aibu to think that all those striking on thursday are being selfish and greedy?

[hellospoon]

And they should be thankful that they even have a job?

In a day where thousands of people are unemployed and living in poor conditions surely these teachers should be thankful they even have a job!

Many parents are having to take leave, some unpaid I presume the effect that it will have on family's is ridiculous.

Teachers are certainly paid too much in comparison with other jobs in 2011. A lot of the teachers still think it's the 1980s, and having a degree means you can walk into a well paid job whenever you feel like it.

YABU.
So they should just let the government screw them over wthout a fight? When they were employed they signed a binding contract on their wages, pensions, etc, so they are entitled to be pissed off when the government are trying to take what's theirs by contract.
The fact that the private sector gets away with murder is despicable, and not an example that sould be followed by the public sector.
Good luck to them, they do noble jobs and deserve decent terms and conditions, I hope they all go on strike until our government gets the message.
You cannot call "greedy" or "selfish"someone who's trying to safeguard what was already theirs.
Shame on you and all the other Thatcherites like you.

No Rob, teachers are decently paid, other people put up with appalling wages and conditions and don't have the opportunity to do something about it. I no longer teach but if I was striking on Thursday I would be striking for decent pension rights for ALL. The claim that teachers want it at the expense of other people (that they are selfish) is ridiculous in a profession with so many committed to the wider union movement.
The teaching unions are powerful and are using their power to raise the issue of public sector bashing by a government that has the money but chooses to spend it elsewhere.

There was me thinking it was the importance of the job that made a difference to pay not the degree! Teachers et al, do a grand job in increasingly shitty circumstances - now they can work longer for worse conditions - erm, no thanks!

YANBU The situation is that they are being asked to pay more pension contributions, very few public sector workers have a pension anywhere near as good as this.

The bottom line is that us as taxpayers are paying for their pension shortfall, when surely they should pay for this or at least dont complain when they are being asked to pay some of this.

The rest of the world accept that if you want a better pension you have to pay loads more into it than you used to. Why don't public sector workers get that?

Pay more into your pensions, or expect less from them.

YABU

Taken from the BBC website, I would say that this is a shortfall:

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has suggested that the gap between contributions and pensions in payment would double over the next four years to £9bn. One key reason for this is that people are living for longer. The government commissioned Lord Hutton, the former Labour Work and Pensions Secretary, to investigate the situation. Many of its proposals are drawn from recommendations in this report.

Pay more into your pensions or expect less from them? If only! We are being asked to pay more into them and expect less. A lot less.

"The claim that teachers want it at the expense of other people is ridiculous"

It is at the expense of other people. Us. The people that pay taxes.

I didn't see teachers, or any other public sector types, protesting when Labour brought in mass immigration to "rub the right's nose in diversity". Did they really think Labour would be in power forever, and they would be shielded from the effects of it all?

Teachers should be paid what the going rate for the job is in 2011. If they don't like it, they should try their luck elsewhere. It's ridiculous that someone can be working under a contract drawn up in the 1970s in 2011.

I didn't see teachers, or any other public sector types, protesting when Labour brought in mass immigration to "rub the right's nose in diversity"

I'm struggling to see the relevance of that comment.

It's ridiculous that someone can be working under a contract drawn up in the 1970s in 2011

They aren't. Get your facts right.

"I'm struggling to see the relevance of that comment."

Pay and conditions in the private sector have been lowered due to increased competition for jobs. Under Labour, Public sector types were shielded from this (and coincidentally were some of the most vehement supporters of it), now they are facing the consquences they are throwing a tantrum. It made sense to give teachers lucrative pensions when they had to take lower pay than they would recieve in the private sector. Now that is no longer the case, there is no need anymore. They have contributed to their own downfall.

"It's ridiculous that someone can be working under a contract drawn up in the 1970s in 2011"

Early 80s then. In any case, it's a different world now.

£6000 a year is hardly lucrative

Most teachers pensions are more than £6000

Can I also point out a pgce is not masters level. Its a postgraduate certificate.

The actual average woman in HE has a £6K pension.

I'm a teacher and I am not striking on Thursday purely because I cannot afford to lose a day's pay. Colleagues in the same union are not happy about it, and they are calling me selfish.

I am seriously thinking about it as well bodyofeyore. I cant afford to lose 1/3 weeks pay. Again.

You can't afford to lose a day's pay. How will you afford the increased pension contributions?

Teachers will have to pay the increased pension contributions anyway. Or do you expect the government to back down?

That makes no sense - you will lose that every month in increased pension contributions. And, unless you are in the ATL - who have a no strike conscience clause - abide by the industrial action or leave the union.