to say this to all the teachers who are striking next week

[Memoo]

As a parent I am 100 % behind you.

I really appreciate that you put your life and soul into your job and im sorry more people don't get just how hard you work for the benefit of our children.

Don't let the bastards grind you down!

Iggy, let's say it is someone who takes no breaks at all for maternity leave; that would be, what? 45 years? And then we can use that as an upper limit.

What would it be with a private sector worker?

LemonDifficult - nope, right back at you, look at the OP - what was the point again???

And thousands of public sector workers will be screwed over by the strikes too...being working parents...

Or, iggy, what size would the pension pot need to be today for someone to retire on an index-linked pension of £10,000 pa?

My point was - WHY would people bash teachers?

You don't really seem to accept that there's a finacial imperative behind what's going on. Not a 'teacher bash'.

It's the economy, stupid.

Cheaper for our kids (most probably). Remember this is in addition to state pensions and a number may well start to pay in later on (eg when children left home so they have more money to do so-if not having to help out the kids with their tuition fees etc).

Oh, yes, sorry Lemon Difficult - forgot I was stupid for a sec there!!! Whoops!!

Thank you memoo.
I am baffled by the argument, "You are lucky to have a job and a pension at all, look at us in the private sector, we've been even more screwed than you." Yes, because private companies invested your pensions and lost all your money. Why aren't you manning the barricades as well?
It's like suggesting I should move out of my house in solidarity with the homeless. Or at least keep quiet if I'm evicted unfairly.

I am a teacher and will be striking next Wednesday.
Can't really afford to lose a day's pay as I work part time and have 3 kids. However, I absolutely believe in the cause and it's definitely worth fighting for - its our money! we have worked for it and been paying into the fund!
Plus, won't they save plenty money next Wed as we're not getting paid on that day!? Surely that will help them get out of the mess they have made!

I am striking.

I am doing it because I am mightily pissed off with the changes to the pension scheme, with the pay freeze and tbh with the constant changes to the job. I am nearly 40 - I genuinely cannot see myself doing this job for another 27 years. It is hard enough now. this government claims there are no frontline cuts to education. bollocks - three of my colleagues were made redundant last year and more will follow because our budget has been slashed.

Yes, I get decent holidays and a good salary but I bloody well earn it.

By striking I will lose a day's pay which I can ill afford. But I want to make my point.

As a parent, I am far more worried about the work to rule directive which is following the strike - no teachers supervising at lunchtimes, not running after school or extra curricular activities, not covering for absent colleagues. I won't be doing work to rule as it would cause problems for the kids In my school. A day on strike hurts them no more than the royal wedding day off did last year.

£350,000?

Am in Royal College of Nursing so not striking myself,nor are most other trained nurses that I know as most in RCN also.
I only work oneday butunfortunately it is next wednesday.
A significant number of other hospital workers are striking,so it will be up to the nurses and doctors to ensure patient care doesn't suffer as a result.
I also have school age children.

I haven't read the whole thread, but I do not support the strike. Thankfully, it won't affect where I work, but I feel sorry for those it does.

I support the strike. And I don't think it's just about pensions. At the risk of sounding simplistic, I think this government is trying to pick apart as much of the welfare state as it can for ideological reasons. Yes we have a lot of problems in this country with the deficit and the aging population. So we need growth. And how do we get that? Well, how about not slashing the wages of large amounts of not-very-wealthy people so they actually have some cash in their pockets?!?

Oh, and whose got the most shiny, gold-platedest pensions of them all?? Yes- it's MPs of course!
And have they voted to increase contributions?

I'm a cook. I work part time on a very low wage. Yet I feel myself lucky because Im employed by a school, I'm in the pension. I could not afford a private pension. For people like me, that little bit of extra pension on top of any state pension I get, will make the difference of being able to heat my house in the winter and enjoy the odd day out.

I will be striking. I will also lose a days pay just before Christmas.

who have (grammar). That is to say, the members of which occupation?

Raargh.

Work to rule will be detrimental to our kids education. For those who slag us teachers about hours and holidays and pay - do you know we work on at night, come in early, mark work through our lunch breaks and plan on Sundays? We don't switch off! We have earned our bloody pensions!
We could walk out the door at 3.30 every day if we wanted, but we don't!

The bulk of the (lucky generation) post-war baby boomers are now retiring, which means that we (the treasury) are taking on that pension liability. This is an unlimited, and unfunded liability, just when we, the magic porridge pot can take the hit.

I agree about MP pensions. They have fabulous pensions. They could lead from the front.

I'm all for people standing up for themselves, go for it. But no i dont support the strike. This country is skint we are on our uppers.public or private we are all getting hit....middle Englanders fund those scrounging benefit cheats who really rob this country. Things have to change people and yes there will be hard choices. Remember it wasn't long ago when the "ordinary" person only had one car, one tv, one holiday a year...lets start appreciating what we have. Or very soon we wont have a choice to work or there just wont be any jobs.If the public sector workers are right
behind this strike then why didnt they get off their backsides and vote for it ...a 27% turnout?!?! If you are going to strike then go on do so but don't do it just to get an extra Xmas shopping day.

And they don't serve 45 years, or any where near for those.

LOL at all the posters suggesting private sector workers should strike.

lordlovely, here please have a magic porridge pot for christmas. I can tell you really want one.

I am a public sector worker and will not be striking, we have been lucky to get away without a contributions increase for this long and although it will be hard for us as a family financially I do not see another way to get the countrys's economy back on track. We are in the position that most private sector workers have been in for years.