Fully agree with you Dr C. My sister works in the finance dept of local gov and is stunned by how much more contracting out costs when compared to directly employed labour (deliberate small 'l') even when pensions are factored in. Still, due to the doctrinaire policies of our major parties, they seem to be obsessed with privitising everything. As senior EC people are finding out it simply doesn't work. If you want proof ask yourself - 'Why are large organisiations such as BAe now contracting in services?'.
The 'private first, and last and always' mentality we have had to live with for over a generation is reaching its nadir. We need to get back to a properly balanced economy where both private and government play its part. The problem we have at the moment is government is taking barrowloads full of tax and passing it on to unaccountable quangos and private companies with no gaurantees of service provision (look at any PFI). We are in the worst of all worlds.
Pension provision is a vital part of this argument. Who do private companies suppose is going to pick up the responsibility for their workers once they have finished with them? Once again these companies are passing the burden onto the taxpayer. The reason so many companies closed their pensions had little to do with future burden, and everything to do with short term profit margins. It is these companies that need a dose of reality, not public service workers.
Also why we are still listening to the 'free market' cheerleaders such as those in the Telegraph, most notably Geoff Randall, after they failed to spot this economic crisis? If I'd have missed something as big as that I would have had the good grace to resign and go very quietly indeed!
The problem is all 3 political parties still back these failed policies, we need to get back to 50's & 60's style corporate government.
BTW ExScrib, hope all is going well.
Last edited by 8-15fromOdium; 1st Dec 2008 at 13:31.
Reason: spooling