Comments on: Boom and bust in the public sector? http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/ Incisive and topical campaigns and commentary on today's issues and tomorrow's problems Thu, 24 May 2012 17:35:50 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jon http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21540 Jon Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:02:03 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21540 And now, finally we hear the start of cuts to the gold plated pension schemes. Long Long Long overdue. Funny? Really funny, what a pleasant fiction they were for the civil service. Good news that its announced (in a small way albeit) during this government, the government that stole from the private sector pension funds. They can strike for as many unpaid years as they want, the more the better. And now, finally we hear the start of cuts to the gold plated pension schemes.

Long Long Long overdue. Funny? Really funny, what a pleasant fiction they were for the civil service. Good news that its announced (in a small way albeit) during this government, the government that stole from the private sector pension funds.

They can strike for as many unpaid years as they want, the more the better.

]]> By: ken from glos http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21539 ken from glos Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:17:14 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21539 True but many people have to cope on an old age pension alone. I now get that together with a large final salary pension. Most in the private sector do not. I retired at 51 years . True but many people have to cope on an old age pension alone. I now get that together with a large final salary pension. Most in the private sector do not. I retired at 51 years .

]]> By: Jalban http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21538 Jalban Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:20:13 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21538 Forgive me - I don't know how long you have been in retirement. But most pensions go up with inflation and so are bound to catch up with your former salary or take-home pay eventually. And since today's 'average' is to spend over 20 years in retirement, so they should! Imagine someone who retired from a fairly low paid job in 1989. Would you honestly expect that person to be coping today on less than they took home then? Forgive me – I don’t know how long you have been in retirement. But most pensions go up with inflation and so are bound to catch up with your former salary or take-home pay eventually. And since today’s ‘average’ is to spend over 20 years in retirement, so they should! Imagine someone who retired from a fairly low paid job in 1989. Would you honestly expect that person to be coping today on less than they took home then?

]]> By: Freddy http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21537 Freddy Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:17:01 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21537 You ain't seen nothing yet ... You ain’t seen nothing yet …

]]> By: APL http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21536 APL Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:10:16 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21536 StevenL: " .. they don't believe they have a problem." 'THEY' don't! 'THEY' have fat tax funded index linked pensions - apparently you only need to spend two Parliamentary terms to be able to retire quite comfortably. But even if the parliamentary pension isn't quite up to snuff, 'THEY' can quite easily land a sweet little number as UN envoy to BOSNIA or perhaps the leader of the TRIPARTITE peace mission to the middle East or who knows, the trade commissioner to the EUROPEAN UNION or even the Commissioner in charge of EUROPEAN UNION REFORM. Then if any of those haven't sated your desire to ravage the public purse, you could get your self a sinecure in the United Kingdom House of Lords, where you can see out your years in afluent comfort......(allegation left out) 'THEY' are never measured by results, 'THEY' never have performance related pay, unless doing so implies the pay scale will only escalate. Cynical, me? Never! StevenL: ” .. they don’t believe they have a problem.”

‘THEY’ don’t! ‘THEY’ have fat tax funded index linked pensions – apparently you only need to spend two Parliamentary terms to be able to retire quite comfortably.

But even if the parliamentary pension isn’t quite up to snuff, ‘THEY’ can quite easily land a sweet little number as UN envoy to BOSNIA or perhaps the leader of the TRIPARTITE peace mission to the middle East or who knows, the trade commissioner to the EUROPEAN UNION or even the Commissioner in charge of EUROPEAN UNION REFORM. Then if any of those haven’t sated your desire to ravage the public purse, you could get your self a sinecure in the United Kingdom House of Lords, where you can see out your years in afluent comfort……(allegation left out)

‘THEY’ are never measured by results, ‘THEY’ never have performance related pay, unless doing so implies the pay scale will only escalate.

Cynical, me? Never!

]]> By: StevenL http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21535 StevenL Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:08:57 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21535 Still in denial, they don't believe they have a problem. Still in denial, they don’t believe they have a problem.

]]> By: Demetrius http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21534 Demetrius Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:08:49 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21534 When a gambler is down on his luck, he may put all his wealth at stake, and then his families. It the luck is still missing, he will borrow up to the hilt. If the luck is still not there and the lenders want some money back, he is likely to steal. Discuss, at what point are we now at in the government's history of recent speculation? When a gambler is down on his luck, he may put all his wealth at stake, and then his families. It the luck is still missing, he will borrow up to the hilt. If the luck is still not there and the lenders want some money back, he is likely to steal. Discuss, at what point are we now at in the government’s history of recent speculation?

]]> By: Little Black S http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21533 Little Black S Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:44:11 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21533 Under the old system of local government (was it destroyed under Mr Heath?) we had town clerks who would go to great lengths to avoid any increase in the rates. That motivations seems to be completely lacking today, and I wonder why. Is it because local government is not local enough? And a whole caste of "Chief Executives and their courtiers has come into existence who cost an immense amount of money, which you would think people would resent more than they apparently do. Under the old system of local government (was it destroyed under Mr Heath?) we had town clerks who would go to great lengths to avoid any increase in the rates. That motivations seems to be completely lacking today, and I wonder why. Is it because local government is not local enough? And a whole caste of “Chief Executives and their courtiers has come into existence who cost an immense amount of money, which you would think people would resent more than they apparently do.

]]> By: ken from glos http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21532 ken from glos Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:48:58 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21532 Brian Tomkinson, Yes that inludes all pensions together with no N.I.C charges ( a tax by any other name) winter heating allowance, bus passes Christmas bonus! tax relief etc. Put togther it puts me way in excess of my old take home pay, a real State of madness!! Many of these 'perks' have to be means tested in the future. I expected comfort and dignity in 'old age' but not these riches. This nation must wake up as to what is happening. Brian Tomkinson,

Yes that inludes all pensions together with no N.I.C charges ( a tax by any other name) winter heating allowance, bus passes Christmas bonus! tax relief etc. Put togther it puts me way in excess of my old take home pay, a real State of madness!! Many of these ‘perks’ have to be means tested in the future. I expected comfort and dignity in ‘old age’ but not these riches. This nation must wake up as to what is happening.

]]> By: oldrightie http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/08/26/boom-and-bust-in-the-public-sector/#comment-21531 oldrightie Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:43:20 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=4359#comment-21531 I'm with you and furthermore I suspect The EUSSR dream is still a driving force behind the ruination of our economy. The EU then are made to look a "knight in shining armour" as they gather us up into their dubious clutches. I’m with you and furthermore I suspect The EUSSR dream is still a driving force behind the ruination of our economy. The EU then are made to look a “knight in shining armour” as they gather us up into their dubious clutches.

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