Scotrail

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

4 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

catastrophic effect

f**k off.

[Empty It]

Have the Unions given the slightest thought about those on the minimum wage and zero hours contracts who can't get to work and earn at all because their train drivers are on strike?
What about disabled people who rely on public transport? In amongst all this glorious ego-fuelled, cock waggling, Tory-bashing, has anyone in the Unions given the tiniest shite about the catastrophic effect on those people of strike action? What about NHS staff on shifts? Nothing to say on this?

Didn't realise trains were the only means of public transportation.

[stumobir]

29 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

 given to the poorest in society (pensioners)

Those aged 60+ are the wealthiest demographic. 1 in 4 have a net worth >£1m. It’s also the demographic most likely to vote and to vote Conservative, but I’m sure that’s just a coincidence. 

Edited June 22, 2022 by stumobir

[welshbairn]

10 hours ago, oaksoft said:

Have the Unions given the slightest thought about those on the minimum wage and zero hours contracts who can't get to work and earn at all because their train drivers are on strike?

What about disabled people who rely on public transport? In amongst all this glorious ego-fuelled, cock waggling, Tory-bashing, has anyone in the Unions given the tiniest shite about the catastrophic effect on those people of strike action? What about NHS staff on shifts? Nothing to say on this?

Delighted that you've finally developed a concern for those on minimum wage and zero hour contracts, and the disabled, even if it took a train strike to make it happen.

Edited June 23, 2022 by welshbairn

[Loonytoons]

Those aged 60+ are the wealthiest demographic. 1 in 4 have a net worth >£1m. It’s also the demographic most likely to vote and to vote Conservative, but I’m sure that’s just a coincidence. 

That demographic helped push the Brexit campaign over the finish line too.
Pretty sure@oaksoft has pointed out that Brexit is one of the three major issues that's led to high inflation and as a result the strikes.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

24 minutes ago, stumobir said:

Those aged 60+ are the wealthiest demographic. 1 in 4 have a net worth >£1m. It’s also the demographic most likely to vote and to vote Conservative, but I’m sure that’s just a coincidence. 

What now?

The 60+ you refer to that are millionaires must live on an island somewhere.

[Sergeant Wilson]

7 hours ago, oaksoft said:

Have the Unions given the slightest thought about those on the minimum wage and zero hours contracts who can't get to work and earn at all because their train drivers are on strike?

What about disabled people who rely on public transport? In amongst all this glorious ego-fuelled, cock waggling, Tory-bashing, has anyone in the Unions given the tiniest shite about the catastrophic effect on those people of strike action? What about NHS staff on shifts? Nothing to say on this?

That's one of the purposes of a strike. It creates pressure on the employer or Government to agree terms and ensure the affected people can get back to normality 

[Michael W]

If the working age population is expected to just take a bath on their living standards by being told not to ask for 9%+ payrises (BoE, Government Ministers) then I see no reason why pensioners should be allowed an increase in line with inflation. 5% can suffice. 

[101]

3 minutes ago, Michael W said:

If the working age population is expected to just take a bath on their living standards by being told not to ask for 9%+ payrises (BoE, Government Ministers) then I see no reason why pensioners should be allowed an increase in line with inflation. 5% can suffice. 

You're completely missrepresenting the Tory party here.

It's the working age population, excluding bankers who are having the caps on their bonuses lifted.

So no it's not everyone being told to get fucked if they want a pay rise near inflation, thank Christ for our brave bankers x

[DiegoDiego]

Newsnight saying that private sector wages went up 8% in the year to April, public sector 1.5%. Have to assume that 8% was skewed towards the boardroom.

I reckon it's probably from both ends.

I can't imagine Brexit or covid has had a particularity negative effect on the supply of architects or software engineers. However, look at the amount of restaurants, hotels and pubs which can't operate full time/at capacity and you can imagine the effect demand has had on wages.

Near me there's a cleaning job paying £11ph (plus some decent bonuses which incentivise shoddy work). Before Covid it was a £8.72 minimum wage job. That's a 26% increase over two years. There've been similar increases for entry level positions at supermarkets (plus double time on bank holidays).

[TheScarf]

8 hours ago, stumobir said:

Those aged 60+ are the wealthiest demographic. 1 in 4 have a net worth >£1m. It’s also the demographic most likely to vote and to vote Conservative, but I’m sure that’s just a coincidence. 

That would make sense given almost every 21/22 plate Beamer, Range Rover, Mercedes etc I see being driven round Inverness is by someone who looks like they should be in a nursing home.

 

[Bert Raccoon]

On the subject of pensioners, I've never known a skint pensioner 

[Benjamin_Nevis]

8 hours ago, oaksoft said:

Have the Unions given the slightest thought about those on the minimum wage and zero hours contracts who can't get to work and earn at all because their train drivers are on strike?

What about disabled people who rely on public transport? In amongst all this glorious ego-fuelled, cock waggling, Tory-bashing, has anyone in the Unions given the tiniest shite about the catastrophic effect on those people of strike action? What about NHS staff on shifts? Nothing to say on this?

Kay Burley found ^^^

['WellDel]

8 hours ago, oaksoft said:

Have the Unions given the slightest thought about those on the minimum wage and zero hours contracts who can't get to work and earn at all because their train drivers are on strike?

What about disabled people who rely on public transport? In amongst all this glorious ego-fuelled, cock waggling, Tory-bashing, has anyone in the Unions given the tiniest shite about the catastrophic effect on those people of strike action? What about NHS staff on shifts? Nothing to say on this?

Think you've been listening to too many ridiculous Tory soundbites. Catastrophic?

How many people have a train as their sole means of getting to work? It may be the quickest and most convenient way for many, but doubtful it is the only way for most.

It's inconvenient, undoubtedly, but for a couple of days hardly catastrophic ffs.

All this nonsense in the media about a pensioner who'll miss the bingo because the trains are off, or a veteran who's bin day will be missed if the refuse workers strike is all tory propaganda pish to turn the public against whichever organisation at the time has the temerity to stand up for themselves and ask for a fair deal.

The gullible and hard of thinking fall for it.....

[TheScarf]

2 minutes ago, Bert Raccoon said:

On the subject of pensioners, I've never known a skint pensioner 

Being able to pay off their mortgage in about 4 years on their £10,000 house that’s now worth 20 times that probably helps. 

[Self-raising Lazarus]

That's a classic tory policy, pit pensioners against the rest of the population. They deserve a pension increase, we have the lowest pension in western Euroope. But by extension the general working population deserve wage rises, lets not forget the two are not mutually exclusive. A cap on utlities profits would go some way to remedy the energy crises, coupled with a financial transaction tax and a clampdown on tax avoidance, unfortunately those people are not expected to pay their fair share under this government, and that is the root of this problem.

[djchapsticks]

8 hours ago, Zen Archer (Raconteur) said:

What now?

The 60+ you refer to that are millionaires must live on an island somewhere.

If you bear in mind he said 'net worth' which is a total value of assets owned rather than cash to hand or money in the bank, it's quite easy to imagine. The South East and South West of England have two of the highest median ages in the UK and some of the highest population (South East) and highest life expectancy, so there will be more pensioners in these areas than other parts of UK. Properties and houses down there are massively inflated price wise compared to other parts of the UK. £600k-£800k homes are certainly not outwith the norm down there and many of these would have been bought at a time where you could have chipped a zero off of that price and cleared a mortgage down in 15 years or less, leaving further accumulation of wealth over the years.

Add that to healthy pensions that those who had good jobs in the 70s and 80s benefitted from and it's really not difficult to see that a lot of retired people have net worths comfortably into the seven figures.

Edited June 23, 2022 by djchapsticks

[DA Baracus]

15 hours ago, yoda said:

Frank Sobotka was a good union man and had links to organised crime (including human trafficking). It's not a stretch to believe that many union officials participate in similar criminal activity.

I see that you have a well known smuggler as your profile picture here. We can safely assume that you are a massive criminal who deals in illicit materials.

10 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Newsnight saying that private sector wages went up 8% in the year to April, public sector 1.5%. Have to assume that 8% was skewed towards the boardroom.

The richest got even richer during COVID. There have never been as many billionaires in the UK as there are now.

During COVID many companies were posting record profits too. That means big bonuses to those at the top, as always.

[Left Back]

3 hours ago, Michael W said:

If the working age population is expected to just take a bath on their living standards by being told not to ask for 9%+ payrises (BoE, Government Ministers) then I see no reason why pensioners should be allowed an increase in line with inflation. 5% can suffice. 

There's a valid explanation for this.  Not saying I agree or disagree but it's quite simple.

The triple lock exists and as inflation is the highest of the three components a manifesto pledge says that's what pensions must rise by.

Conversely of course the triple lock was suspended during the pandemic when earnings rose by about 8% due to people returning to work.  I get that as well.  It was a one-off event and the rise in earnings had been completely skewed by the pandemic.  Would seem unfair to increase pensions by 8% due to an anomaly.

Suspending the triple lock again might be deemed unfair as who knows at the moment how long inflation will rampant for.

ETA apparently over 2 million pensioners live in poverty so not all pensioners are driving around in Mercs or rattling round their million pound houses in the south-east.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/articles/2021/number-of-pensioners-living-in-poverty-tops-two-million/

Edited June 23, 2022 by Left Back

[Michael W]

17 minutes ago, Left Back said:

There's a valid explanation for this.  Not saying I agree or disagree but it's quite simple.

The triple lock exists and as inflation is the highest of the three components a manifesto pledge says that's what pensions must rise by.

Conversely of course the triple lock was suspended during the pandemic when earnings rose by about 8% due to people returning to work.  I get that as well.  It was a one-off event and the rise in earnings had been completely skewed by the pandemic.  Would seem unfair to increase pensions by 8% due to an anomaly.

Suspending the triple lock again might be deemed unfair as who knows at the moment how long inflation will rampant for.

It is entirely true about the triple lock, though as you note it was suspended last year. They also pledged that they wouldn't increase National Insurance, yet did so anyway. Unprecedented times etc - they found the excuse they needed and suddenly the manifesto was forgotten about. And there is zero chance the increase in the NI threshold would've happened were it not for events seeing prices going mad. 

There have been a number of measures announced to support against the cost of living that pensioners benefit from as well, so scrapping the triple lock and raising pensions by 5% would not be fundamentally unfair in my view. 

Edited June 23, 2022 by Michael W