So who is striking on Tuesday?

[nikkie]

Anyone?

My collegues are, but I'm on maternity leave (err... plus I haven't got around to joining the union - they asked when I started but never since)

me, if we do strike, they seem to get called off at 11th hour these days

I have never striked before or even come this close, do I actually have to do any thing or just stay at home?

we have a picket rota. bit frowned on to just stay at home.

why will you be striking?

my dh is and because the caretakers where he works are the whole place will be closed - yeh!!

We are not having a picket line, there is a general one in town but it isn't starting until 2.30 and I have to pick up kids at 3!

lacrimosa - it's to do with pensions, a nationwide strike of mostly public sector workers (I think)

Changes to pensions of certain staff (ie low paid ones)

What is wrong with the pensions? I am so not up on this subject, please excuse my ignorance

Lots of the staff may strike in our school. It isn't my union, but last time a strike was threatened the head said the school would be closed to kids. I don't know if I can cross a picket line

Are public sectar pensions not pretty much guaranteed?

Whitehall public servants, NHS workers and teachers have all been given the pension rights they've argued for (right still to retire at 60, right to rule of 85 - if you age and number of pension contribution years add up to 85 you can retire early, there's also some issues about changing to average salary rather than final salary which has a disproportionate disadvantage to women).

Local government workers have not. Which is pants as we get paid considerably less than the rest of them. Our half way decent pension vaguely makes up for being bottom of the pile in all other respects.

John Prescot promised to review and sort out just before election. Seems to be being rather useless on the matter.

Unison is striking against the government attempting to force through their plan to scrap the “rule of 85”, which says that some local government workers can retire at 60 if they have worked 25 years.

that clears it up quite nicely thankyou! good luck to all of you who are striking! I am training to be a midwife so I am behind you all xx

BUT teachers and others get protected pensions

Lacrimosa-You will have to join Unison too!

personal rant for a moment here...
I think the lack of picket lines is a bit shameful - the point of striking is to raise awareness of an issue... if you feel strongly enough about it to strike, you should feel strong enough to inform the public you work for why you are not meeting their needs that day.

Not suggesting you are at fault at all nikkie, but feel your local union branch is a bit half-hearted.

mb, I would never cross another union's picket line.

(sorry, came over all old labour there for a moment, better go have a nice glass of something)

I am quite torn. If the kids are in I am prepping some for an exam So it is a tough one I have a great deal of sympathy for the case, and my dear old dad would be spinning in his urn if he knew I crossed the line. Still, I do have the well being of the kids to consider as well. It is a tough one. I'm assuming my union will give guidance....I'm in the NASUWT and they do strike.

Me too but school is open(and has visiting potential new heads) + we are well away from anyone seeing us anyway. I was going to got the main one in town but can't go at that time of day!
We have no rep at school the majority have only joined in the last month too we thought that there would be enough of us to close but the head has just asked certain kids not to come in that day

Other staff have been told that if they didn't come in and are not in the union they will get a warning.

hmm that really IS a difficult one. Mind you, if YOU have to cross the picket line so will the kids, and that's not fair either in my view, to expect kids to do that. But yes, in your place, I probably would cross, but perhaps with finding some other way to support colleagues (take them a coffee or something!)

I'm still undecided whether to strike or not.

1. If anyone can categorically prove to me that going on strike is the way to get what you want, then I'll do it. I have never gone on strike, and have never had to cross a picket line.

2)I think that to call a strike, more than 50% of the union membership should have to vote. In this one, of the total unison membership only 28% voted!! From the Unison website "UNISON members have voted Yes to strike action over pensions by an overwhelming majority." \link{http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=2492\Unison}

it's your decision ailsa, if you don't agree, then don't strike.

low turnouts trouble all democratic votes, but in my view losing a day's pay is more proof you believe in a cause than ticking a piece of paper

I didn't say that I don't agree!

I said I'm undecided.

The rule of 85, which is what the strike is about means;

You can retire at 60 on unreduced benefits if your age and length of service add up to 85.

Anyone can retire before 60, but your benefits will be reduced because the assumption is that you will be drawing your pension for a longer period of time.

Ailsa, workplaces where the majority of staff belong to a union (and therefore may go on strike) are more highly-paid than non-unionised workplaces.* So union activity works, obviously. You could extend that to mean striking works, if it gets to the point where an employer is being unreasonable and inflexible.

I'm not involved in this one directly, but personally would find it very hard to cross a picket-line. The whole point of unions is that together people are strong and can stand up for themselves against those in power and all that... although my sister, who has the same attitude, did cross a Unison picket line once (not her union and ethical objections to leaving vulnerable people without care).

*In industries with unions, obviously. Don't think it applies to merchant bankers, for instance....