300,000 jobs in public sector face the axe

[Doggy Styles]

300,000 jobs in public sector face the axe

Read and weep. 13 years... imagine what the state of the economy would be if we'd given them another five!

Especially this:

Labour left a multi-billion-pound black hole in its nuclear power budget, which could force ministers to implement bigger cuts elsewhere in Whitehall, coalition sources claimed this weekend.

They alleged that future costs of safe waste disposal had not been properly accounted for in spending budgets, amounting to a £850m shortfall next year, £950m in 2012-13 and £1.1 billion by 2013-14.

The issue was judged so serious it was discussed at the cabinet’s first meeting.

[threaded]

imagine what the state of the economy would be if we'd given them another five!

Much the same IMHO. The government had run out of money some time back and were regularly being caught announcing the same money in different ways. So whoever got in was doomed to make massive cuts.

Though, the easier they make it, the longer and worse will be the pain.

I'm looking forward to the Civil Service strikes. Looks a cunning way to save significant budget and get many of the neocon policies of less government in by other means.

And we'll be out of Afghanistan and Iraq. Although leaving it all to the Chinese to sort out will come back to haunt us. There again that was on the cards well before it started as well.

[MrMark]

And we'll be out of Afghanistan and Iraq. Although leaving it all to the Chinese to sort out will come back to haunt us. There again that was on the cards well before it started as well.

I suspect we'll be out of the Falklands in the next 5 - 6 years too (despite the periodic rumours that there's significant oil around). By that time we won't be able to maintain a navy.

All very well cutting civil service staff, but by the time they've claimed unemployment and housing benefit (and their partners claim tax credit) the money saved isn't as great as needed. I can't see most of them being able to get suitable work in the current climate. So there will have to be cuts in other places too. Expect to see major tax rises, when the expected savings fail to do the job. It's frightening how much of a mess the UK is in.

[threaded]

What's frightening is that most people don't have a clue about how big the mess is. The numbers are just well beyond most people comprehension. So they're blithely carrying on hoping it'll be the other chap that gets the chop, little realising, they're all going to get the chop at one stage or the other.

[Doggy Styles]

All very well cutting civil service staff, but by the time they've claimed unemployment and housing benefit (and their partners claim tax credit) the money saved isn't as great as needed. I can't see most of them being able to get suitable work in the current climate. So there will have to be cuts in other places too. Expect to see major tax rises, when the expected savings fail to do the job. It's frightening how much of a mess the UK is in.

Paying welfare is inevitable, but it is still cheaper than paying for non-jobs.

Obviously, alongside this is the intent to expand the private sector to gradually take people off the dole, but hopefully not by loading red tape and taxes on it like the last government did!

[SuperZ]

And how much are we going to have to pay these redundant civil servants?
A friend got the SACK this year from their public sector job (after 20+ years service), after receiving multiple warnings over recent years. They received compensation which surprised me. Union helped take it to the tribunal where it was deemed they were correct in sacking them, but upped the compensation?Huh?

[TimberWolf]

The woman in the job centre who I saw for my sign-in told me she was worried about losing her job. She was earning barely above minimum wage and was working on a contract basis, so I doubt she would get much if anything in the way of compensation. We should be thinking the unthinkable and giving grossly overpaid people such as doctors and dentists a much needed haircut, rather than the poor, some of whom might be better off unemployed.

[cojak]

What's frightening is that most contractors don't have a clue about how big the mess is. The numbers are just well beyond most people comprehension. So we're blithely carrying on hoping it'll be the other chap that gets the chop, little realising, we're all going to get the chop at one stage or the other.

ftfy

I have no idea how long my shiny new contract is going to last.

I just invoice while I can...

[HairyArsedBloke]

Looks a cunning way to save significant budget and get many of the neocon policies of less government

You make it sound like a bad thing.

[SueEllen]

The woman in the job centre who I saw for my sign-in told me she was worried about losing her job. She was earning barely above minimum wage and was working on a contract basis, so I doubt she would get much if anything in the way of compensation. We should be thinking the unthinkable and giving grossly overpaid people such as doctors and dentists a much needed haircut, rather than the poor, some of whom might be better off unemployed.

While it's easy to make a blanket statement about x people should have their jobs or wages reduced you should actually find out how they are employed.

GPs who are practice partners are self-employed. They are the ones you hear about making £200,000 a year and the ones the Nu Labour Government buggered up the contract with.

Lots of GPs are now salaried.They are bitter because they are not earning as much as you think and can't find a practice who wants a partner.

Dentists are self-employed as well, and like highly paid hospital consultants those who earn lots do a lot of private work.

In fact dentists don't have to do any NHS work at all to survive. And in lots of places in the country finding an NHS dentist who will take on new patients is a nightmare as there are simply aren't any.

I do however know people who work in the NHS and civil service whose jobs add no value at all. They also don't help themselves as when you ask them what they do they can't and it's not because it's secret.