A public sector employee's point of view...

[RemainAllHoof]

smash said:

I realise that taxation of the private sector “funds” the government – so yes a tiny, incey, wincey bit of your tax could be said to pay towards my wage indirectly

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought public sector salaries formed a massive proportion of the public sector expenditure rather than a "tiny, incey, wincey" bit... which makes those striking even more idiotic.

Anyway, whether I am wrong or right, I predict the following end-game if the government back down: more redundancies in the public sector. We cannot keep borrowing money; we cannot endure higher and higher taxes - either option will result in an extension of our economic problems.

[podwin]

Hudson said:

I work in the private sector. I get paid about 4k a year less than the most basic public sector job, i dont get a pay rise (at all, ever), and if i go on strike, i get sacked.

A public sector worker probably doesn't believe you. If they tried, their head would explode.

[ewenm]

DanielJames said:

I'm a public sector worker.

I'm at work today.

In this office, when everyone is here, there are 13 public sector employees. Today 8 are here, 4 are striking and 1 doesn't work Wednesdays anyway. None of the 4 strikers were present on the site picket line this morning (well, less of a line, more of a huddle, if 2 people can be called a huddle).

[Zod]

Public sector workers would cost us all a lot less if they were on the dole. Many of them do useful, important jobs. Many of those extra public sector employees for whom Labour created jobs do nothing of use.

[lawrence567]

OP, sorry, but i have no sympathy, i've not had a payrise for the last 3 years, because the firm i work for could'nt afford to give us one.
I earn almost half what you do, yes i get paid sick leave, but i also get a darm site less in holiday entitlement a year than you do, i also don't earn enough to be able to support my partner and our young son, i don't earn enough to be able to put anything into a pension & if i went cap in hand to my employer he'd probably say, i'd love to help, but we physically can't pay you anymore, you're more than welcome to find a job elsewhere.
Teachers as a whole are University educated people, they should also realise that in the current climate, THERE ISN'T THE FUNDS to be able to give you a payrise every year, you should expect cut-backs.
Suck it up, just like everyone else has to.
I know at least 3/4 teachers fresh out of Uni who're gagging for a teaching job.
You don't have the support of the public, i hope you all get wet & cold today!

[Countdown]

podwin said:

Hudson said:

I work in the private sector. I get paid about 4k a year less than the most basic public sector job, i dont get a pay rise (at all, ever), and if i go on strike, i get sacked.

A public sector worker probably doesn't believe you. If they tried, their head would explode.

Given that "the most basic" public sector job is paid fractionally above minimum wage then, unless you're on some type of apprenticeship or trainee scheme, I can't see how you could be earning £4k less?

[podwin]

I came across the Wife's Unison stuff in the shredding pile when doing said shredding.

I read it, it had lots of big red letters for those easily brainwashed types.

I felt like I was in the 70's and happy she'd filed it correctly.

[johnnywb]

smash said:

My pension will no longer be based on final 3 years salary but on a career average. I now cannot take my pension until 67.

And nor will the pensions of the private sector workers who had their final salary pension schemes withdrawn.

[Hudson]

Countdown said:

podwin said:

Hudson said:

I work in the private sector. I get paid about 4k a year less than the most basic public sector job, i dont get a pay rise (at all, ever), and if i go on strike, i get sacked.

A public sector worker probably doesn't believe you. If they tried, their head would explode.

Given that "the most basic" public sector job is paid fractionally above minimum wage then, unless you're on some type of apprenticeship or trainee scheme, I can't see how you could be earning £4k less?

Yeah probably wasn't the best choice of words, need to look up average wages for the people that are on strike however i would be surprised if they were paid as little as myself.

edit: infact, ive basically complained about stereotypes, then done it myself, im a retard (ignore me)

[Deva Link]

lawrence567 said:

i also don't earn enough to be able to support my partner and our young son, i don't earn enough to be able to put anything into a pension

So the state (ie other tax-payers) are subsidising your job. You're partly a public sector employee.

[Ozzie Osmond]

smash said:

I am 45. My salary is £30k – this has been frozen for the last 2 years. The absolute MAXIMUM salary increase I can expect over the next 2 years is 1%.

The extra cost of the pension reforms represent a 3% pay cut (I will end up having something like an extra £70 a month deducted toward pension).

My pension will no longer be based on final 3 years salary but on a career average. I now cannot take my pension until 67.

I have sympathy for your situation - you are in the middle sector of British life which is being hit hardest by the economic situation. However, I don't think you are any worse off in the public sector than a lot of people people in the private sector. There is undoubtdly real pressure on disposable incomes with inflation at 5%, VAT at 20% and incomes more or less standing still.

Career average pension should work out fine for someone in your position. The people who "suffer" are those who have big pay rises late in their career and used to end up pulling out a massively bigger pension than had ever been paid for. Your career average is almost certainly going to put you well ahead of someone who is in a money purchase scheme (i.e. no promise from the employer).

[Camoradi]

Heathrow reporting 70 normal staffin levels of UKBA staff

My bins have just been collected

GCHQ are working as normal

My sister (qualified nurse at a hospice for ex service personnel) is working as normal, despite personal criticism from union rep.

So it seems some public sector workers live in the real world

Does anyone know if public sector employees actually HAVE to contribute the extra 3% to pension, or is this just what they can choose to do in order to preserve level of benefits?

[Jimslips]

Mr Happy said:

Diddums... I'm private sector and was made redundant - you lose £70/month in your pension contribution, I lost £1000/month in one fell swoop.

Go and do some work...

This. Booo ho hum.
Jobsworths.

[ewenm]

Camoradi said:

Does anyone know if public sector employees actually HAVE to contribute the extra 3% to pension, or is this just what they can choose to do in order to preserve level of benefits?

We're still waiting for the final details of the reforms (I work with people who will be coding the changes for a large gov organisation) but I believe the various contribution changes are mandatory (or you can opt-out of the scheme entirely and pay into a personal pension instead).

[Deva Link]

Camoradi said:

Does anyone know if public sector employees actually HAVE to contribute the extra 3% to pension, or is this just what they can choose to do in order to preserve level of benefits?

It's a digital thing - they're either in or they opt out. Opting out is already a significant issue - younger employees either say they can't afford it or they don't believe that they'll get the pension that are stated.

Increasing the contributions and lessening the benefits is only going to make that (probably much) worse. That could be a problem as the "income" from current contributions might drop.

[soxboy]

I worked in the private sector for 15 years. For the first 10 years the firms I worked for didn't have a pension, then I moved firms and finally got a firm who would match any contributions I made up to 3.5%. Three years into that job we all got a letter saying that pension contributions were to be frozen due to the financial climate. I had no pay rise foor 3 years.

In March I was made redundant, however after 7 months of searching and doing low paid consultancy work I have finally sourced a job, working within the public sector (in the HMRC, as per the OP).

I cannot understand why there are strikes over pensions when now, for 3.5% I contribute the employer will contribute 20%. That's right folks, 20%. Yes, I will be earning 20% less than in the private sector (actually 12.5% less as there have now been pay cuts) but to have a pension like that is unimaginable in the general employment market.

Sorry OP but you are still going to be in a far better position than most people in the wider world. By all means strike but make sure you give the full picture and make sure you are on the picket line rather than having a day at home.

[Kudos]

Don't like it? Get a job somewhere else. Can't get a job as the economy is in the shti? Suck it up then and thank yourself lucky that you've got a job. You're not the only one finding things difficult - I know plenty of people who have taken big pay cuts, much more than 3% which, as has been pointed out, isn't a pay cut as you will be getting a nice pension at the end of things.

Can't retire until 67? No one else can either!
Tell us what your pension is going to be?

[Camoradi]

Thanks ewenm and DevaLink for the replies above. There's so much propaganda about this whole issue, it's hard to get the facts

[Deva Link]

smash said:

Finally, my work area has recently gone through the HMRC equivalent of LEAN (called pacesetter) and I can tell you that conceptions of a comfortable, relaxed, well paid existence in HMRC are severely misplaced.

I'm fairly surprised you still have a job - HMRC have closed most city / regional offices and moved to call-centres. Next stop talking to 'Richard' in Mumbai about your tax.

[Getragdogleg]

My problem with the whole thing is that I feel the public sector seems to exist to drain me of money in ways I could not imagine.

All the while producing nothing and just being a drain on society as we pay taxes to keep a bloated sector paid while they dream up ways to hinder my progress (highways departments) , regulate me more (health and safety/working time directives/compulsory record keeping) and tax me more.