Poor, poor strikers go shopping

[DodgyAgent]

Are they? It seems to me that there has been a transfer of the cost of pension provision to the individual from the body corporate in order to protect corporate profitability, with no commensurate increase in salaries to cover the additional costs, and no legislation to ensure that people actually have pensions. These people are simply the last victims of that and it's entirely reasonable for them to be complaining. We should ALL have been complaining, because by allowing employers to abdicate their responsibilities we are placing an additional burden on the state which will cost us all money later on.

If corporates do not maximise their profits (which funnily enough go to pay pensions anyway) then they can re locate elsewhere its called "life" - live with it.

[doodab]

It gives me an impression that there's a hard core of strikers who want to protest because they feel they have a real complaint, and then a whole lot of hanger-onners who just join in for the sake of a day off to do some christmas shopping. So no, I wouldn't take their negotiating position seriously.

There are a few who will have voted against the strike but got the day off because the school was closed anyway. That seems to be the case with the first person quoted in the article you posted.

[DodgyAgent]

You can choose private healthcare or schooling if you wish.

Quite, as long as I do not at the same time have to pay taxes to support public services that fail to function

[DodgyAgent]

People with kids off school for the day. That's what we did, and what a lot of other people we know did.

That is not what the taxi drivers in Newcastle said. I asked them that very question and they said that he had never seen the city centre so busy and that they were all public sector workers. How did he know? he asked them and so did his taxi driver colleagues.

[doodab]

If corporates do not maximise their profits (which funnily enough go to pay pensions anyway) then they can re locate elsewhere its called "life" - live with it.

What a cop out. "Life" is what you make of it. The single biggest asset of human beings is their refusal to accept that which displeases them and willingness to do something about it. Without those of us possessing that characteristic the likes of you would still be huddling together in caves for warmth.

[doodab]

Quite, as long as I do not at the same time have to pay taxes to support public services that fail to function

I would agree that those opting for private healthcare should be allowed to offset the cost against NI, as long as their insurance subsequently pays the NHS for any treatment received e.g. during an emergency.

[northernladuk]

My other half went on strike and went in to the city to vent her anger for 3 or so hours. Once it had finished she went shopping. What is the problem. Do you expect them to get on a bus, go home and sit there doing nothing?

For the record she is as p*ssed off with those striking/having day off and getting paid that just used it for a freebie day as well.

I think there is a difference between those that got a freebie hol and those that did their bit and shopped seems they were in the center.

My views on the strikes are my own (so as not to fall out with the missus <cough>) but blaming them for shopping while they are in town doing whatever they do is a tad harsh IMO.

[doodab]

Yes, I agree we've all been shafted, but that doesn't justify 2 million public sector workers refusing to go to work. If you don't like your remuneration, leave and find another job.

But that's difficult for someone who, as DA points out, works for a monopolistic organisation. What are they going to do? Work for another council in the same area or a different department of education?

[doodab]

My other half went on strike and went in to the city to vent her anger for 3 or so hours. Once it had finished she went shopping. What is the problem. Do you expect them to get on a bus, go home and sit there doing nothing?

For the record she is as p*ssed off with those striking/having day off and getting paid that just used it for a freebie day as well.

I think there is a difference between those that got a freebie hol and those that did their bit and shopped seems they were in the center.

My views on the strikes are my own (so as not to fall out with the missus <cough>) but blaming them for shopping while they are in town doing whatever they do is a tad harsh IMO.

In fact, you could argue that by shopping they ARE contributing to the economy.

[DodgyAgent]

What a cop out. "Life" is what you make of it. The single biggest asset of human beings is their refusal to accept that which displeases them and willingness to do something about it (I think we call it mob rule). Without those of us possessing that characteristic the likes of you would still be huddling together in caves for warmth.

It is called "entitlement" and most of those on strike yesterday are part of this culture that has corroded the work ethic of huge parts of the working population of Europe. These people patently feel that they are owed a living, and the great thing about this economic crisis is that these people are being found out.