Greed - strikes

[TheMindfulMum]

I'm not normally one to comment on such things or get political as it were but here goes.

I've just seen a headline that today barristers went on strike over pay. Now granted, I don't know the details of their pay BUT my gut response is if people were less greedy this country would be in a much better place?

I think I'm safe to assume that most barristers earn a very decent wage. Probably enough not to be worrying about the cost of living rise many other families are rightly fearful of at the moment. This weekend we went through our finances and worked out what we can afford to spend per week on food. I doubt a barrister has ever done that?!

I'm all for people being paid what they're due but there comes a line when it is just greed. Wanting a 15% pay increase when they're probably already on mega bucks feels frustratingly and morally wrong in the current climate. Especially when you take into account the pandemic and what our NHS staff do every day on a pittance, comparatively.

Anyone else feel like the rich continue to get richer and greed is a horrible horrible trait in society?

If you'd done any research beyond the headline you'd have discovered that they're not on megabucks and their strike is perfectly justified given their working conditions.

It was mentioned on radio 4 this morning that the median earnings of a junior barrister are around £12,000 pa - so not the mega bucks you are assuming.

That's below the minimum wage so not even legal?

You're wrong. They're not on megabucks, and certainly no where near enough to reflect the jobs they do. They can go off to become a corporate solicitor for waaaaaay more. So funnily enough they're a bit fed up. Many are leaving and there have been many cases adjourned due to lack of barristers.

And as a result, and if there isn't a proper increase we'll be left with very poorly paid, poorly motivated barristers representing those on legal aid. Great....

It isn't a race go the bottom y'know. These are highly trained, well educated professionals.

That's below the minimum wage so not even legal

Yes exactly!!

Now granted, I don't know the details of their pay

And that's the point where you should have thought, 'I'll go and find out a little more'.

It's not greed- you should have read more than the headline. Also, the whole system appears on the brink of collapse due to the masses leaving the profession. Another completely warranted strike. I really wish people would stop blaming the strikers and stand together to point the finger at the shit Government we have. The Governmenet who happen to be very effective in stoking the fire of division amongst the masses via proproganda and great headlines.

If you did 2 mins of research you would see it's not the barristers on mega bucks striking, it's the ones who are paid through using legal aid.

They're self employed so minimum wage doesn't apply

They're on SHIT money

I fully respect the training and education that goes into becoming a barrister. I had (wrongly it would seem) assumed they're on a comfortable salary and so regardless of what it's taken to get there, it would be nice if "enough was enough" rather than asking for more money. But obviously I'm wrong and they're not paid the salary I thought they were.

Don't people do a modicum of research before shooting their mouths off these days?

OP I don't know the ins and outs of the barristers strike, but I do know lots of them had their income decimated with the legal aid reforms and that was only a few years ago.

You have really embarrassed yourself here.

Okay, I put my hands up, my assumption was clearly well out of place with the reality.

More justified than the bin men throwing their usual tantrum

Well it's good to see that the Daily Mail's propaganda machine has done its job today.

I hope you do a bit more research before casting your vote OP. Or do you make all of your decisions based on the headlines you happen to see in passing?

Another stupid remark

No, not at all. As I said, it's very rare for me to pass any comment on such stories. And I've learned my lesson sharply!
Some valid comments here and yes I shouldn't have said anything on something I clearly know very little about.

‘I don't know the details of their pay’. Then maybe don’t comment until you do. What useful contribution do you imagine you are making with your vapid, juvenile observations that those working at the criminal bar are greedy?

Wow, why not find out the facts before posting here? Quite unbelievable

And there is so much information to hand, if you can be arsed, on this and the huge crisis in the criminal justice system in England and Wales. Even to you.

Get the thread deleted.
Also - start to inform yourself.

Why do people do that? Do you think they just see stuff on social media or hear soundbites?

Unfortunately for most people, especially those working in the third sector, they aren't unionised (and never will be as mostly small charities) so can't strike. Also on terrible pensions.

Councils and NHS are under huge pressure but they have a no redundancy policy and great pensions due to unions so people are protected.

The people who need to strike can't and get pushed down further.

This is helpful if you want to understand the background

thesecretbarrister.com/2022/06/27/the-criminal-bar-on-strike-9-things-you-need-to-know/

Rude