AIBU Public sector workers generally

[Privatesectorworkers]

I’ve changed user names for this…..

I read a post today regarding public sector workers & how hard done by they feel. This instance its Teachers (just an example). I feel increasingly frustrated how these workers (general, not just teachers) harp on about how hard done by they are.

I appreciate it’s a hard job but you couldn’t get away with it in our sector.

I do also know that a lot of my hostility lies over being an unrecognised key worker during covid so perhaps this is tainting my view.

I don’t understand how much they get away with. In terms of absence, pay etc.

Some people work unfortunately in not so well paid, qualified positions (as I do) but there are other factors that keep me in my place of work. I am lucky to have good colleagues, work close to home etc.

Can they not just find some consolidation that they are in the career of their choosing, I would hope they wanted to have a positive impact in the education & enjoy the caring nature of this role?

I don’t understand what has changed so much AIBU?

Honestly if you think public sector are hard done by try working in the charity or "3rd" sector. We get the crappy pay, expectations of unpaid overtime AND we don't get the pensions / sick leave etc benefits that public sector get.
And we get the same feelings of responsibility that say HCP get because people DO suffer if we don't go above and beyond.

most civil servants do not WFH. In my department we are in a minimum of four days a week. Usually five

You are VERY, VERY unreasonable and I think that’s all that needs to be said

PS as a ta - 9 weeks unpaid 4 weeks holiday

private sector 25 days holiday and can by 15 more - 8 weeks holiday

PS buy your own drinks pay for your own Christmas meals : celebrations

Private - mental health days, free get to heathers Christmas meal paid

Public - crap pay rises that generally don’t hit your bank account for months but that’s ok as you get it eventually.

Private - standardised pay rises where you can get more for working harder plus a decent bonus and it’s paid on time .

Public - abuse all day long
private - would get away with it

I could go on, but the best thing I can go to the loo, I can book term time holidays at the fraction of the cost -

This.

What's covid/furlough got to do with it?
Most public servant jobs continued through covid. A lot are public facing too.
Take your resentment elsewhere

The regular abuse from some delightful members of the public makes my minimum wage public sector role so worth it.

My lovely, supportive, colleagues on the other hand, make my working day a living hell 😁

I work for the nhs - easy peasy job naturally ( Ha Ha ) and my son works in local council- his choice, of course. He erans £32k a year 3 years after graduation, whereas his friends who graduated at the same time and have gone into private sector jobs are on anything up to £65k plus

He chose his path, yes, and is happy doing it luckily, but don't tell me we are on cushy golden pension type salaries with lovely, easy jobs.

A really narrow-minded, jealous (why?) viewpoint from someone who hasn't a clue!

I've worked on both sides of the divide - and I do think it is becoming increasingly polarised.

Public sector workers are an easy target for politicians looking to score cheap points with voters who work in the private sector. This has gone on for ages - I remember Blair doing it.

The distortions, lies and basic lack of respect that this leads to is at the root of the frustration felt by public sector workers. Imagine doing your best in your job and then having politicians tell the world that you're lazy, that you're the problem.

It's so incredibly demoralising. It's like having a spouse who is always finding an excuse to criticise you, or just generally abusing you. You want to leave the bastard but you worry about the effect on the work you're doing.

You don't have to deal with that sort of crap when working in the private sector. There are other worries of course, but I am grateful for not being denigrated in public by politicians and the media now.

If you’re that annoyed, go and work in the Public Sector.

Most private sector employees don’t work from home either which was what the comment I replied to was implying

I work in the NHS. I have not called in sick for 30y and I get in at 6 for my job that starts at 9 officially. Otherwise I would not keep up.

There are others like me. But on the other hand there are colleagues who whinge, moan, go off sick constantly and raise grievances.

So the ‘good’ staff go above and beyond and carry the poor staff. It can be demoralising.

Working on wards during Covid was the hardest thing I ever did. We never got the proper PPE and it was so exhausting. But I never complained to non-colleagues or online. As that was my job so I got on with it.

In my experience there are some shite lazy public sector workers and those intent on using the public sector to leverage their political orientation. The majority are hard working, dedicated and conscientious.

I am feeling all nostalgic with the furlough resentment.

When you've been physically and verbally abused on a daily basis come back and let us know that feels.

I do also know that a lot of my hostility lies over being an unrecognised key worker during covid so perhaps this is tainting my view.

You need to get over it, that was what, 5 years ago.
But at least you didn’t say anything about paying their wages.

I'm a Grade 7 and in my experience our people have the same passion from top to bottom. But we may be exceptional.

Baiting post from a whining idiot.

Your kid was doing GCSEs? Okay but you weren't sitting them. I managed to do my GCSEs with very little input from my parents (public sector, nurses). I think they asked what days the exam was on and if I thought I'd do alright. A kid sitting GCSEs is old enough to manage their own time.

You are complaining you weren't furloughed? As someone who worked payroll? Aside from the fact you could easily do this from home and were hardly a 'hidden keyworker' - not like you were trying to resuscitate anyone or managing a morgue - if you were furloughed, how would anyone get paid? Do you make everything about how you and how 'hard' you have it? Shall I go get my mini violin?

Teachers have a shit job for shit pay, considering the amount of hours they work. The stress and burnout is immense. No, they don't always get any 'consolidation' (it's consolation, fool) from their work. Because they never get time to breathe.

I'm a public sector worker. I love my job, get paid well for it and work with amazing people. But I'm so aware this isn't the case for all my public sector colleagues. And it needs to change.

I, along with most others during lockdown, became a 'teacher' to my then junior school aged ds. I discovered a new found respect for teachers, particularly trying to work from home at the same time (public sector, no furlough). Genuinely don't understand why teachers get such a bad time, I have the utmost respect for most of them (saying this as someone who had a terrible experience with one senco and one Y1 teacher with my dd who has SEN).

I work in policing. I have an issue with its misogyny, which is still very much present. But I also see overworked, stressed out people who continue to give their all and genuinely wish to help others. Most of those who I know will drag themselves into work when they're on their knees. This is very much the same in the NHS and local authorities.

There's good and bad I'm every sector (and fwiw I think the public sector in particular is very bad at calling out and dealing with poor performance and behaviour) but I think op's feelings are fuelled by resentment for perceived imbalance of treatment four years ago. Which is a bit weird.

It wasn't five years ago. Restrictions didn't end till the summer of 2021 which was three years ago.

It is grating that certain key workers were completely overlooked.

Am I the only person who doesn't understand how an accounts and payroll person is a key worker?

Op are you conflating furlough with key worker status?

I loved every word of this!

Thanks for the correction - yes, 68, not even 67.

I do have enough under the old final salary, but that’s because I’m not far off 60. This view of gold-plated pensions in teaching etc is highly misleading. It simply isn’t there for colleagues a decade or so younger than me.

This post didn’t go quite the way you expected did it OP?! No further comment from you?

lazy council worker here who has started work an hour earlier all this week due to trying to get on top of things before my annual leave next week. No I don’t get overtime.
I, and every council worker I know, were not furloughed we worked throughout, albeit from home, but still also visiting those clients who were deemed essential for support. Testing 3 times a week which I believe is the reason I now have chronic rhinitis.
I also had a teen that had just moved to a new school before lockdown and was preparing for his GCSE’s.
And what part of “working in payroll” makes you an unrecognised key worker?
And as for Teachers, there is no job I would rather want least. To have to deal with the workload they have is one thing but to have to deal with unruly (of which I have one) teens each and every day and their jumped up parents, well I would rather lick public toilet seats. Double their salaries and that still wouldn’t be enough.
Whilst you just sit there in your cosy (home) office tapping those keys. Oh the stress for you

Well, then you clearly have been recognised as a key worker because none of us were furloughed.
What is it that you think we "get away with" regarding pay? Last time I checked, our pay wasn't extortionate and we don't get bonuses despite the government setting us "productivity targets". I am still not certain what "productivity" means in healthcare or educational setting.
Can they not just find some consolidation that they are in the career of their choosing...
Pretty hard to do that when your gas bill comes in. Somehow none of my utility providers accept "consolation" as a payment. I guess I'll be minting it after the retirement though as I hear public sector pension is ginormous.