To think that council employees shouldn't go on strike.

[JODIEhadababy]

Maybe I am, and there is a good solid reason to them doing so, please tell me if so, but....

At the weekend DH has been doing some major DIY, filled his car yesterday and went to the tip, was closed due to 'industrial action' DH was flippin mad, I tell you!!!

Shouldn't they be bloody grateful for a job in the current climate? And if they are picketing for a pay rise, then that will just make our Council Tax higher..

ooh are we going on strike?

In England the council workers' pay deal is in binding arbitration at the moment, so further strike action this year looks unlikely. Good luck to the Scottish Council workers, I'm glad to hear someone's still fighting.

"annual rate of inflation, surely you and your dh get that?"

In the private sector, an incredibly competitive market at a time of global recession? No, no pay rise.

www.guardian.co.uk/business/2006/oct/09/politics.money

YABVU. Public sector pay has often, if not always, been used as a tool to control inflation, so invariably we get less than the current rate. Additionally, in many other minimum wage jobs eg retail, staff are given discounts - I don't get a discount on my council tax because I work for the council, nor do I get preferential treatment for school admissions, planning consent etc, etc! The local press where I live have always been very antagonistic towards the County Council and frequently print derogatory unbalanced stories about its actions. It can be very disheartening. The public areas of County Hall are very plush and rightly so, but visit any non-public facing area and you will see threadbare carpet patched with duct tape, old wooden desks, wobbly chairs, stuff piled everywhere because there is not enough storage space - working conditions that would not be tolerated in many private companies. When my 8 year old daughter came to work with me she thought it looked like a tip!
I love my job and I work with some fantastic people, but most people don't have a clue what their local council does for them and their community and think council tax is spent on fripperies.

I work for local government and get paid half of what I did for a similar job in the financial sector. In that job I got an annual bonus, non-contributory pension, reduced rate loans, performance payrise, blah, blah. In this job I get no perks whatsoever and a below inflation payrise (eventually).

YABU

And yes I could go back to my old job but I'm more appreciated in this one and it's more flexible (suppose that should be counted as a perk but it won't pay the bills)

YABU

You don't get paid for strike action - so 'in this climate' you only do it if you feel the cause if just.

Sorry ou had a wasted trip....but get over yourself!

Jodie has apologised more than once on this relatively short thread, give her a break.

what i would say to Jodie is that perhaps you and your dh should join a union, then if there was a genuine grievance the union could advise and perhaps you could withhold your labour - as is a workers only comodity to bargain with.

so please jopdie, look inot joining a union, they do legal advice and lots of other things too.

every worker is entitled to strike- many council workers are badly paid.strikes do inevitability cause inconvenience might make you value its worth

Custardo, my guess is that Jodie is self-employed - but even joinign a professional association of some kind would be of help.

nah she said she would lose her job and there are many to replace her. but the princile of your post mercy - i agree with

I would not strike because I work with some very vunerable people. Its wrong to hurt disabled children. However people will live if the local tip shut.

However I would support council workers who strike and lose pay. Infact I am prepared to donate to a hardship fund to support strikers. I hope the strikers understand my reasons for not joining them.

You never see MP's go on strike!

Oh sorry, you never see MP's get a below inflation pay rise.

NHS workers are in the same predicament as council workers. I feel council workers have the right to strike to improve pay and working conditions.

YABU

I choose to work for the council to do a job that is 'useful' to society I get paid far less than if I had just gone into the private sector.

Also if the union had voted to strike then they would be breaking a strike which is pretty low, unless like reallytired you have a valid reason not to (my DH works in emergency services and dreads a strike because of the potential consequences) but I fear putting your DH out a little isnt that valid.