Industrial Action Anyone?

[whowhenwhy]

Well it looks like the cynics amongst us won out, on Ceefax this morning, public sector workers (that's us) will be given a 3% payrise in line with inflation! So there you go guys, as Buff-hoon announces that we're sending more fast pointy things to defend the petrol pumps (call me a cynic if you wish) Gordy's telling us we can have 3%. Oh yes, I can just imagine them telling Mr Gilchrist that his firefighters are only going to get 3%. So anyone for a series of 24 hour stoppages?

[fortytwo]

:uhoh: :*

Not likely, got a desert holiday coming up. Should be on high rate of LSSA by the end of that.........:(

[psyclic]

3%? Sounds good to me.

Me? UK Police pilot. 0% this year. (Police Aviation Services, if you are thinking of leaving the mob.)

(PS. The 0% was BALPA negotiated)

Mind you no one's shot at me yet............

[SirPercyWare-Armitag]

Shouldnt be surprised despite the Telegraph story earlier this year about Defence Chiefs asking for 10%.
I am all for a 24hr stoppage....or a coup

[whowhenwhy]

Ahhh but psychlic, what are you on already? You see I just find it a tad difficult to explain to a 30 strong group of fire-fighters, some of whom are 18-20 year olds on £12000 a year, a wife, 2 kids, a second job and receiving benefits, that as well as all their secondary duties that they do, to try and get promotion (ie more pay), as well as replacing civvy firemen who get paid twice as much as them with much better terms of service etc, that they really should jump for joy when they're offered the opportunity to go out of area again for the 6th month out of the last 10! Maybe at the same time as we're deposing the people at Westminster who are so out of touch with reality that you couldn't hit them with a cruise missile, we could carry out a bit of enforced wealth re-distribution. Stop paying footballers and 'musicians' (and I use that term with extreme sarcasm) millions and give it to teachers, nurses, doctors, firemen (yes firemen), police oh, and the armed forces. Pay us what we deserve and stop fobbing us off!

(Sorry very wound up!)

[Jambo Jet]

Apparently if we were to go on strike I have heard the Government have plans to replace us in the short term with thousands of idle firefighters.

Lets hope they look at working conditions in the new package and definately modernization

[L1A2 discharged]

but if the ffffirefighters go to the gulf who will fit my windows?:yuk:

[L J R]

At least someone will be in place to put out the oil refinery fires.

[M134]

The AFPRB 2003 link has been added to http://www.mod.uk/issues/pay/index.htm unfortunatly it just points to 2002 at the mo!!

[SpotterFC]

The last time we got 10% was just after GW I. Interesting to see what happens if we have a GW II. Not holding my breath - and YES, someone else has the same attitude as me about footballers - ten grand a day for kicking a leather bag about - what is it all about?

[Mad_Mark]

So...

We spend at least 4 to 6 months of the year away from home and family, living (mostly) in the middle of a huge sand pit. We go to places around the world where the locals see us as targets. We continue to get taxed, even when out of the country for so long. We fill in for the firefighters because they are demanding a 40% (16%?). We are sent to kill livestock during foot and mouth outbreaks. We help the local authorities when severe flooding strikes again. We spend more time keeping up to date with nif-naf and useless stats than we do performing our primary tasks.

For all this we get a (rumoured) miserly 3%.

And they wonder why most branches and trades are under-staffed :rolleyes:

Two years and counting....

MadMark!!! :mad:

[Woff1965]

I was looking at the ARSSE board - I know I feel cheap and dirty just saying it - and there was a post that 2 RAMC colonels(!) and 1 Sergent have failed to report for dury following call-up.

So it looks like a strike may just be starting.

(It is always possible the 2 RAMC colonels are secreytly planning on having the government sectioned as part of a coup attempt though)

[Ali Barber]

Not that we're ever likely to get such a break, but for the US forces the Middle-East has continued to be a war zone since Gulf War 1. If they touch the ground in a war zone, that month is tax free for them. If they land at 10 to midnight on the 31st and depart at 10 past midnight on the 1 st of the next month, then both months are tax free.

2.9% - Whoopyf**k

[Stan Bydike]

And lets not mention that the Government is actually paid by the UN to supply UK forces for peacekeeping ops.

BTW, Ali where did you get 2.9% from

[Scud-U-Like]

I thought they might make it slightly more, but 3% is above inflation, so I'm not complaining. It would have been nice to see junior ranks getting 5% and the rest of us 2.5%. At least those annoying staged increases (2% now, 1% after Chrimbo) appear to be a thing of the past.

[bootscooter]

Don't know where she got it from (possible local radio news) but Mrs Bootscooter just phoned and told me that we were getting 3.2-3.7%. Stil sh!te, for all the reasons mentioned, but hey, I'm getting used to it.:(

Yep, just finished interagating (sp?) the Good Lady, and she insists that 3.2-3.7% dependant on rank, was on BBC TV lunchtime news.:hmm:

[Ali Barber]

Apologies, the 2.9 came from a newspaper predicting an expected raise for police, teachers, forces etc. The link in M134's post now points to the 2003 award.

Airmen Aircrew Financial Retention Incentive of 20,000 from 1 April 2003, for a period of three years, for those completing 17years ’ service, subject to a minimum return of ¢ve years’ service to the Immediate Pension Point (and tapered arrangements for those who have between four and two years to serve before their IPP).

The military pay ranges under Pay2000 for all Other Ranks and Officers be uprated by 3.2 per cent from 1 April 2003. (some exceptions - 3.7). 3.2 for flying pay as well.

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Best wishes with the pay rise.

Just to put Psyclic's page 1 comments into context, those of us now ex-mil in BALPA and working for PAS weren't universally unhappy with what was negotiated for us. I'd have been in line for a 10%-plus rise if the older blowhards hadn't voted against... :(

[JTIDS]

3.2%???????????????????????????????


they offered the firefighters 4% after going on strike without any changes to their jobs.

Feeling slightly bitter

[L1A2 discharged]

so, 3.2 or 3.7 ish, wish I'd done better at school and become a lawyer. Couldn't be a fireman then (bad eyes) but can now, how does that work then?
:mad:

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Not sure why everyone is so suprised or angry here. For years we have been getting roughly the annual rate of inflation as a pay rise/butt f@@@ing so no change this time round.

In my 29 years I have never seen this spark a mass exodus and I doubt this year will be any different.

We can't strike or publicly voice any unrest, apart from the crew room or in here, so best we just do as we always do.........lifes much simpler that way.

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[nav attacking]

Maybe the time has come brothers!

If you look into the weeds of the AFPRB (god I must have been bored [trying to check out the PAS deal actually]) it actually states that European legislation now insists that all employees are entitled to be a member of a Union.

Which one do you think would fight our cause while we are all away?

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Nav Attack,
Best we find out which one the Lord Chancellor is in as they seem to have worked wonders for him:}

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[junglejim]

That's it! I read the Telegraph yesterday and they reported on Gordon Brown's insistence that pay claims for public sector workers WILL NOT be entertained above the annual RPI.

Right next to an article explaining to us why the Lord Chancellor believes he is entitled to his 22% (some old law stating he has to get 2500 quid more than the top judge).

It would seem today that the Lord Chancellor has been embarrassed enough to instruct his staff to 'look into it'. It is common knowledge that Defence always has and always will be the poor relation in Whitehall, however, observing what this Govt routinely expects us to do on their behalf (FMD, Firefighters, GW 2 etc) compared to what they are prepared NOT to do in order to assist us (poor/incorrect kit, apalling service conditions, abysmal pay awards etc) JUST MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL.

Gordon, your 'sound fiscal management' speech is an insult to our intelligence. You and your cronies are taking the pi$$. You had better be careful because one day the armed forces may not be able, or indeed willing, to bail you out of the next ministerial cock up you and your mates have an unerring ability to get yourselves into.

Twenty years in opposition have obviously had their toll on the Labour Party's ability to govern effectively. Fortunately for them, there is no credible alternative and I am afraid we will be stuck with them.

Rant over.

JJ

[whowhenwhy]

Yup, you're right, no credible alternative! But as they are our elected representatives, surely there is a way that we can un-elect all of them? Everyone sits on their a!se and complains about them, but because we're British we don't do anything. I cite as exhibit a the comment raised about the AFPRB report saying that we should be allowed access to a union-kept that quiet didn't they. I always thought (very American I know) that we should have government for the people, by the people, and that our current crop of politicians really should be disabused of this notion that you can have a 'career in politics!'