Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 164 total)
  • Who’s striking this / next week?
  • lairdburkart
    Free Member

    Here we go in HE for 5 days.
    Not looking forward to it.
    Let’s just hope it has some positive effects.
    Surely we can sneak a ride in sometime also to get away from the doom and gloom for a bit.
    Good luck

    doris5000
    Full Member

    Yep. Feel a bit conflicted about it. I’ve got long COVID and my employer has been very understanding, and I am grateful for it.

    On the other hand, I’ve got a direct report who desperately needs a pay rise to support her family, and can’t afford to lose several days pay, so isn’t striking. And she’s glad that I am, even though I don’t have kids so don’t have such financial pressure.

    But I feel guilty that it means she’ll be working harder to pick up the slack while her boss is on strike!

    But as I said elsewhere, in the last 3 years we’ve had 0%, 1% and 2.5% and it’s really starting to bite for a lot of people here. So as a union member I’ll do what I can. Never voted in favour of strike action before, but it felt essential this year.

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    On the other hand, I’ve got a direct report who desperately needs a pay rise to support her family, and can’t afford to lose several days pay, so isn’t striking. And she’s glad that I am, even though I don’t have kids so don’t have such financial pressure.

    But I feel guilty that it means she’ll be working harder to pick up the slack while her boss is on strike!

    This was my approach when the PCS ballot took place. I wasn’t wanting to strike for more money for me, it was for all my lower paid colleagues.

    Surprisingly, HMRC didn’t quite reach the 50% threshold, though 86% of those who did vote voted to strike

    Much as my student son will get disrupted, we both wish you well

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    TroutWrestler
    Free Member

    Teacher. Scotland. Tomorrow. Last night’s desparate, deluded and derisory offer was greeted with utter contempt by myself and my colleagues. It has stirred up a hornet’s nest of anger.

    d42dom
    Full Member

    my CS department didn’t reach the PCS threshold to strike either, maybe as we were offered 12% over 3 years beforehand that the other unions excepted. We’ve had under 2% over the last 10 years at least and this one though better than most wasn’t as straight forward  as it sounds, meaning losing holiday and sick days and redundancy terms. I believe we are going to receive 2% now though. Good luck to all those striking, I believe PCS have a strike fund meaning all those on strike will not lose any money. Not entirely sure how it all works though

    fossy
    Full Member

    Where is the money coming from folks ? I work in HE, have done for a long time in Finance. Had bugger all pay rises in the time, but the money isn’t there for big pay rises. Our pensions cost near on 23% or more on top of our salaries.

    fossy
    Full Member

    PS I’m fairly senior, and can’t afford to lose wages.

    d42dom
    Full Member

    The department were I work has wasted 3bn on one project alone in the last decade and still owes around 2bn on it. The product was supposed to be delivered 2019 I think, which it hasn’t, and the trials show it’s not fit for purpose.

    One of many where money is wasted, I know it is not as straight forward as that but I see money wasted every week, not on heating though!

    dovebiker
    Full Member

    Part-time postie, I’m agency so when no post turns up tomorrow/Friday I don’t get paid even though I’m not striking – unless my colleague who was working today might have left something over for me to do. The trouble will be Saturday when it all arrives at once as it might not all fit in the delivery van and we have no storage.

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    I believe PCS have a strike fund meaning all those on strike will not lose any money. Not entirely sure how it all works though

    Never paid me when I’ve been on strike before?

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Mrs_oab isn’t striking – and has already been called a scab.

    Our view is that there isn’t any more money. I know on railways, from R4 interviews yesterday, that the feeling is the strikes are harming the future of the railways and therefore how many jobs are available in future. Scottish health secretary said that he could give a larger payrise – but job numbers would be cut to afford the remaining people’s rises. Teachers in Scotland are turning down 6.25%/5% such seems ‘reasonable’.

    We’re a nation about to bury ourselves in a recession, who have accepted cheap credit, house price growth and a rising standard of living for a long time. Maybe life is going to not be that way for a while.

    And still my biggest concern is the poorest – and a pay rise doesn’t solve the issue of excessive housing and energy costs for them.

    doris5000
    Full Member

    Where is the money coming from folks ? I work in HE, have done for a long time in Finance. Had bugger all pay rises in the time, but the money isn’t there for big pay rises. Our pensions cost near on 23% or more on top of our salaries.

    How do you mean about the 23%? If it’s employer contributions, mine is less than half that.

    But yes you’re right, tuition fees have been fixed for years so they’re being eaten away by inflation too. I know income is tight.

    But stil, something has to give. Our department is rapidly losing talent to better paying roles in private sector, and if it hadn’t been for my long COVID I’d have gone too. (I am grateful for the support, and I’ll be sticking around for a bit because I feel I owe them one).

    This is costing us in skills and experience, which will end up harming the institutions as well as the staff.

    So yeah, it’s not easy. But it’s not easy when your wages decrease by 10% in real terms over 3 or 4 years either.

    zippykona
    Full Member

    For those about to strike, I salute you.
    Without an effective opposition it is for the people to represent themselves.
    Fight the power brothers.

    ransos
    Free Member

    Our view is that there isn’t any more money.

    There’s always more money, when it’s deemed necessary.

    d42dom
    Full Member

    Never paid me when I’ve been on strike before?

    apparently 50p a month from every membership payment

    https://www.pcs.org.uk/campaigns/pcs-pay-campaign/i-cant-afford-go-strike-will-pcs-support-me

    fossy
    Full Member

    @doris5000 our schemes contribute 23%, or there abouts, Local Govt, USS or the TPS, all massive (University).

    We’ve massive vacancies, can’t attract staff, really struggling. Can’t get Finance colleagues either as the pay is crap. I knew this 15 years ago when taking the role – I’ve not caught back up. Pension and holidays is my benefit, not the pay, which I’m £20-£30k lower over 15 years.. I’m mid 50’s though.

    We’ll probably get 5% for next year as a pay rise ! Strike or not.

    gauss1777
    Free Member

    Our view is that there isn’t any more money.

    There’s always more money, when it’s deemed necessary.

    Indeed. Too much money has been siphoned off by the wealthy one way or another for far too long. Scottish teacher, so working from home tomorrow whilst EIS strike, then we’re off, SSTA, in a couple of weeks time. I’m ready to strike for as long and often as necessary. Teacher’s pay has apparently dropped by ~25% since 2008, so by my reckoning we need a pay rise of the order of ~ 33%. It’s not just about earning enough to live on. We are chronically understaffed, you just cannot get maths (and other subjects) teachers, people can earn much more, in better conditions elsewhere.
    Teachers are not unique, there are many others who have good reason to strike for better pay and conditions. Hopefully the majority of us can stay united and support each other through this.
    Give me a 33% pay rise and then link my future pay increases to MP’s pay, so that I don’t have to go begging again.

    lovegoinguphills
    Free Member

    Never read so much crap in all my life. If your not happy with the pay you receive then find another job offering better pay. Plenty of jobs out there, just requires a bit of effort.

    Poopscoop
    Full Member

    ^^Yawn… You related to Sir John Williams by any chance?

    Yeah, they just need to imagine themselves into better paid jobs eh? Then who fills the roles in these jobs and accept the same conditions/pay… if they are lucky?

    Anyway, good luck to those taking strike action, it takes balls at the best of times and these aren’t the best of times.

    d42dom
    Full Member

     If your not happy with the pay you receive then find another job offering better pay. Plenty of jobs out there, just requires a bit of effort.

    Thanks for the career advice, wondered where I’ve been going wrong all my life…

    Never read so much crap in all my life.

    take a read back of your own post, might trump it

    robertajobb
    Full Member

    In the case if HE, where does the money come from ? From the increased taxes that come from (a) all the Stealth taxes dumped on low and middle income earners in the past decade, and (b) by educating the yoof of today and tomorrow properly, they drive the economy upwards, they pay far more  tax than if doing a non skilled job , and hey presto the economy improves for everyone.

    The medium and long term solution to the **** unproductive UK economy to educate the masses much much better than has happened this century.

    But instead British short sighted short termism rules, and we continue the downwards slide as a has-been country.

    If the Victorians had taken this short termist approach we’d have feckall now. No railways. No sewers. No running water. Few water reservoirs.  Etc etc etc.

    (Of course all the income from nationally owned oil, gas, water, electricity generation, has been piiiiised away and given to Tory cronies.

    37 BILLION on track and trace.  BILLION. FFS. BILLION. Imagine how much better education could be with 37 BILLION.

    The ‘can’t afford it’ lie pushed by the nazi press for the tories is just bollox.  They just want more people downtrodden unempowered and fearful for their jobs so the race to the bottom can continue for the benefit of the few.

    stevious
    Full Member

    Solidarity to all striking.

    Fairly sure the money is there should anyone have the political will to find it.

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/nov/15/wealthy-drinking-dry-lvmh-champagne-luxury

    unfitgeezer
    Free Member

    The day of the postie have been marked for years, nobody wants to admit it.

    For eg
    Postie
    Works 40 hr week
    Average pay £23000 ish
    Plenty of exercise
    You’re own boss when walking the streets
    Along with a few other positives I’m sure.

    Now compare that to the delivery person
    Works between 8 to 10 hours a day
    7 days a week
    Extremely stressful driving all the time
    No holiday pay if self employed
    No perks if they become unwell
    Far less pay than a postie

    It’s plainly obvious that Royal Mail aren’t up to the job anymore, there are numerous delivery companies that are far better run the RM.
    And completely obvious though again no one wants to see it is that who posts letters these days most companies are paperless billing.
    That amazing invention of emails stopped hand written letters in its tracks.

    I’d say being a postie right now is a pretty good place to be cos they won’t be around for much longer. For the odd letter you may send/receive guess who’ll be delivering it – not a postman but a delivery person !

    That my friends is how it is, if you really want to help a postie get sending letters by the thousands.

    Free market apparently

    pondo
    Full Member

    For those about to strike, I salute you.

    100%

    chewkw
    Free Member

    All public sectors strike or just HE?

    I have not been following news for a while so not sure which are on strike.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    For me there are a couple of issues here

    1) Public sector strikes do not have the leverage that private sector does as you are not hitting shareholder profits. Its shows the depth of feeling but that is all.

    2) In Scotland there is no more money. the scots government budget is effectively fixed. half of it IIRC goes on health and education takes a huge chunk of whats left, An increase in wages / costs in one area means cuts in another and wages are a large part of the overall budget. Its different from the english because the scots government simply cannot raise more money whereas in England the government could put more money in and chooses not to. In Scotland there is not that choice

    Its intensely frustrating to watch the public sector be cut cut and cut and that wages have slipped so much

    But for those of you striking in Scotland- I ask where do you want the cuts to fall to fund your pay rise?

    duckman
    Full Member

    Our share of the defence budget or national infrastructure like HS2 that impacts Barnett would be a start.

    SSTA, supporting colleague who are crossing the EIS line today( schools are shut) then out on 7th.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    Our share of the defence budget or national infrastructure like HS2 that impacts Barnett would be a start.

    but in practice that cannot be done can it?

    Again tome this is an arguement for independence

    aphex_2k
    Free Member

    Yes.

    Striking tomorrow – nursing staff in Western Australia. Govt won’t budge on anything more than 3% (essentially $60 a fortnight less tax!) So a pretty raw deal after the last couple of years Covid. Inflation rate currently 7.4%

    Mass rally to Parliament House tomorrow and the govt have just said there will be “consequences” for any transport company that takes nurses to the rally! (We’re thinking fines). We have coaches booked from various hospitals across WA but there’s some serious pressure on them to not help us out. Our union is questioning the legalities of such threats.

    So perhaps avoid getting hit by a car or severing and appendage tomorrow. Saturday should be cool though.

    monkeyboyjc
    Full Member

    I’m self employed, so not striking, but I fully support those that are, even though my buisness will be effected.

    tthew
    Full Member

    Teachers in Scotland are turning down 6.25%/5% such seems ‘reasonable’.

    We’re a nation about to bury ourselves in a recession, who have accepted cheap credit, house price growth and a rising standard of living for a long time. Maybe life is going to not be that way for a while.

    I might have agreed with this sentiment had teachers and all other striking sectors had something like fair payrises over the last decade, but they are already so far behind decent pay in real terms, something needs to be done.

    Public sector should be being offered a pensioner style triple lock for a few years to catch up. That might also go some way to solving the various recruitment issues.

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    Among my colleagues, and what I’ve heard from nurses, it’s not about the money. No one really expects to get 10%, 5% would be nice.

    It’s the failure to attract and retain sufficient staff to keep the services, in whichever field functioning at a safe and effective level. Across the public services. Its a reaction to the wider impact of 12 years of cuts.

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    So we can give 10.5% on pensions 9.7% is deemed the rise in living wage.

    Yet nurses and teacher and other public sector works get offered 2-6%

    It wouldn’t be “so” galling to be told.there is no money If they weren’t using it to attempt to buy votes.

    The private sector merry-go-round is going hard – so there will be payrises there* – thanks to the free market and negotiations but that isn’t there in nursing/ teaching the wage is the wage for you grade where ever you go .

    Which means more price rises coming which means more squeeze on public sector workers .,…..

    monkeyboyjc
    Full Member

    It’s plainly obvious that Royal Mail aren’t up to the job anymore, there are numerous delivery companies that are far better run the RM.

    And completely obvious though again no one wants to see it is that who posts letters these days most companies are paperless billing.

    That amazing invention of emails stopped hand written letters in its tracks.

    There a re some companies that are run well, and other (evri?) which are shockingly poor in comparison. None of RM competition have the government restrictions that royal mail have. Judging by the turnover of drivers in my area for all the other delivery firms (who I see daily) none are great companies to work for.

    Letters have been in decline for 15years – everyone knows this, RM know this. The government still doesn’t want them to  modernize this part of the buisness and won’t let them (see recent news reports of Saturday letter delivery).

    RM is the only service in the UK where you can send an item (letter) to anywhere in the UK for 68p!!!!

    They also made over 700million in profits last year, were predicted to do similar this year….. But, it seems  won’t invest in the staff, and rather give away large bonuses.

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    Whilst I’m delighted my colleagues on minimum wage will be getting a decent raise, it’s a bit galling that they will soon catch up those just above them getting 2% or whatever.

    The fact that the government thinks the minimum wage is acceptable for it’s own staff is shocking in itself.

    onehundredthidiot
    Full Member

    I’m a child of the 80’s strikes I was “educated” through tha and because of that I’m anti strikes.

    I’m leaving the house in 20minutes to walk to my place of employment and stand on the picket line.
    Education needs people who are motivated for our kids and part of that is an attractive pay pensions package. A lot of schools already short staffed and it’s getting worse.
    We accepted a low ball offer last year with the proviso we’d being going high this. Negotiation offers for ’22 were submitted in fed COSLA came back with very low offer just before the deadline. Ironically if they’d started in march with the current offer we’d probably have taken it.
    Since then cost of living has shot up for everyone. Layers of gov happy to spend billions on projects that will ease the life of a few (crossrail/new Thames crossing/HS2/pensions triple lock) but not invest in the future generations.

    onehundredthidiot
    Full Member

    Oh it’s not just the EIS who are striking. The main reason a lot of schools are shut is the headteacher union is striking too. That fact seems to have slipped beneath the headlines

    ransos
    Free Member

    Never read so much crap in all my life. If your not happy with the pay you receive then find another job offering better pay. Plenty of jobs out there, just requires a bit of effort.

    jameso
    Full Member

    Our view is that there isn’t any more money.

    Perhaps in a particular industry or area. There’s plenty of money generally. There just is no trickle-down effect, ‘Nationalised the debts, privatised the profits’, etc.

    Among my colleagues, and what I’ve heard from nurses, it’s not about the money. No one really expects to get 10%, 5% would be nice.

    It’s the failure to attract and retain sufficient staff to keep the services, in whichever field functioning at a safe and effective level. Across the public services. Its a reaction to the wider impact of 12 years of cuts.

    100% – via family members in the NHS

    For those about to strike, I salute you.
    Without an effective opposition it is for the people to represent themselves.
    Fight the power brothers.

    And this.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Public sector should be being offered a pensioner style triple lock for a few years to catch up. That might also go some way to solving the various recruitment issues.

    Except when I speak to people in public sector, particularly teachers, the real issues seem to be around excessive hours, lack of sheer numbers of staff, and no money for resources and growing issues of child mental health, poor behaviour, pressure from parents. A bigger payrise does not solve these problems.

    Arguably a significant payrise = fewer on the front line.

    (I’m speaking from the Scottish context where I do think genuinely we’re out of money)

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