Author Topic: Swindon's rally in defence of public sector pensions 30 Nov 2011 (Read 811 times)

Simon · « **on:** November 30, 2011, 07:05:33 PM »

After hearing some minister or other yesterday spouting yet more bile about public servants seeking to defend their pensions, I made a last-minute decision to join today's rally in Swindon town centre. I was amazed by the turnout, there must have been at least five hundred people there, maybe more (I couldn't be bothered to count them all, I've since heard estimates of 1 or 2 thousand). Suffice to say, I think it's bigger than anything I've seen in Swindon in my 10 or so years of being a nuisance to those who think they know better than the people they represent.

Here's a short (10 minutes) movie of the day. Apologies for the picture quality, if I'd known it was going to be so big then I'd have taken my proper DV camera, rather than using the movie facility on my stills camera.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/079jGmYmI4w" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/079jGmYmI4w</a>

Scott Thunes · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2011, 07:49:24 PM »

Thanks for this Simon, excellent work.

Truly an amazing and moving day, solidarity to all those who were there

ph1lc · « **Reply #2 on:** November 30, 2011, 08:34:18 PM »

What a bloody shower. Stop pissing around and sack the bloody lot of them.

It's about tie they got real. I'm sick and tired of hearing them bleat on about how hard done by they are.

Scott Thunes · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2011, 08:53:11 PM »

Why's that then?

Simon · « **Reply #4 on:** November 30, 2011, 09:08:48 PM »

Quote from: ph1lc on November 30, 2011, 08:34:18 PM

What a bloody shower. Stop pissing around and sack the bloody lot of them.

And what then?

Quote from: Phil1lc maybe

I'm having a heart attack.

Quote from: operator
OK, I need an authorised card payment to pay for that service.

Quote from: Phil1lc maybe

I've been stabbed. I need emergency treatment.

Quote from: operator
OK, I need an authorised card payment to pay for that service.

Quote from: Phil1lc maybe

Some thugs are lurking around my home and I'm worried that they'll break in.

Quote from: operator
OK, I need an authorised card payment to pay for that service.

Under all 3 of these scenarios, Ph1|c is dead. Maybe he should have continued to pay for public sector workers to look after all of us???

Scott Thunes · « **Reply #5 on:** November 30, 2011, 09:13:21 PM »

Well said Simon. I was there today, and am not bleating about how hard done by I am - all I want is fairness. Us in the public sector keep being shafted, whilst a select few (judges and MPs) are still on 'gold-plated' pensions. Oh and MP Robert Buckland has both! I don't begrudge him that, but don't ruin the retirement of those of us in both public and private sectors.

This is no longer just a public sector pensions issue is it?

This is about the fat getting fatter - and under a Tory government (with the even less attractive fatter Lib Dem sister in tow - actually scratch that, they're both pig-ugly) are we surprised? Evil bastards.

ph1lc · « **Reply #6 on:** November 30, 2011, 09:20:07 PM »

Put simply they are not hard done by. If Tesco put the price of bread up, I have to pay more.

Annuity rates have tumbled - ie the cost of providing a pound of pension has risen. All the Government is trying to do is ask them to pay a bit more.

Most companies in the private sector have closed their final salary schemes to new entrants, a lot have moved existing employees to money purchase schemes.

The reason the Royal Mail can't be privatised is the pension funds deficit. Comet was recently sold for £2 - the old owners had to sweeten the deal by paying £50 million into the pension fund.

The new deal is still more generous than most in the private sector will get.

Scott Thunes · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2011, 09:27:44 PM »

But the elephant in the room in your statement is this - the LGPS is in such rude health it could survive two decades and stay in the black.

The Tories are not increasing our pension contributions, they are slapping extra tax on us to bail out the country's deficit.

Mart · « **Reply #8 on:** November 30, 2011, 09:31:56 PM »

With delicious irony I got my pension statement today.

I checked the address and everything, but it's definitely mine.

It's changed quite a bit.

ph1lc · « **Reply #9 on:** November 30, 2011, 10:37:03 PM »

Not quite so fast Scott - Council Taxpayers have been paying millions to bring the scheme up to parity over recent years. An unless you whinging cretins start paying your fair share it'll no way make 20 years in the black.

Got Signal · « **Reply #10 on:** December 01, 2011, 06:38:32 AM »

Bringing it back into the black is an interesting point as I thought this whole problem started with Thatcher who gave pension funds a holiday when she came to power. The Tories in power then blew that dosh and now the Tories want to steal it a again. The Royal Mail had a pensions holiday and the government kept the contributions and £2 billion of profit from the pension. This lead to the shortfall http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/sep/30/royal-mail-pensions-labour

The truth is Swindon council paid its pension black hole with the Brunel sale this time it is a con as Wiltshire pension fund can meet its liabilities.

We're all in this together except for a protected few like Robert Buckland MP who as an MP and a judge has both his pensions guaranted by the government, and rightly so, but they should not have been singled out from other workers. Did MPs vote for that one in this parliament?

Muggins · « **Reply #11 on:** December 01, 2011, 08:30:52 AM »

Am I being soft (in the head) , or have I missed something?

Do workers in the public sector actually work?

Do they actually do their jobs more or less to service those that don't work in the sector?

Do they not pay into a pensions fund? Is it a set rate or percentage of their wages? i.e. if they are earning more they are paying more.

Did they individually decide for themselves what their terms and conditions would be or did someone from above decide them?

Why is there this disrespect for those that do those jobs?

Do they do jobs that those in the private sector wouldn't want to do?

Were those terms and cond, enhances to encourage people into the public sector?

Got Signal · « **Reply #12 on:** December 01, 2011, 09:04:57 AM »

http://t.co/p9YyNPLu

Couldn't stomach the result?

Rochelle · « **Reply #13 on:** December 01, 2011, 11:25:31 AM »

A number of my relatives work in the public sector and I was proud to march in support of their cause yesterday.

There are four doctors in my family, all of whom work long, long hours. My stepson also volunteers in what little spare time he has. He saves lives. When my great niece contracted meningitis, her life was saved by the total dedication of doctors and nurses who would not rest until she was safe. Likewise, when my son had an accident his arm was saved by a team of people who go above and beyond on a daily basis.
My brother was a fireman for 20 years.
My stepdaughter is a teacher who regularly works longer hours than she is paid for, as do all of the teachers I know.
My husband has worked since he was 16 years old and has never drawn benefit. he has worked in the public sector for 20 years. He is paid for 37 hours a week but rarely works less than 50, including evenings and weekends.
He also volunteers in his spare time.
Hard working socially responsible people every one of them.
Whinging cretins? really??

Tobes · « **Reply #14 on:** December 01, 2011, 11:33:16 AM »

Quote

Put simply they are not hard done by. If Tesco put the price of bread up, I have to pay more.

Ah, and there's the crux: the bitter private sector worker, looking with envy at the private. Such myopic hypocrisy always amuses me. For starters, lets just apply market rules: If you're so envious of the 'marvellous' pension options that the public sector has received, why did you opt to work in the private sector, huh? Could it be because public sector workers are often on a lower wage and expected to work on a more vocational basis? You didn't decide to work for the public sector when in a free market you had the option?? Then why should we listen to your self-centred trolling?

Quote

An unless you whinging cretins start paying your fair share it'll no way make 20 years in the black.

Ah, the balanced and equitable comment of Mr Jack, residing in his semi-detached on I'm Alright Avenue... or maybe YOU'VE seen your private pension massacred in value, and want to share your misfortune with others? How adult and ethical of you.

My view is that if the state is short of funds, it ought to raise them through efficiencies and increased taxation. Anything else looks like an excuse to enact ideological prejudice, as so eloquently expressed by the charming example of ph1lc.

ph1lc · « **Reply #15 on:** December 01, 2011, 01:27:11 PM »

Whit all your pathetic bleatings - no one has answered the simple question - who is going to pay for your pensions.

How much do you think it costs to provide a pension of £8000? Over £250,000!
For many reasons - but largely due to the low interest rates, which we all benefit from every month on our mortgages, over the last 20 years this cost has more than doubled.

What percentage of your salary do you think needs to be put by to provide a 2/3 final pension?

27% approx!!

Get real - explain who is going to pay if you are not.

Martin Wicks · « **Reply #16 on:** December 01, 2011, 02:20:46 PM »

Ph whatever differences we might have, you have generally posted in a rational way in the past. But it does you no favours to describe people as "whinging cretins". How do you expect to convince people of your point of view if you resort to insults and let your anger get the better of you?

ph1lc · « **Reply #17 on:** December 01, 2011, 02:48:44 PM »

Point taken Martin and appologies to any I offended. I posted that after listening to one protestor on the news. To call the gent in question a whinging cretin would ,, in his case have been generous.

Des Morgan · « **Reply #18 on:** December 01, 2011, 05:10:19 PM »

Quote

Royal Mail had a pensions holiday and the government kept the contributions and £2 billion of profit from the pension. This lead to the shortfall

Not sure what point you are trying to make as the pension holiday you refer to was taken during the periods in office of both a Labour and Conservative Government.

It is also the case that the then labour Government (that's the taxpaying public) through former PM Gordon Brown guaranteed to protect the £25billion pension fund of Royal Mail. I was bewildered at this action because I recall the comments made by this same man when as Chancellor he rejected any notion of helping people who had lost or had their pensions reduced due to the failure of company pension schemes. Gordon Brown baulked at what he said would be an unaffordable £2 billion bill to bail out innocent victims of collapsed pension schemes but was quite relaxed about affording the £8 or £10 billion deficit in the Royal Mail scheme.

However, the promise was that the Government would protect the fund and they did so, despite the costs falling on 'innocent' members of the public who had nothing whatsoever to do with the reason it had a shortfall.

Oh by the way - the same Gordon Brown decided that 'the country couldn't afford' to protect my 'final salary' pension scheme which failed through no fault of mine.

I suppose that's okay though

Muggins · « **Reply #19 on:** December 01, 2011, 05:30:12 PM »

Quote from: ph1lc on December 01, 2011, 02:48:44 PM

Point taken Martin and appologies to any I offended. I posted that after listening to one protestor on the news. To call the gent in question a whinging cretin would ,, in his case have been generous.

I have one child teaching and another recently made redundant from the public sector. I could say the same about the other sides being interviewed on the tele over the past few days - whinging envious cretins.

All of whom seem to think that public sector workers don't work.

Psst we won't mention Major Cretin, Jeremy Clarkson. Him with the 3 ltr ..........

Author Topic: Swindon's rally in defence of public sector pensions 30 Nov 2011 (Read 811 times)

Got Signal

Got Signal