A bit of politics....
Jun. 30th, 2011 10:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magog_83I don't often bring my politics into my LJ, but I felt it was important to post today and say good luck to all those taking strike action over changes to public sector pensions, principally the NUT, ATL and UCU, but also members of the PCS union who have come out in support (and in defence of their own pensions).
The unions have consistently asked for greater transparency through this whole process, particularly with regards to the figures the government have used to justify the changes and the statistics that will apply after the changes take place. The government have continued to fudge and pull figures out of their ass (seriously, the money man on the BBC tried to work out how on earth they got them and failed) and have refused to give an inch in negotiations. Unfortunately, they've forgotten the cardinal rule that all teachers follow, SHOW US YOUR WORKINGS. As the NUT General Secretary, Christine Blower, rightly said, to agree to any changes without seeing the fine print would be to sell her members down the river.
So good luck to everyone on the pickets. As many (wiser) people have said before me, there is strength in solidarity <3
ETA. I just found this very amusing (if depressing) Tumblr post on the subject.
Also, this tweet has amused me too.
Fun to hear MPs with best public sector pensions available & elected on tiny turn-out complaining about illegitimacy of strike action.
It's like with the defeat of the AV vote in the referendum. 32% for yes is a "crushing defeat", yet add a few per cent on to that and you apparently have a mandate to govern. Sigh.
The unions have consistently asked for greater transparency through this whole process, particularly with regards to the figures the government have used to justify the changes and the statistics that will apply after the changes take place. The government have continued to fudge and pull figures out of their ass (seriously, the money man on the BBC tried to work out how on earth they got them and failed) and have refused to give an inch in negotiations. Unfortunately, they've forgotten the cardinal rule that all teachers follow, SHOW US YOUR WORKINGS. As the NUT General Secretary, Christine Blower, rightly said, to agree to any changes without seeing the fine print would be to sell her members down the river.
So good luck to everyone on the pickets. As many (wiser) people have said before me, there is strength in solidarity <3
ETA. I just found this very amusing (if depressing) Tumblr post on the subject.
Also, this tweet has amused me too.
Fun to hear MPs with best public sector pensions available & elected on tiny turn-out complaining about illegitimacy of strike action.
It's like with the defeat of the AV vote in the referendum. 32% for yes is a "crushing defeat", yet add a few per cent on to that and you apparently have a mandate to govern. Sigh.
