re teacher's strike

[norton84]

Firstly I have no problem with teacher's striking. I have a young teacher in the family and can see where they are coming from.

However, today I found a letter in dd's book bag saying that the school may or may not be open on 30th and please can we have alternative arrangement in place just in case.
AIBU to think more notice would have been good?

Obv knew stike was possible but as school had not been in touch of course we assumed we would not be affected.

So the employer pays 14.1% and teachers pay 6.4%, I would have thought they could negotiate with that.

Exactly the Unions point Jolly. The Unions wanted the Govt to consider bringing down the employer part to match the the employee contribution (so in line with how most private pension schemes run) but were ignored.

I agree with you font, which goes back to my original point yesterday. I would suggest lobbying the unions BBC etc to show your side of the argument. Have a website where the facts are laid out so lazy people (such as me) can find the information.

ps I have just about got over your comments to me late last night about not being able to use google

But if they did that then they wouldn't be able to get their sticky paws on the extra cash. I would be happy for the employer to contribute less.

Jolly, that wasn't me, promise! I just said that it was a shame that you ended the conversation in that way.

It's not just teachers, FontSnob, who thought the pension was part of the deal for less of pretty much everything compared to private sector. I work in the NHS but could earn more privately. One compensation is the pension. Actually, materially, the only compensation. Although I do prefer to see patients who couldn't possibly have afforded private treatement.

FontSnob, at least you don't teach maths! Or economics!

OOPs, treatment of course. Treatement is possibly olde-worlde treatment.

If the employer did contribute less doesn't that mean that pensions are no longer self-funding?

Absolutely butterflies, thats the other thing, we are all standing together to strike but I do feel a little like its the teachers who get the brunt of the vitriol. That possibly is because I am one and i'm used to the whole teacher bashing malarky.

Oh god no Lordlovely, i just teach graphics, I'm uber stupid.

There must be some consequence for the employer reducing the contribution?

Jolly, we wouldn't get the same amount at the end, but we wouldn't be in the position of paying more, working longer AND getting less (even less if you've taken maternity or time off or to go part time to look after kids). Its the combination of the three that we don't accept.

Why did everyone 'expect' a good pension and assume it was 'part of the deal'?

Because that's what we signed up for fraidy!

Um, because it was Fraidy...

But who promised this package? How can a pension, which is dependant on financial markets be part of a deal made up to 40 years previously? I don't understand.

Well Fraidy, that was the way it was. It was even used as a justification for lower salaries in earlier years when we had the cheek to complain about our wages "well you have better pensions so you should not complain".

Our employer promised us it.

The government did Fraidy. Not just one but many over many years (Labour and Tory).

Do you think Lord Hutton's report was fair?

But it couldn't be promised. If it was guaranteed everyone would be taking the government to court. Rather, it was perceived as a promise.

I have just read it and it seemed balanced to me.

An old actuarial saying:-

You should save
20% of your salary in your 20's,
or 30% in your 30's,
or 40% in your 40's,
or 50% in your 50's if you want a pension you can live comfortably from.
And that was before we all started to live longer/have fewer children etc. I suppose we could force people to have more children so that they can pay their taxes to keep us in our retirement

How many outside the service can say they are prepared for their retirement?

By refusing to drop their contributions anymore the government are trying to safeguard your future! I can't see how anyone can say that they are trying to 'screw' anybody!

Fraidy, from said Hutton report

Recommendation 4: The Government must honour in full the pension promises that have been accrued by scheme members: their accrued rights. In doing so, the Commission recommends maintaining the final salary link for past service for current members.