VIDEO: Strike shuts schools (From Bucks Free Press)

I'm with the government on this one:-

In no way should "schools" go on strike.

Why do public sector workers thing that they are better than the rest of us private sector workers, in that we have to take a knock with our pensions, etc

Striking is a 1970's era way for Unions to flex their musles - striking should be banned.

This will cost our Country millions.

People should have the right to decide to come into work and not be bullied into joining a union.

Shame on you all.

These teachers, with long holidays, should be ashamed. They set bad example to children. The efforts of them and others in the public sector weaken the UK's recovery. In the private sector the workers are less well cocooned. High paid union leaders are leading members like donkeys while they prosper.

Don't forget that teachers are tax payers and have to buy food and fuel too; so they have already been hit by the same inflation issues we have.

Whether or not they have a better pension scheme than us is not really the point; would you allow your employer to impose a change to your terms and conditions without negotiation?

Yes I am having to re-arrange my work today because of the strike but I defend their rights to do so.

Perhaps if George Osbourne and the rest of the cabinate who 'avoid' taxes paid their share, along with the bankers who still pull in £billions of bonus payments then we truely would be 'all in this together'

BucksComment wrote:
Don't forget that teachers are tax payers and have to buy food and fuel too; so they have already been hit by the same inflation issues we have. Whether or not they have a better pension scheme than us is not really the point; would you allow your employer to impose a change to your terms and conditions without negotiation? Yes I am having to re-arrange my work today because of the strike but I defend their rights to do so. Perhaps if George Osbourne and the rest of the cabinate who 'avoid' taxes paid their share, along with the bankers who still pull in £billions of bonus payments then we truely would be 'all in this together'

Well said.

BucksComment wrote:
Don't forget that teachers are tax payers and have to buy food and fuel too; so they have already been hit by the same inflation issues we have. Whether or not they have a better pension scheme than us is not really the point; would you allow your employer to impose a change to your terms and conditions without negotiation? Yes I am having to re-arrange my work today because of the strike but I defend their rights to do so. Perhaps if George Osbourne and the rest of the cabinate who 'avoid' taxes paid their share, along with the bankers who still pull in £billions of bonus payments then we truely would be 'all in this together'

I concur with you. what do the government expect when they mess with people's pensions. look at kraft they bought cadbury's with tax payers money and then plundered the pension fund.

Lazy public sector workers. They're being asked to contribute a bit more to their pensions and work a bit longer; all very transparent. I don't recall tens of thousands marching and striking when Gordon Brown abolished ACT and hence raided our pensions by more than £100Bn. He has refused to apologise. That was a true stealth tax

The public sector workers should start living in the real world. Many private sector workers have not only lost there jobs but also there pensions because companies have gone bust. Many Final salary pensions were closed years ago for the private sector workers. At least if public sector workers lose there jobs they will still get a pensions. And they are moaning they will have to work longer - (the same age as private sector workers). Also they will have to pay more into there pensions, (the same as many private sector workers).
Pay rise? what's that, many private sector workers have not had a rise for about 3 years. But public sector workers have had some pay rises.
So don't expect many private sector worker to feel sorry for public sector workers.

Perhaps you should get your placards out... Scraping HS2 would easily pay for several years of pensions. But I expect you'll re-elect Mr Grieves anyway

Well it seems Tory Plan A is working - convince the Great British Public that it is the public sector and/or the unions that are the problem.

The public sector has never been immune to redundancies and cutbacks and payfreezes etc. Over the last 5 years my council has cut 15% of jobs and we're in the middle of a 3 year pay freeze. And despite some popular myths - yes we all pay taxes too!

Fact is that despite 75% of Britian identifying themeselves as "middle class" 99% of Britain is entirely reliant on working for a living (or state benefits) to put food on their table and clothes on their back. We are a working class people and I for one am proud of that.

Recessions are tough on everyone whoever you work for and whatever you do. We get that, but the
changes that this Conservative led government are wreaking on 99% of British society will go down in history as a crime against the people of Britain and a gross abuse of political power.

The cuts (which incldues the cuts to pensions) will damage the economy overall, not save it. Nobody benefits from this except the politicians.

If you can excuse a little schmaltz:

“First they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

Pastor Martin Niemoller

I first heard these words aged 9 from the then Speaker of the House of Commons, George Thomas, at my school in Cardiff (where he had been a teacher many years before). They’ve stayed with me ever since and at the risk of sounding pompous I think they need to be spoken again. Our society, the rich and varied British society that we are all part of, needs to rally around and work together and support each other to withstand the Conservatives continuing assault on our way of life and the physical and legal institutions that support it.

couple of things to point out if you don't mind and said with no particular bias or leaning; firstly, the current govt's cost cutting is necessary to fund the 'criminal' waste and debt created by the previous Labour govt to manage the country. Look at Greece; debts have to be repaid before. you cannot borrow to get out of debt!! Secondly, and I'm employed in the private sector and am funding my own pension before anyone asks; the public sector workers, teachers whatever, when they signed up for the job they undertake, did so and within that contract, it would express, these are the conditions of employment, benefits etc. The govt cannot just then change the contract because it suits, a contract is a contract and if either party wants those conditions altered, then contracts have to be renegotiated. Negotiation is a process of concession and win. We all have to give but i think the general feeling is that the increased retirement age is a concession too far. It would be for me.