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.

I like facts, not the bullshit the unions have fed to you. The teachers pension fund is backed up by the tax payer, just like the rest, and it will need help over time with our aging population, just like the rest.

I guess you need a 'its not fair' reason to strike though, something to take your mind off the fact you are fuking over your friends and neighbors.

Who's facts do you subscribe to then? The Tory government, the media? Let's see who is propping up the pensions once none of us can afford to pay into them. Then indeed we will need tax money.

Lassy as you seem so sure about this you must have the evidence the Unions have been asking to see for months!

If you could forward the relevant info onto them before next week we could call off the strike as the hard facts will have been seen at last.

Are you sure it isn't a public sector worker flying past your window?

The unions dont give a fuck about evidence - its just another smoke and mirrors reason to pull you all out on a strike.

What else are they for, other than closed shops to bully and defend pay and conditions that are higher than the market would normally support?

The minute the Condems took power the unions were threatening industrial action. This is as much about politics as it is about pensions, and the sooner they are smashed out of existence the better. I'm just hoping its long, drawn out, and the public sector realise how highly regarded they are by the general public when support drops to near zero. Its not just your pensions that need realigning, its your overinflated sense of worth too.

Arf.

Lassy, do you realise what a cliche you are?

lassylass.. perhaps trolling is a hobby of yours but I personally think you should give it a rest now.

FWIW ... MOST teachers didn't join the union to protect pay and conditions anyway... most join to protect themselves if they ever need it from accusations. The unions do an excellent job and serve a worthwhile purpose - regardless of if you agree with the current industrial action.

FontSnob - you could always ask a pensions professional! Oh yes, that's what the government have done & they have listened to the answer and acted accordingly.

THE MONEY IS NOT THERE!!!

SO WHY NOT SHARE THAT EVIDENCE WITH THE UNIONS?!

They have done and the unions are too thick to understand it!

No offence to anyone here that works for a union, but it does take a 'top 10%' kind of person and decades of experience to understand the very complicated figures.

Do you know if your union have employed a pensions expert to go over the figures and advise them? If not then it is unsurprising that the unions don't understand the detail of the situation.

Lol at the unions ( and teachers and lecturers ) not understanding how a pension works.

What, exactly, is a top 10% kind of person?? I don't suppose you are referring to IQ as that would include the physicists, chemists, researchers etc who are striking next week

It is exactly that kind of person. And there are many pensions professionals around the country that deserve an equal share of respect to that of the teachers!

rycooler - try reading my previous post with an open mind and you may learn something!

The NHS pension scheme makes a surplus. What right does the government have to take more money from people and pay out less money given that there is no subsidy from tax payers at all.

Its theft. No wonder people are striking.

Hello again

This thread seems to have turned rather nasty. Is it really so bad of me to ask for some facts? I like to think I have an open mind. I was surprised by some of the facts given on this thread. I thought the best way to get public support is to explain why you are striking then people like me will understand and support you. As I have said before I truly appreciate the work teachers do. A little understanding goes a long way.

So Pugs, where has the money gone, considering that more has been paid in than has been taken out? Has the Govt borowed it and not paid it back perhaps.

"There is no £46.4 billion to hand. The fact is, however, that the Government has accepted a long series of cheap loans from teachers? pension contributions before complaining about paying the pensions promised in return."

£46.4 billion being -

The NUT has calculated the total payments into and from the TPS over the period 1923 to date, using its official valuation reports and accounts. Adjusting these figures in line with GDP growth shows that at least £46.4bn more in current prices has been paid into the TPS in contributions over the years than has been paid out in pensions.

You know what pisses me off the most about the proposed changes, this:

A move from a final salary pension to a career average pension scheme.

Because that means that women are going to yet again be penalised for having babies and taking time to raise their kids.

I don't see an easy answer to this. I suppose it is the same for the private sector, the more you earn the more you can put into a pension. I'm almost scared to ask you a question in case you shout at me again ... but

Pretty sure I haven't once shouted at you Jolly.

Well (I fully admit my ignorance here) but

1. Assume a 25 year teacher on £25,000
2. Wants to achieve a retirement of £10,000 (£833 per month)
3. Wants to keep pace with inflation
4. Retire at 60
5. They will have no break in contributions

In the private sector they will need to pay in £350 per month until they retire i.e 14% of there salary without any break.

My figures can be checked using the FSA pension calculator. Do you think that is a little bit too much for any employee?

No 25 year old teacher will retire at 60. I was the last cohort through TT to be eligible for retirement at 60 (now changed to 65) and I am 30 next month.

FontSnob you are proving my point completely. The money has gone to your teachers (otherwise known as the baby boomers) & will continue to go to you and others as people live much longer than was previously expected. Every extra month somebody lives beyond the 'average' is another recalculation the pensions industry has to make. Pensions are living, breathing, ever-changing things which pensions experts are trained to deal with. We have to trust their judgement

So why not cut the employer contribution instead? That's what my union has been asking for and it's been resisted. More could be saved that way but instead we have a 3 pronged attack.