tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post7663951599151622798..comments2024-03-24T09:13:28.758+00:00Comments on The Plashing Vole: At long last!The Plashing Volehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-40438863178215838842011-11-28T17:09:13.006+00:002011-11-28T17:09:13.006+00:00Artog: totally agree with every single word. The T...Artog: totally agree with every single word. The TUC and Labour used to run a newspaper: it was the Daily Herald. They sold it and it became the Sun. Then Murdoch bought it. And the rest was history.The Plashing Volehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-26580413277754396252011-11-28T13:46:50.140+00:002011-11-28T13:46:50.140+00:00I support this strike (and probably any other stri...I support this strike (and probably any other strike you could mention) because I agree with the strikers' position. But, I don't think strikes are effective, certainly not one day strikes.<br /><br />What's desperately needed is more of a media counterweight to the Sun/Mail/Express. The TUC should start/buy a newspaper and set about brainwashing the same fucking idiots who believe Diana was murdered etc. into believing that socialism is a good thing.Artoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01846359529440273892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-41534309742511159862011-11-28T12:45:50.652+00:002011-11-28T12:45:50.652+00:00PS. That average pension is for 25+ years of servi...PS. That average pension is for 25+ years of service - hard to reach when pensionable jobs are being replaced with casual labour.The Plashing Volehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-33590834351633880422011-11-28T12:44:58.439+00:002011-11-28T12:44:58.439+00:00Fair point. I posted the average support staff pen...Fair point. I posted the average support staff pension because we're striking in support of everybody. <br /><br />Average HE pensions are £11-13k per year, which isn't exactly riches, especially when you consider that the highly-paid managers' pensions skew this average. Women are paid less. <br /><br />Academics tend to start contributing to pensions very late: I've only got 2 years' contributions because doing extra degrees takes a long time, and permanent jobs are hard to come by (I'm 36 and still haven't got one, despite teaching here for 12 years). So a reduction in the benefit, allied to higher contributions for more years seems deeply regressive. <br /><br />So far I've foregone 3 days' pay this year, despite volunteering for all sorts of extra work, including an event next Saturday. It's worth it.The Plashing Volehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021407602157515927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6153845628469776909.post-47368153687455954122011-11-28T12:33:19.231+00:002011-11-28T12:33:19.231+00:00How interesting that you show the average pension ...How interesting that you show the average pension of support staff (which I agree is a paltry sum) but not the average for teachers or lecturers, which isn't I presume. <br />I am not a scab because I am not in the union but I will be working on Wednesday - I can't afford to lose my paltry wage as a support staff member even for a day.<br />Plus I don't condone bullying from EITHER side.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com