To wonder theoretically if...

[Cain]

all the unemployed private sector workers with relevant skills swapped places with the dissatisfied public sector workers, could it avert the economic crisis the strikes will cause... ?

AIBU?

You mean if there were enough of them

Ohhh...

Suppose it depends what the private sector workers think of working in the public sector - for every one moaning about a cushy life and gold plated pension there are probably a few who actually would never swap

If you really think there are all these private sector workers with the relevant skills
I work in NHS and I'm sure there are lots of people who can do my job.But if they are working in private sector ie private practice they are unlikely to want to give it up for NHS pay and conditions.

Need you to elaborate Cain

Yes for more than one reason:

1. Because having the skills doesn't mean that you can slip easily into the job without a handover. It would be chaos.

1. Because the terms of employment for the public sector are changing after years of them working for lower pay in often shitty conditions with the expectation that at least their pensions would be worthwhile. Now the "at least" is being changed. They have a right to strike.

FWIW, I work in the private sector and have never worked in the public sector - nor would I choose to. Bloody hard work at most levels and you're seldom thanked for it, IMO.

I'm talking theoretically, so assuming any unemployed and skilled person wanted a job that offered a reasonable salary and quite reasonable benefits, by private sector standards...

Ah but the public sector jobs won't offer reasonable benefits by private sector standards soon!

Having worked in the public sector myself, I can tell you that the private sector workers would take the jobs and probably do alright- for the 6 weeks or so they could stick it for...

Just from my experience of redundancy over the last few years there are a lot of skilled private sector candidates who would be pleased to accept an average paying job with some benefits rather than languish in unemployment. Any job is better than the dole.

YY Lunatic

BelleDameSansMerciSat 18-Jun-11 22:37:14

Ah but the public sector jobs won't offer reasonable benefits by private sector standards soon!

I'm not sure I can agree with that? I thought, but am willing to be proved wrong, that public sector jobs have enjoyed benefits that have not been offered in the private sector for a number of years - I certainly have been unable to secure a pension contribution from an employer for about 8 years...?

I'm curious
public sector jobs have enjoyed benefits that have not been offered in the private sector for a number of years other than pension contributions whoch other benefits are you referring to?

Cain, all my employers have always more than matched any contribution I make to my pension. I suspect it depends on who you work for and what you do?

In my current role I get lots of benefits (was going to list them but am uncomfortable doing so) that I am certain I wouldn't get in the public sector ie private healthcare.

But Lunatic have not the public sector traditionally offset salary against a pension arrangement which means that yes public sector employees are paid less than private sector counterparts but they are compensated by the offer of a pension contribution.
And in recent years I understood that public sector salaries had increased to be more in line with the private sector...I read that somewhere... can't remember where.

'Just from my experience of redundancy over the last few years there are a lot of skilled private sector candidates who would be pleased to accept an average paying job with some benefits rather than languish in unemployment. Any job is better than the dole.'

Yes - probably. Just like in any job there is usually a golden period where everyone thinks it is great. Then you get overworked and have promises broken...

You can have my job if you like. I calculated after childcare etc I would be better of on JSA (with CTC etc) than working. But I wouldnt choose that as a lifestyle.

You may have read that public sector salaries have increased to be more in line with private sector but I can assure you that as a public sector worker mine hasn't.

I'm still curious what all these benefits are?

LordOfTheFliesSat 18-Jun-11 22:33:11

If you really think there are all these private sector workers with the relevant skills
I work in NHS and I'm sure there are lots of people who can do my job.But if they are working in private sector ie private practice they are unlikely to want to give it up for NHS pay and conditions.

They are out there, they might still be holding out for better but I'm talking theoretically...if the unemployed ones swapped with the dissatisfied ones...

the strikes would not be happening.

no, the strikes would not be happening straight away....but give them a couple of months in the job and they'll be as disenchanted as most of us

peppapighastakenovermylifeSat 18-Jun-11 22:47:12

You can have my job if you like. I calculated after childcare etc I would be better of on JSA (with CTC etc) than working. But I wouldnt choose that as a lifestyle. (sic)

I'm in the same situation, I wouldn't swap back to JSA either for all the pension contributions in the world.

And that is the benefits I'm talking about...pension contributions. Its a substantial benefit from nothing.

OooohShinySat 18-Jun-11 22:53:36

no, the strikes would not be happening straight away....but give them a couple of months in the job and they'll be as disenchanted as most of us

I doubt that, it takes a while of for entitlement to really take hold.

I'm curious what the benefits are too. My full time salary was less than £19k and that was in 2010, my part time salary (18hrs) is less than £9k - both well below the private sector equivalent for my role. No bonuses, no benefits, and no extras - not even overtime.

ok, so you're really talking about only one benefit i.e. pension contributions, rather than multiple benefits?

Yes, we get pension contributions, specifically because we are paid lower than comparable private sector jobs

BelleDameSansMerciSat 18-Jun-11 22:46:49

Cain, all my employers have always more than matched any contribution I make to my pension. I suspect it depends on who you work for and what you do?

In my current role I get lots of benefits (was going to list them but am uncomfortable doing so) that I am certain I wouldn't get in the public sector ie private healthcare.

Thats fair enough BelleDSM but then I suspect you are lucky enough not to be living with the threat of redundancy...?

I really wasn't inviting dissatisfied public sector emps to bleat about the lack of benefits you receive...can I refer you to my original OP?

Also we pay into those pensions ourselves so it's not like they're just handed to us, we also contribute (and not just a token percentage either, I pay 5% a month into mine). My last pension forecast estimated my pension at around £5k a year - not as gold-plated as people think.

I think some people would actually be surprised at how stressful and thankless public sector jobs can be were they to witness things from the shop floor, so to speak. The picture painted in the press and in Parliament is very different to the realities and senior management don't especially value their staff which tends to exacerbate matters.

I think the strikes would still go ahead.

YABU and no