Hello
How are you today - I hope you are well - let me tell you a story about me, about you, about what I know and what I think - for all it's worth - which may be nothing.
Who am I?
I work in the public sector as a customs officer. I have been an officer since joining in 2004. I used to work in various private businesses from restaurants, to law firms amongst others. I am not a member of any union - and oh yes - I like my job - I think it has a purpose. I am 33 years old and I am your typical white, middle class, suburban, male public servant.
So, do I support the public sector strikes?
Well - that is a question and for those who know me you will know my answer will not be straightforward when I get a bee in my bonnet so please take a stroll through my thoughts (however naive and / or misinformed you may think them to be) and when you get to then end and only when you get to the end please let me know your own thoughts.
A Brief History
The union movement began when a bunch of people, quite legitimately felt aggrieved at being treated like slaves. They marched from Tolpuddle in Dorset to Islington in London. They were the Tolpuddle martyrs. Don't worry they didn't die, which I guess means they weren't martyrs...erm... anyway they certainly put themselves out a bit with all that marching and the outcome was a trade union movement that protected workers against any extreme evil management.
And this was good.
The Current Debate
The current problems public sector wide revolve around pensions (and redundancies).
There have been many tube strikes, firemen strikes, lecturers’ strikes, binmen strikes and other civil service strikes over the last 10 or so years, which were about safety and pay, but the current ones are about pensions and redundancies.
Essentially, this is how I understand it.
The current pension system is based on, if not a ponzy scheme, it is certainly a pyramid system. Everyone gets a final salary pension which means when you retire you get a pension based on what you finished earning. Even if you were earning peanuts for all the other years. In order for this scheme to work more people need to pay in (a pyramid system) or growth needs to be massive to make your pension worth less compared to the earnings of those paying in (so the latter is unlikely without an element of pyramid system.
Don't worry pyramid system are not illegal and I am not suggesting the final salary pension system is illegal. (A ponzy scheme is illegal - that requires people to feed in knowing the scheme is only supported by further contribution.
It is however poor economics.
So the new scheme is based on a lifetime’s average earnings or contributions based. So if you earn £10,000 for 10 years and £20,000 for the next 10 years you have a pension of £10,000 contributions and 10 years £20,000 contributions.
This to me makes perfect sense and that is how I thought a pension fund was run. If I had only read about Robert Maxwell when I was at school - I would know this was rubbish.
So essentially this current strike I am being asked to strike about a system, which I didn't think existed in the first place and one for which I think doesn't work anyway. Which means, by default, I am supporting the changes because the changes are how I thought a pension scheme worked in the first place because how can you pay anything out if you never collected it in the first place.
My Anarchist Ideas - a Funny Story to Interrupt this Dry Debate
When the firemen go on strike - we give a monkeys.
When the binmen go on strike - we care about that
When the tax men go on strike - we think - great!! Why not go on strike for a week.
I suggested that maybe the tax office should threaten to work continuously 24 hour a day - that would get more of a reaction.
I also suggested that all strikes should be run my Madam Tussuards as they know how to run a good show - all strikes should have proper placards and big blazing oil drums and workers should be huddled around wearing horse hairs overcoats drinking soup and singing songs, like
"I don't know, but I've been told.
I'll have to work even when I'm old
I want to get a ten grand raise
Tolpuddle Martyrs - turn in their grave."
Conclusion about Strikes as a Concept
I am not an anarchist that jumps up and strikes at the slightest chance of a good skiffle, sorry I mean scuffle.
The concept of a strike is to achieve a purpose and during a time when you could be executed, made destitute because you had red hair or when there was no health and safety regulation I can understand how strikes were effective. I also understand that this is 2011, with human rights laws and welfare states and so on and so forth.
I would therefore consider that the concept of a "strike" is outdated, unless of course something fundamental like a military coop took over the country and wanted to enforce slave labour, abolition of football and flogging for "gays" - that would be a good reason to strike (and bringing about a second coop).
So, not wholly redundantly that brings us on to my answer to the current strike debate
Conclusions about the current strikes
Notwithstanding the fact that unions just cannot get more over 50% of their members to actually vote in any ballot - I feel these strikes are pointless. Pointless both in purpose and in effect.
The economy is suffering and you need to cut costs. 1) If the country makes no money then it is to be expected that the public workers get a pay freeze until the country does make money.
2) If the pensions are unsustainable as the country is making no money then a change in the pension rationale is to be expected.
3) As a public sector worker I feel that it is my job to work harder to get the country moving again and then when the country is doing better I can say, you know what - I did a bit of that."
4) and this is the point - I invoke the What's It To You Act 2011 - nothing will really change and your pension is protective (barring a military coop or invasion my aliens).
So no I cannot support this strike.
It is completely against what the trade union movement was established for. It upsets me that unions do not promote the nice side of what they do - welfare, counselling services, and other pastoral services. They should talk more about that.
There is no loss of jobs in the public sector - people just get moved around. People accept early retirement packages and they are set for life. Government pension are all good and if you want more you can pay into any other pension you want without question - that is what freedom of choice is all about.
If you want another job - then go find one. That is what I did when I moved to customs in the first place.
Screw the strikes
Have some PRIDE
If you work for your country
Then we are on your side
If you want reward
Then look around
There's people out there
Put the placard down.
Strike a Light - Whatcha all Doin' 'ere & Where's my Usual Nurse? 
