:45 AM

Its funny how the local shopping centre was extra busy this morning...
A mates missus who works for a local council, said she had to get up earlier to get to the Metro Centre before all the other public sector "workers" got there... what a joke...on us...


Ninehigh - 30/11/11 at 06:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
It's not just the public sector though who are suffering though. Everyone is having their retirement age put back and as for not getting a pay rise for a year then a measly 1% & 2% there are plenty in the private sector who haven't had a salary increase for 4 years.

I bet there are plenty of people currently seeking employment who'd jump at the chance of a public sector job with current restrictions and count themselves lucky.


Of course there are, no doubt some are willing to work for less than minimum wage too, then the standard of working rights goes down from there.


steve m - 30/11/11 at 06:56 PM

I do love all the hype, especialy as Heathrow will come to a standstill, even be closed for 24 hours

Yet today, Virgin atlantic (up to 1850z) ALL of our departures are either early or on time

thats a first!!!

(i do work for Virgin atlantic)

Steve


Paul (Notts) - 30/11/11 at 08:11 PM

quote:

A mates missus who works for a local council, said she had to get up earlier to get to the Metro Centre before all the other public sector "workers" got there... what a joke...on us...



Whats the joke ? I dont get it..

or is it no pay riswe for 3 years ( I understand that)
the only 1% not the 2% that we had agreed. (OK times are still bad - due to this goverment )

Change to average earnings - ok no problems Ill take a knock.
get less - ( starting to to get a little )
pay in a lot more ( This is just a tax to help the government - it does not pay my pension fund)
Work till I am 67 - not possible as a teacher in a state school.



Paul ( pissed off teacher with 22 years experience)


perksy - 30/11/11 at 08:49 PM

Just my 2p

I work in the NHS and was on strike today

Trust me this is the last thing any of us wanted to do

However negotiations have been going on for over 10 months now and have come to a stand still
The government have kept certain figures from the unions which hasn't helped with forming accurate calculations
There has also been alot of Boll*x spoken in the press, Don't beleive all you read about 'gold plated' pensions
It ain't true
The NHS pension doesn't have a normal pension 'pot' all our money goes directly to the government
Independent auditors have stated that public sector pensions ARE sustainable it just that the government are in the s**t and need the extra funds

Alot of us except that we won't earn as much as we could in the private sector, but this is balanced against a pension that used to be better than in the private sector


Also i provide an on-call service over 16 hours (including during the night) for £17.70 stand-by

Would anybody else fancy doing that ?


Like i said just my 2p...


Ninehigh - 1/12/11 at 08:01 AM

quote:
Originally posted by perksy
Independent auditors have stated that public sector pensions ARE sustainable it just that the government are in the s**t and need the extra funds


And as I keep saying now's the worst time for them to be grasping those extra funds, it just makes things worse.


Alfa145 - 1/12/11 at 08:51 AM

And how is making people work till 67 going to help anything? It just means older people will stay in jobs longer and younger people can't move into those jobs for an extra 2 years, therfore more benifits are paid over the 2 years.

Not sure who will want a 67 year old computer programmer in the future.....


perksy - 1/12/11 at 05:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Alfa145
And how is making people work till 67 going to help anything? It just means older people will stay in jobs longer and younger people can't move into those jobs for an extra 2 years, therfore more benifits are paid over the 2 years.

Not sure who will want a 67 year old computer programmer in the future.....




Indeed and also under the current Government proposals for the NHS a Nurse born after 1990 will have to work
until they are 70 years old
So there's a thought, a Nurse on a Zimmer frame looking after patients...


Peteff - 1/12/11 at 06:49 PM

A lot of the people who don't have jobs are not working because they are comfortable without working so are not motivated to. So the people who are working are going to have to stay in work to support them in the manner to which they have become accustomed.


Alfa145 - 1/12/11 at 08:28 PM

And alot of people who want jobs can't get them because people are staying in jobs longer and longer.....