Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Council strikes back

My only experience of the council strikes today was that the roads were clearer on the way to work this morning! The libraries and leisure centres may well have been shut today but I wouldn't know as I'm at work so can't use the facilities anyway!

The 'threat' of more council strikes, if linked to a reduction in council tax, is something I look forward to! How many other people would support a 50% reduction in council tax if coupled with a reduction in "essential services"!?!

Why should I be expected to work to 68 so that I can pay the pensions of council staff who retired at 60?

6 comments:

Alfie said...

If they think they'll get a toot of support from my horn - they are sadly mistaken. One thing is for sure, if they reckon they will get support from a pissed off public, they are in for a shock.

The public have purest cynicism running through its veins....

Snafu said...

Alfie, How do car driver's show their lack of support for striking council workers?

It's ironic that they are striking just as everyone receives their council tax bill for the new year, it's only risen by 4% or so!

Alfie said...

Instead of tooting, just wind the window down and chuck a used disposable nappy at them.

By the by, my next door neighbour was a policeman - he has just retired at the grand old age of 52 years.....

Lovely.

Snafu said...

Alfie, what had your next door neighbour been accused of?

Police only normally retire that young when they face a disciplinary! Not that I'm a cynic or anything...

wonkotsane said...

Here's the scenario:

You've paid into your company pension for the last 30 years and by the time you retire you'll have a big enough pension to live relatively comfortably in your retirement.

Then your company announces that the shareholders are getting restless so they are going to devalue your pension and make you work longer to get your reduced pension.

Do you ...

a) accept it
b) go apeshit

Personally, I'd go for "b" but you might feel differently.

There was a council worker in the Shropshire Star last night. He is due to retire soon and the tinkering with his pension will leave him with a £5k per year pension. He says he will have to work until he dies to be able to survive.

Reducing the pensions liability in the public sector will not reduce the tax burden on any of us. The "extra" money will be spent on other things - Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Europe for instance. Thousands of people will face a retirement in poverty for no tangible benefit to the populace.

(I don't get a public service pension)

Alfie said...

He said he'd done his 30 years - was jacking it in and getting a couple of part time jobs 'to bump up his pension' .......