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!

Oh, OK, good plan, we'll ask Philip Green or Vodaphone to pay for our pensions.

If that's what we're striking for, I'm in.

ohsuzanna no worries, I am a Mrs..

I am not a teacher, MordechalVanunu. I was not thinking of people buying food in M and S though there do seem to be lots of people who do, I don't suppose all of them can be teachers?

No, I was talking about money that is owned by an increasingly small elite.

You sound very angry and fatalistic. Why shouldn't people complain when something isn't fair? As I said, compared to my peers I am not the fortunate one actually.

circa £1 trillion debt (including bank bailout which by most economists is estimated to be 14-16% of this debt max!), rest is build up of structural deficit (circa £155 billion/year at the moment). Oh and estimated £2 trillion+ in unsupported pension liabilities (Government auditors, for state and public worker pensions).

We lose our okayish credit rating this debt explodes in interest repayments. Our children pay. We have an aging population NHS costs will rise (half of NHS budget is spent on pensioner aged patients-understandable we life longer and need extra care). If there is to be money to care for us pensions (amongst other things) need to be more affordable.

Well that small elite are not going to pay the public pensions are they??

I'm not fatalistic, the shit has happened I just think we need to be realistic now in dealing with it.

Things which would have previously been unthinkable due to their 'unfairness' are now just goung to have to happen. In the current climate teacher sgokd plated pensions are ubsuatainable and actually unfair themselves.

Philip Green to close 250 stores

Oh oh

Noooooooooooo

"Can I also point out again that there is nothing wrong with the teacher's pension scheme. " AFFORDABILITY

"Some folk won't be happy until teachers are on the minimum wage I think."

You could not be more wrong. I think they do a great job, are worth their wage. They just should contribute fairly to their pension.

Ok here's my say but I have a horrible feeling it won't be heard.

Some of the most intelligent people in our country have spent decades trying to solve a big complicated thing called Pensions . They work in something called the Pensions Industry and are not bankers or millionaires. They say there is not enough money in the pot to pay everyone their full pension which employees see as their right. Where is this money meant to come from? The only reason we are in this mess is because labour refused to respect and believe in these professionals!!!

Get a grip teachers etc.!!!
The money is not there anymore!

But nobody will believe the pensions professionals as they are obviously idiots - but we will carry on paying the union fees directly into the pockets of the labour government because they tell us what we want to hear!

Dp is private sector self employed. His income halved last year. I am now a frontline healthcare worker ( to bri g in some much needed cash) and will work all over Christmas, night shifts, weekends etc etc.

I wil be striking. Why should we as a family be kicked from both sides? Why shouldn't at least one of us have some semblance of a pension?

Poor old Phillip Green - a ruined man, destitute and impoverished. No, wait - that's just the people he sacks. I suspect dear Phillip will struggle through somehow.

I don't know about the teachers' pension scheme as the various schemes are not the same. I do know that the NHS scheme currently has a surplus in it, paid for out of salary contributions.

"the shit has happened I just think we need to be realistic now in dealing with it."; seem like a pretty good example of fatalism!

Public sector workers have every right to expect to be treated well by their employers, because their employer is the Government.
If the Govmt cannot stand up as being an exemplary employer, what hope is there for the private sector???

I support the strike 100% (and I will lose a days pay.)

Physiotherapists will also be striking for the first time in 31 years. It's a shame it has come to this but the condem government is simply not interested in meaningful negotiations. Many in the NHS have trained for years to do their jobs and work hard for low rates of pay. There are no equivalent jobs for most of us in the private sector.
All those striking have my full support.

The public sector workers in Ireland, Latvia, Italy, Greece and Portugal (who are having their own general strike today) are enduring swingeing cuts in their salaries and terms and conditions, ranging from 15-37%, and that is a cut in their salaries. Ireland, Greece and Italy have been forced to give up their national sovereignty.

Why are the public sector in this country complaining about a tweak? They may complain about having a pension of only £10,000. Index-linked. That is beyond the means of most people in the private sector.

No wonder we are so low down the table of international educational achievement if teachers do not realise how lucky they are. Anyone who does not understand this either does not read the international news or is financially illiterate.

Is it really just labour pugsandseals. Great post.
Nobody says teachers do not contribute to their pensions just it is not a fair contribution for the pension they receive.

Good luck public sector!!!