I will be on the BBC tomorrow morning discussing the ethics of public sector strikes. I am sure you can guess my arguments. BBC NI Radio Ulster Sunday Sequence around 9.30am. If anyone has views on this please post now!
INTO THE BELLY OF THE BEAST
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David, tell them to remember the 1970s. Particularly 1979. If there was any decade that could have shown us what socialists are all about in our country, then that’s it. Margaret Thatcher and her team were true Brits. Since then, we have had Marxist relativism. And the death of our country. Which is what the majority of Europe has wanted all along. Well, the death merchants should be made aware that we Englishmen are not to be broken so easily. We may be a passive and pliable people, but once we have a fearless and fearfull leader, we will extirpate the contagion that occupies our lands, without mercy.
make sure you make your point, even when interrupted by whoever is interviewing you and tries to over talk you. When the Labour guy or Union guy talks uninterrupted, make a point of this and ask the interviewer why. Or maybe ask where the BBC stands on the ethics of public sector strikes and why?
State-run monopoly services should have an obligation to provide a minimum level of service – the French solution to their constant public sector strikes. During a French rail strike, at least one train in four or five has to run. Workers have a right to strike, but monopolies have a duty to provide at least a partial service to their customers.
If theUnion’s beef is really about protecting public sector pensions, there is a simple answer: take less, or pay more, or stop living so long.
It is also time commerce that depends on business took a stand against these strikers – by refusing to serve them. The chip shop or pub with a sign that says “no service for strikers”. Give them a taste of their own medicine.
Good point about the monoplies that are public service. Ask Nolan about the morality of those monopolies holding the public hostage – especially the poorest and most vulnerable – for what amounts to the minor needs of the few.
Have they balloted? Are they striking against the mandate of a democratically elected Government which trumps any union ballot (especially with under 50% turnout).
Are they prepared to face what the democratic consequences are of them exercising their democratic right to strike if the elected Government excercises its democratic mandate to reflect public anger at political striking and start sacking people?
Remind them it was Gordon Brown who robbed (taxed) private sector pensions to pay for the non-jobs in the public sector. These public sector staff, whether in proper jobs or non-jobs, have had their pensions emerge, so far, largely unscathed from the reductions of real value to the private sector ones.
It is totally unfair to expect one part of the country (private sector workers) who are often paid less that their counterparts in the public sector, to pay for their pensions when they can’t afford to pay for their own.
Unemployment has been affecting the private sector as well, due to the failures of the last government. The private sector workers couldn’t afford to strike even though they are often in a worse situation than the public sector.
To sum, most people in this country will see the strikes for exactly what they are, a cynical attempt to bring the democratically elected government dowwn by the union leaders (who care nothing for the welfare of their workers) and greed of the actual public sector “workers” who believe they deserve to receive priveliges above the lesser mortals of the private sector. .
Yes David, ask the BBC inquisitors what day it is, and then take it from there.
And don’t forget, after the first interruption, pause for 10 seconds and only then deign to reply to the silly question, after the second daft one wait 15 seconds, and so on and so forth.
The BBC haven’t got their heads around this combative style yet !
All I’d say is this. Ignore the beeboid questions and use the time to say what YOU want to say, don’t let the beeboid interrupt you either.If the beeboid cuts you off as soon as you get another chance return to your original point.
Just ignore the beeboid questions.
or just say golliwog to every question
Careful, Jonathan. Not far from me….
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/woman-denies-golliwog-race-charge-allegations-2353989.html
Don’t let the pensions debate focus on the lower paid members of public sector. Personally I don’t have a problem with anyone under the average wage in the public sector receiving a relatively heathly pension (i.e staying the same) . However, they have been clever in focusing it away from the middle managers and execs who receive pensions pots of 1/2 their final salary. There is a huge amount to negotiate here such as splitting the link in conditions for higher and lower paid workers (they should not be the same) and stopping early ertirement on full pension and going back to work as “consultants”, the present abuse of the final salary scheme by managers who elevate their final pay just before retirement (instead of working on an average pay) and thats what they should be doing instead of calling strikes. These “fat cat” public sector pensioners will be the only people with any money. Lottery winners don’t get that much money.
I recall reading the BBC held a good number of the largest pension pots in the entire “public sector”. I can’t imagine how much DG Mark Thompson will take home, based on his £788,000 pa current salary. Presumably the strikers will be out to defend him too?
I’m listening to the Sunday Sequence now, the bit before DV’s piece on Johan Hari. William Crawley introduces the piece by saying “It’s not many journalists who admit they were wrong”. That seems to be quite a statement about Mr Crawley. .. I await DV’s piece with fascination.
I try to avoid Crawley if possible
any feedback on the programme?
Kicks in at 1:05:47
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b014krhg/Sunday_Sequence_18_09_2011/
My biasometer picked up some readings, but nothing that hit ‘red’.
The lady from UNISON removed the floor from under her feet when she laughed at the obvious contention DV had stated that the private sector pays for the public sector.
Great advocacy DV. The common sense position articulately expressed. I’m listening to it again as I write and boy did you hit a raw nerve with the UNISON lady over the wealth creating role of the private sector that funds the public that her laughter didn’t do a good job disguising.
My ‘biasometer’ hit readings when Crawley referred to the union lady as ‘the commissar’, indirectly mocking DV’s reference to her as basing her understanding of economics on Karl Marx if she doesn’t understand how the public sector is funded.
Also Crawley trying to put the lady’s point better to you than she did herself was questionable.
Mr Crawley gave the first word to the union lady and tried to give her the last as well, which if not biased is at least clumsy, but quite rightly DV didn’t let her have it.
Top marks DV, you managed to come out of the belly of the beast without getting unduly ‘slimed’.
DV, nice job in getting key reality points in among the spin attempts, especially directly questioning the morality of what the unions are doing.
Amazing (no, not really) that this TUC woman literally has no understanding that it’s a mathematical impossibility for public sector employees to pay for the public sector with their taxes. What actually is amazing is that Crawley doesn’t get it either. I could explain this to a small child with bottle caps and a circle drawn in the sand. Another political ideologue at the BBC, on the same as side as the rest of them.
I’d love someone to show me one single BBC presenter/reporter/correspondent/editor who is not fiscally of the Left.
David – I was shocked that William didn’;t get the fiscal reality, he’s a smart and likeable guy but they all bathe in the waters of gimme gimme gimme.
crawley likes to stir it up
Thanks Guys for all your helpful comments. It’s such a strange place to operate within — you KNOW they are all opposed to you!
DV, here is a guy after your own heart. He’s clearly tired in this youtube, but ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Future Leader of the Free World:-
Oh, and apologies for this being the wrong thread, but I wonder why this very newsworthy story isn’t being given a whirl on the BBC?:-
The first eight words of the piece would be enough to send a chill down any Beeboid’s spine: “Fresh off a flight from Israel this week….”
Especially a black man! Somewhere, a Beeboid’s head just exploded.
Watched it – good stuff.
Directly relevant to DV’s appearence today, this is from the “We’re Very Close To The End Of Civilization” Dept.:
Majority of Union Members Now Work for the Government
Holy Uroborus, Batman! I honestly had no idea. It was practically a throw-away line in the Washington Examiner article I’ve linked to. I’m sure much of that has to do with the decline of certain industries, particularly steel and auto, so it maybe you’re thinking that this doesn’t seem quite as apocalyptical as I made it out to be. However, this explains a whole hell of a lot of why so many municipalities – never mind states, FFS – are going bankrupt.
So naturally, it got me thinking: what about the UK?
Not really that close to a majority, to be honest, but there’s another problem, directly relevant to DV’s appearance on the Sunday.
At present something over a quarter (27%) of UK employees are union members, although union density is much higher in the public sector (57%) than the private sector (15 %).
DV sparred with a TUC mouthpiece, right?
There is only one union confederation in the UK, the TUC, and individual unions are fully independent. Around 60% of all UK trade unionists are in the three largest unions, which have grown through mergers.
More than half of all public sector workers are union. I’m not sure, but this official page I’ve linked to seems to say that the majority of TUC members are public sector.
Think about that for a minute. These are your teachers, police, firemen, sewage workers, transportation workers, the people who keep your city or town clean and, if you’re British, the first person to touch you when you’re born and often the last person to see you before you die. And they can hold you all hostage at a moment’s notice.
And the BBC clearly thinks that worrying about it is a sin.
‘And the BBC clearly thinks that worrying about it is a sin.’
Majority of Union Members Now Work for the Government
Remind me. Rather uniquely, what % of the UK’s nastional media monoply ‘news’ is paid via a tax that is facilitated by governement?