I think there may be trouble ahead!!!

According to various newspapers and websites, the UK is going to be faced with a summer of strikes as public sector works protest about how much of the recovery they are supposed to pay for. Teachers and members of PCS (one of the public sector unions) are planning a co-ordinated strike on the 30th June. The other public sector union, Unison (the one I belong to), is talking of strikes on September. The government say these strikes will be a 'mistake' and some economist chap , who is head of the Adam Smith Institute has said that it is 'vital the government face down union opposition'


Now so far I have heard nothing from Unison about going on strike, but I am sure it will be coming, and let's face it, something is going to have to give. We know the country is in a financial mess and we know times are going to be tough, so when the government announced that public sector workers are going to have their pay frozen for two years, we have accepted this, even though the cost of living is going through the roof and inflation is now at a three year high. So, I am not going to get a pay rise for the next two years, even though the cost of living is going up, so in real terms I am actually suffering a pay cut.


Now the government wants to make us pay more for our pensions. Yes, I am going to get a final salary pension and I currently pay 6% of my salary towards it. The government would like me to pay 9%. So, no pay rise, inflation is currently at 4.5%, expected to rise to 5.5% in the autumn, and they want to increase my pension contributions by 3%. At this rate I won't need the pension because I will not be able to afford to eat, so will have starved to death!!!!!


And this is the same government who has just given £814 million for the vaccination of foreign children. We can't even manage to vaccinate all of our own children!!!!!


Meanwhile in the private sector, hubby is getting a 3.5% pay rise, 2.5% now, back dated to April, with the remaining 1% in December.............and they are managing that even though public transport subsidies are being slashed by councils attempting to save money!!!