to think people who say 'I can't afford to strike but I'm going to' actually can afford it?

[StrawHat]

Surely if you can't afford it you have no choice.

and also, think about those who are having to take time off work unpaid because of the strikes!!!

I hate when people get on their high horse with people who can't genuinely afford it as if they have no morals and are scum of the earth.

They say everyone is entitled to do what they want / feel but get downright mean when it is not striking.

This doesn't affect me at all thankfully but I've seen it get very mean on some threads

It depends. Some mean they won't have as much money for Xmas presents, etc. Some mean they won't be able to pay their rent.

Unions often have hardship funds and I do note that a lot of the people who say this, haven't approached the hardship fund. If you really can't afford to strike, the hardship fund may be able to help.

Also have known people who have renegotiated their mortgage payments that month so they could strike - in last big public sector strikes.

There is a big difference imo with people who are struggling and try to find a way to afford to strike e.g. hardship fund, and those who just don't want their budget to be even tighter this month.

Tbh with the gleeful manner in which the union bosses are approaching this strike I think everyone should be very wary whether they can afford it or not. I think the unions will use the present day workers they way they used and abused the miners for their own purpose. A lot of the teachers at my dts school are not happy over losing Wednesday but they have no choice, bit like being bullied - hmmn?

I have my neighbours 3 boys over tomorrow as they couldn't find a babysitter and couldn't get the day off work although they are able to leave early. I was going to take them all to the Transport Museum in Glasgow in line with their school projects but have no doubt that the trains and subway will also be off on strike as they love a good bit of industrial action.

My neighbours and myself are not in well paid jobs, but we have to like it or lump it and while I am completely behind the idea that they shouldn't change people's pension contracts it is unfortunately the way of the world and there has to be a reality check at some point. Where will our hardship fund be if it affects us or should we just suck it up?

I heard a teacher on the radio say losing 1 days pay now is better than losing the equivalent of 1 days pay every month in future years to come....

The union hardship fund offered my Ex-P £12.50 if he went on strike. He will be losing over £50. Which is his entire week's food money. So if he goes on strike, he starves. .

Yanbu, OP - If you are striking, then you CAN afford it - if you really* couldn't afford it, you wouldn't strike because you wouldn't EAT.

I have a bit of an issue with the Unison Rep at my work. He can only be described as 'a joke' - he won't be striking tomorrow as he will lose a days pay- but not only that, he discovered that as he has 10 years left on his pension that the proposed changes won't affect him so he doesn't really need to vote.

This is the union rep. what a waste of fucking space.

Nothing like sticking up for your workers eh?

argh, bold fail - ds3 pressing buttonsd too

That's outrageous tiredemma!!!! can you get rid?

Well, there's 'can't afford' and 'can't afford', isn't there? We can't afford the loss of pay in that we will be really strapped, for cash, but we will be able to eat and pay the mortgage. I totally get that some people can't and it is entirely understandable that they'll go into work tomorrow.

Are people under the impression that we'll all be better off if the strikes don't happen? Will the money get redistributed among us? Don't make me laugh! The strikers are defending 1/ workers terms and conditions and 2/ the public sector & welfare state. The only people who benefit from inaction are the govt and their City banker friends.

Julia, i fear your opinion is rather naive and you need to look at the bigger picture. The one where the government has no money and pensions being one of our biggest expenditures needs to be cut.

All of us, private sector or public need to understand that we will ALL be working longer and getting less back.

YANBU. If you genuinely can't afford it you just can't. Few people have principles so large they would miss a mortgage payment or not eat for a few days, or be unable to pay their council tax.

If people mean they'll make a small sacrifice which they wouldn't usually be without, then the can afford it. its still a sacrifice, but not quite that dramatic.

When the paid union officials have a day without pay for a strike, then so will I.

Guess I won't be striking for a while then.

although I am completely behind the workers (UP THE REVOLUTION!) I also find that people who say the governmnet can't afford it don't usually know much about pension schemes (although there are bankrupt schemes and they should be declared so immediately- if you're in them bad luck, all investments are a risk)

Julia arguably the people that would benefit from inaction are our own children, who will face a smaller tax burden than they would do if we carry on trying to prop up a pension scheme that we can no longer afford.

That might be the bankers fault to some degree. It is also the "fault" of people like my own parents who have been "unreasonable" enough to stay alive for a lot longer than might previously have been expected.

I have a public sector pension. I am resigned to the fact that it is necessary for me to make some sacrifices now into order to (a) look after the older generation and (b) safeguard my children who are going to have enough problems getting into any kind of financially secure position without having to fund a pension scheme that is no longer sustainable.

I'm naive? You serious?? This is a govt that just sold a bailed out bank to Branson at half price funded by cuts to our services and you're daft enough to accept there's no money. No money for us, maybe.

No, they can't always.

DH went on strike when Royal Mail had their strike last year, and we really couldn't afford it.

We had to cut back for a while afterwards.
You only lose the day's pay, so it depends how close to the breadline you are.

But I would say that those miners who went on strike couldn't afford it either - you just make do, don't you? It's principles, which will always be more important than money.

Achicken only credible if all existing tax is collected, not avoided
thereisanalternative.co.uk

Just a question to those of you who believe the pension schemes are no longer affordable. Which pensions are you refering to?

There is no one public sector scheme and I've not seen figures too show any that are indeficit... changes were made a few years ago under labour to avoid that.

I agree with Doris although in my organisation (we tupe people over a lot from gov orgs) we do have one public scheme which isn't viable- however there are procedures in place to prop it up (unfortunatly we'll stump the cash as parent company) pensions scheme are not so idiotic that they'll carry on knowing they can't pay out.

This is also the government that funds India to the tune of 1bn in aid despite the fact that they have a space program to throw money at!

The priorities are wrong. The money is there ther are smoke and mirrors used to full effect, to demonise the public sector and cut costs. Not once has anything been suggested to bring MP's pension in line with what a council manual workers or a nurse would get (terms not finncial reward).

yy Doris

Don't believe the fibs about the pensions needing reforming - this was done a few years ago to take account of people living longer etc. All the extra money that the Govt want to take from public sector workers is going to the Treasury NOT into pensions.
Personally I will be striking and I do believe in collective action. I came out the last time a strike was called - even though I didn't think (in that case) it would achieve much.
However - I also think it is a personal choice and if you really can't afford it, then it's not for me to judge you.