Public sector strikes

Complaining about the public service strike action (HAS, Nov 29) he wrote “public employees enjoy job security”, which is a bit rich coming, as it did, on the same day that Chancellor George Osborne forecast that total public service job losses would be 710,000 not 400,000.

He also added: “As public employees enjoy an extra Christmas shopping day, the nation’s borders are at risk.”

Clearly, he had not heard of Brodie Clark, the civil servant who resigned and had a public spat with Theresa May over slack measures at border controls. It has been going on all year Colin, another day won’t make any difference.

George Osborne wants growth but there are 2.6 million people out of work and the numbers are rising fast. Thousands of families in the North-East are struggling to put food on the table, never mind buy goods and services.

Paymaster General Francis Maude said the other day: “The North-East is heavily dependent on the public sector and a loss of a day’s pay means less spending power. That will impact on the economy.”

Here is a Tory spelling out what the problem is, yet still supporting public service cuts.

John Phelan, Crook.

WELL Mr Mortimer from Pity Me (or should that be Pity You?) I wonder if you would have the same opinion of our conscientious hard-working public servants if you needed the services of the police, a nurse, a doctor, a paramedic or the fire brigade?

Your ill-informed rant against 2.5 million workers is typical of an individual who only hears what he wants to hear. Among other things you refer to:

• The fact that the strike is “unlawful” – wrong, it is democratic and lawful, conducted according to Tory legislation;
• Job security – a million public service workers made redundant and more to come;
•An extra day’s ‘holiday’ on strike – yeah, without pay. People with backbone defending their rights more like;
•Negotiations – imposed changes is the reality. Pay more, work longer and get less. if you think that is fair there really is no hope for the hard working public.

Pension contributions are deferred wages put to one side and invested for future use during retirement.

This Government is attempting to steal our savings from under our noses and then making us pay more for the privilege.

This scandalous action will only serve to put more hardworking people into poverty during their retirement.

Eddy Adam, Newton Aycliffe.

AS Colin Mortimer described myself and my colleagues as selfish, uncaring employees, I am forced to put pen to paper to reply to these allegations.

I work for the North-East Ambulance Service and am appalled by the way the Government is attacking our pay and pensions.

Like the rest of the country, we are struggling with vat rises, petrol price rises, heating bill rises and food prices rises.

Now we’ve had our pay frozen, which is a pay cut as it will not rise with inflation, and we had a rise in our pension contributions a few months ago.

We now face a further increase in our pension contributions with a reduction in pension when we retire.

And we have to work longer before we retire.

A lot of people in the ambulance service suffer from strain injuries from years of lifting patients, leaving problems with backs, shoulders, knees and hips.

Having to work longer will leave a lot of people retiring with health problems and not able to enjoy their retirement.

I will work on November 30 even though I strongly support those who are going on strike.

I am putting my patients first – like so many of my colleagues in the service.

That doesn’t mean we don’t believe in fighting for our pensions.

To us, it’s a cut too far.

As for public sector workers having security and good pay, a lot of them are losing their jobs, just like the private sector. .And you don’t hear about those of us on the lowest pay bands.

P Grey, North Bitchburn.

I WAS surprised at the strength of Colin Mortimer’s letter of November 29.

However, he needs to get his facts right.

The proposal on the table does not honour current pensions.

In fact, this offer will still cost me almost £5,000 over the next seven years and if I can still retire in seven years I will receive less money from the scheme.

The only public workers who enjoy “gold plated pensions” are police officers the majority of whom, upon their extremely lucrative retirement, take up additional paid work for other employers. This section of public employees not only take their retirement but then keep others out of jobs by their greed (not normally a word I would use, but I take Colin’s lead).

This action has next to nothing to do with union leaders but is, in fact, driven by the rank and file. My own union has seen an 18 per cent increase in membership in the last month just because of this issue. Many have never been on strike before and, contrary to Colin’s view, are supported by upwards of 60 per cent of the public.

The Government’s proposals are nothing short of robbery.

Name and address supplied.

IT is quite obvious that at least three of your correspondents are members of the same political party and have been instructed by their masters to repeat certain facts intended to portray unions in a bad light. I doubt if many public service members will be able to afford to go Christmas shopping after losing a day’s pay.

Secondly, many large private employers I have known have provided facility time for union negotiators as an involved, happy workforce is much better than an alienated one.

Also, as with councillors expenses, when the boss attends a meeting his profits still roll in, whereas a worker loses their pay.

This leads to an unbalanced representation , both in local councils and the workplace.

Tom Cooper, Durham City.