Strike

[Stato]

get back to work you lazy sod.

 

[crazyg]

His surname was Grace. He would have been in middle management in 1981 and I know he went on strike. He agonised over it but followed his conscience in the end.[/quote]


Not Tony (Young Mr) Grace by any chance? If so, yes, I met him several times.

 

[mackenzie]

His surname was Grace. He would have been in middle management in 1981 and I know he went on strike. He agonised over it but followed his conscience in the end.

Not Tony (Young Mr) Grace by any chance? If so, yes, I met him several times.[/quote]

Yes! ;-) My mum's only brother. He may be my Uncle but I can say with all sincerity that he's a lovely guy. And a blue! ;-)

 

[mackenzie]

get back to work you lazy sod.

Hahaha! Hello Stato x

 

[Matty]

In that case they can review the shite pay I've had for the last 32 years, the salary I accepted on the understanding that there were certain compensations eg a decent pension.
If I start to pay more towards that pension then they can compensate me by paying some arrears on that shite salary.
Works both ways, but of course that won't happen.

The assumption there is that you had the option of getting a superior salary elsewhere. In the main it's a myth that the private sector is filled with high salaries when compared to those offered by the public sector. Your average private sector employee will be struggling along on a not great salary, whilst having to accept wage freezes and changes to pensions/terms and conditions just like your average public sector employee.

 

[Lavinda Past]

With you in spirit all the way.
I took early retirement nearly 7 years ago to get out of the madhouse that HMRC was becoming, having served for 35 years.
In 1981, when Herr Thatcher was the Fuhrer, I was on strike for 6 weeks in the dispute over the tearing up of our pay agreement, so I can fully empathise with you.

If you worked in Manchester you may have known my Uncle. He worked in that department from about 1960 to just a few years ago. In fact if the 'g' in your username is the beginning of your surname then you might be him lol!!

I joined the old Dept of Employment in 1981, right in the middle of the strikes of that summer.

Afraid not. The "g" is for George. My nickname in the office was Crazy George - I don't know why! I never worked in a Tax Office, being firstly in Internal Audit, then via a 4 year stint as a Collector of Taxes, moved into PAYE Compliance, but knew many people in the Manchester area from my first posting, so I may well have bumped into him over the years.

79-81... I was there George. Nicked on Bridge Street outside the Collectors office, charged with various offences, just short of riot. Up in court - case dismissed due to lack of police evidence. On stage @ Free Trade Hall with (Lord) Clive Brook et al, and had to speak to the assembled 3000+.

My clearest memory of the FTH meeting was a gang of my mates from LP17 chanting "sex case, sex case, hang him, hang him, hang him" when I stood up.

32 years ago? Where the f*ck di that go?

Good to hear at least two of us are still about!

 

[mackenzie]

In that case they can review the shite pay I've had for the last 32 years, the salary I accepted on the understanding that there were certain compensations eg a decent pension.
If I start to pay more towards that pension then they can compensate me by paying some arrears on that shite salary.
Works both ways, but of course that won't happen.

The assumption there is that you had the option of getting a superior salary elsewhere. In the main it's a myth that the private sector is filled with high salaries when compared to those offered by the public sector. Your average private sector employee will be struggling along on a not great salary, whilst having to accept wage freezes and changes to pensions/terms and conditions just like your average public sector employee.

In 32 years I have had 2 promotions and am now considered of management grade. The salary is 25k a year.
I've stuck to my side of the bargain and so should they. It really is that simple.

 

[crazyg]

If you worked in Manchester you may have known my Uncle. He worked in that department from about 1960 to just a few years ago. In fact if the 'g' in your username is the beginning of your surname then you might be him lol!!

I joined the old Dept of Employment in 1981, right in the middle of the strikes of that summer.

Afraid not. The "g" is for George. My nickname in the office was Crazy George - I don't know why! I never worked in a Tax Office, being firstly in Internal Audit, then via a 4 year stint as a Collector of Taxes, moved into PAYE Compliance, but knew many people in the Manchester area from my first posting, so I may well have bumped into him over the years.

79-81... I was there George. Nicked on Bridge Street outside the Collectors office, charged with various offences, just short of riot. Up in court - case dismissed due to lack of police evidence. On stage @ Free Trade Hall with (Lord) Clive Brook et al, and had to speak to the assembled 3000+.

My clearest memory of the FTH meeting was a gang of my mates from LP17 chanting "sex case, sex case, hang him, hang him, hang him" when I stood up.

32 years ago? Where the f*ck di that go?

Good to hear at least two of us are still about!

Yes, I was also on the stage, as one of the strikers - great turnout. I was sitting next to an Inspector from the Delphian House complex who clapped every time an anti-strike speaker made a point, and was silent after opposing views were made. After the vote, I turned to him and "well, you'd better hurry back to the office then!" He gave me a dirty look, but took my advice.

I'll not name him (Official Secrets Act prohibits me), but if you were from LP17, you'll know who I mean. I can only say that he was Irish and went on to better things.

 

[Fuzzy Logic]

Even after the pension changes we get a good pension considering how much we pay into it, much better than anyone i know in the private sector
Although there's no pay rise on the horizon i think the fact we have flexi time where we can come and go as we please and take time off whenever we want compensates for it to a certain degree
overall people at our place should realise how good we have it compared to most.

 

[George Hannah]

In that case they can review the shite pay I've had for the last 32 years, the salary I accepted on the understanding that there were certain compensations eg a decent pension.
If I start to pay more towards that pension then they can compensate me by paying some arrears on that shite salary.
Works both ways, but of course that won't happen.

The assumption there is that you had the option of getting a superior salary elsewhere. In the main it's a myth that the private sector is filled with high salaries when compared to those offered by the public sector. Your average private sector employee will be struggling along on a not great salary, whilst having to accept wage freezes and changes to pensions/terms and conditions just like your average public sector employee.

Facts about civil and public services

Since 2004, when the government announced 100,000 posts would be cut from the civil service, tens of thousands of civil and public servants have lost their jobs and about 2,000 offices have been closed.
Pay for many civil servants in recent years has been frozen or increased below the rate of inflation.
And yet, the coalition government plans to make massive cuts in public spending that will inevitably lead to thousands more job cuts, and hit public sector pay and pensions. The new government is also committed to further privatisation of our public services.
While sections of the media and some politicians continue to try to blame the public sector for the country’s economic problems, the truth is that civil and public servants are as much the victims of the recession as other workers.
To help challenge some of the common myths and misconceptions, we provide some facts and figures about public sector pay, pensions and jobs.
Myth 1: civil and public servants are well paid
Myth 2: civil service pensions are ‘gold plated’
Myth 3: civil and public servants are secure in their jobs
Myth 1: civil and public servants are well paid
The myth
Civil and public servants are well paid and have enjoyed better pay rises than the private sector.
The facts
Since 2007, basic pay in the civil service has increased by 6.5% and inflation by 10%, meaning a real terms cut in living standards.
Almost half (48%) of civil servants are in admin grades where the average (median) pay in 2009 was £17,120 for women and £17,600 for men.
Average civil service pay is £22,850 a year, compared to £24,970 in the private sector.
35,000 (7%) civil servants are paid less than £15,000 a year.
40.5% of civil servants - 210,000 people - are paid £20,000 or less. And 63% of civil servants - 330,000 staff - earn less than £25,000 a year.
There are currently 230 separate sets of negotiations over pay and terms and conditions across the civil service.
A member in one department can earn up to a third more than a member in another department/agency on the same grade.
Government plans to cap public sector pay at 20 times the lowest salary will have very little impact in the civil service. In the Department for Work and Pensions, for example, the lowest paid are on £13,110 and the highest paid is the IT director on £249,999.
Unlike elsewhere in the public sector, progression costs for civil servants are included in the overall pay pot. So when pay is frozen, they suffer a double whammy of not being rewarded for length of service or given a cost of living increase.
When you compare civil service grades with comparable jobs in the private sector, admin officers, who deliver services such as getting people back into work, tax credits and passports, are paid 21% less.
Executive officers, who typically work as supervisors and in roles that require a vocational qualification, are paid 18% less than the private sector.
Myth 2: civil service pensions are ‘gold plated’
The myth
Private sector employers are paying for ‘gold-plated’ public sector pensions, which are expensive, unsustainable and unfair when compared to their own pensions.
The facts
Pensions in the civil service are far from generous and have been changed recently to a career average scheme.
The growing gap between public and private sector pensions is the fault of private sector employers retreating from decent pensions. The real divide is between executives in the boardroom securing for themselves large pensions with low retirement ages, and their workforces suffering repeated cuts.
It is counterproductive to degrade pensions because it will force more people into poverty and onto state benefits in their retirement – this is more costly and will have to be met by future taxpayers.
We all help to pay for private sector pensions through the price of goods and services. And we all help to contribute to public sector pensions through taxation.
Excluding the very highest earners, the average civil service pension is £4,200 a year.
More than 100,000 people receive a civil service pension of £2,000 or less a year: over 40,000 receive less than £1,000, and more than 60,000 get between £1,000 and £2,000.
Two and a half times as much public sector money is spent subsidising private sector pensions through tax relief than paying for public sector pensions – 60% of this goes to earners at the higher rate.
The Treasury’s estimate of the cost of public sector pensions as a proportion of the UK’s national output shows a modest increase from 1.5% to 2% by 2027/28. After this, projections show a slight decline.
The civil service is covered by a collection of several different pension schemes which have developed over the years. The most recent is called nuvos and is a defined benefit whole career base scheme for new entrants from 30 July 2007.
Myth 3: civil and public servants are secure in their jobs
The myth
The civil service is bloated, and civil and public servants all have safe and cushy jobs.
The facts
Since the Gershon review in 2004 tens of thousands of jobs have been cut from the civil service, resulting in a deterioration of services to the public.
Job cuts and office closure programmes are ongoing in many departments under the previous government’s ‘efficiency savings’. The new government’s plans to cut public spending further and quicker will inevitably lead to more job losses.
Revenue and Customs: Since 2006, HMRC has cut more than 20,000 staff towards its target of 25,000 by March 2011, and 200 offices have been closed, are in the process of closing or are under threat.
Cutting jobs in the department responsible for collecting tax makes no sense, especially when around £120 billion is lost to the economy every year through tax evasion and avoidance, and through revenue not being collected because of a lack of resources.
The department’s own figures also show that, after staff costs, tax inspectors bring an average of £600,000 a year each in tax revenue.
Cuts have led to increased errors, backlogs in post and half the calls from the public going un-answered last year.
Department for Work and Pensions: Between 2005 and 2008, 30,000 jobs were cut. A further 5% year on year job cuts were planned for 2008 onwards, but the department took on 15,000 staff on 18-month fixed term contracts to cope with rise in unemployment.
These contracts are coming to an end and, though some may be renewed for a limited time, the department has announced plans to cut another 4,000 from jobcentres on top of the 4,000 that have already gone this year. Cutting jobs in jobcentres is unprecedented at a time of rising unemployment.
As DWP increases automation of services, such as online claims to benefit, it is likely there will be further moves to cut jobs.
The government has also announced it will replace all existing back to work schemes with a single work programme provided by voluntary and private sectors.
Ministry of Defence: Since 2004, 25,000 jobs have been cut with a further 10,000 threatened for 2010 to 2013.
The coalition government has announced it intends to cut the department’s running costs by 25%, and more detail is expected in the next strategic defence review.
UK Border Agency: In June, the agency announced it is to cut 1,700 posts this year, but we believe there are plans to cut almost a third of the UKBA’s 20,000 staff in the coming years, coupled with a massive increase in workloads for those that remain.
This will hit the agency’s casework particularly hard, and the advice and support staff provide to some of the most vulnerable members of society will inevitably suffer.
For more information about any of the subjects covered, contact policy officer cathyc@pcs.org.uk and for media enquiries contact national press officer Richard Simcox on richard@pcs.org.uk

you might also consider that the average Civil Service "take" is now just under 2 years (i.e. the duration the pension is paid before the retiree expires)