Social workers stage walkout (From Daily Echo)

Were secret ballots done or was it a case of stand on one side of the canteen or the other as what happened at Town Depot? I believe hardship payments are not covering the bills, so much for the warchest.

Remember, they do it for 'the love of the job'...

After Social Workers gave seven days notice to strike it appears that Royston and co have done absolutely nothing to avert the disruption.
.
According to local news the talks between unions and council will resume next week. More time being wasted.
.
You are not some hero Royston for failing to negotiate in a professional manner.
.
If you want to look big.... .. buy some cuban heels ......... rather than attempting to boost your Ego via media coverage.
.
A large number od councils and councillors have done it quite succesfully so far.
.
Negotiate NOT dictate

Anyone else getting bit bored of all this now ?

ToastyTea wrote:
Anyone else getting bit bored of all this now ?

In one word "YEP!" These social workers should try looking after a disabled person with severe learning difficulties and special needs 24/7 with no bloody help! I do it so think themselves lucky they what they do is for wages and not just for the sake of having to do it for NOWT! Luckily i love my son and so WILL and ALWAYS will do if for free, so if you don't like your employers - GOT FIND ANOTHER JOB! You are not making any friends here so called Council Workers!!

Ok, social workers are not at the top of my 'like' list after the debacle of baby 'P' etc but they do a vital job and more often than not do it correctly. What I do object to is the fact that agency staff doing the same work get paid nearly twice the salary. Fair? I think not. 'He who must be obeyed Smith' should resign as it's all his fault this is happening. Smith, your ego is bigger than you.............. resign!! You will NOT win this one not now. You've allowed it to go on too long. Resign or back down. That's the only way out. As for the bin men well, I'm afraid to say that if they were working to rule last week it must have been under their rules because I never saw one!

This strike action should never have been allowed to last so long. Royston has made his point that he doesn't want to cut jobs OR increase the council tax. I'm afraid that increasing the council tax seems at the moment to be the only way around this, meaning most of us will be poorer as the unions are adamant they will not give way and no compromise seems likely.

Who will take responsibility when a tragedy happens. If you choose to go into social work then your responsibilty to the vulnerable people you serve should stop strike action.

Nearly an OAP wrote:
This strike action should never have been allowed to last so long. Royston has made his point that he doesn't want to cut jobs OR increase the council tax. I'm afraid that increasing the council tax seems at the moment to be the only way around this, meaning most of us will be poorer as the unions are adamant they will not give way and no compromise seems likely.

Did council tax rises make us any better under Labour? No they left us in £25million debt.The government put penalties on any council that raised tax & not trimmed their budget so the raising of tax wouldn't work no matter what the left might say & why should I pay more tax for a group of workers who have a job & finish 4-5 hours work ma day for a full wage? sorry can't agree with you .wait until after Friday when the unions lose their court case

LR, is that His Master's Voice talking again? Has he made a contribution to the fighting fund as I believe the pot is almost empty.

I blame the Council for this situation
.
The unions involved gave arrogant Leadership of the Council plenty of time to consider the situation. If the Tories wanted to find a solution to the problem they could have by now reached some reasonable negotiated settlement with the workers
.
But they are more committed to their anti workers right wing agenda than providing people of Southampton with decent services, that is why mob led by Royston keep on provoking union members into taking strike action
.
Goes without saying, I fully support these workers. Hope others will do the same and ignore standard right wing posts on this site
.
End of the day these workers have to pay their ever increasing bills and have to look after their families, which is these days is difficult enough and with reduction in wages can only get virtually impossible.

According to local news the talks between unions and council will resume next week. More time being wasted

This because the union negotiators are away on holiday ?

Condor Man wrote:
LR, is that His Master's Voice talking again? Has he made a contribution to the fighting fund as I believe the pot is almost empty.

And whose voice are you?
LR has same right as you me or anybody else to put comments on this site.

Paramjit Bahia wrote:
I blame the Council for this situation
.
The unions involved gave arrogant Leadership of the Council plenty of time to consider the situation. If the Tories wanted to find a solution to the problem they could have by now reached some reasonable negotiated settlement with the workers
.
But they are more committed to their anti workers right wing agenda than providing people of Southampton with decent services, that is why mob led by Royston keep on provoking union members into taking strike action
.
Goes without saying, I fully support these workers. Hope others will do the same and ignore standard right wing posts on this site
.
End of the day these workers have to pay their ever increasing bills and have to look after their families, which is these days is difficult enough and with reduction in wages can only get virtually impossible.

Same old militant guff as usual then.

Of course, people who work in the private sector are super rich & don't have families to support do they? Of course, they haven't been affected at all by the recent financial meltdown.

Incredible arrogance yet again.

The strikes can just keep on going. I am sure now that there has been a net cash benefit to SCC thus far. Roston does not have to negotiate. And the lie about the amount in the Union "war chest" has illustrated why he should not negotiate, they lied through their teeth. So how can he trust them ?

Totally fed up with all this now.

The constant trips to the tip are getting very annoying and impractical now. Most people don't bother and Southampton looks like an apocalyptic dump. It's disgusting and embarrassing.

Whilst I did initially sympathize with people getting a pay cut, I like many others have my own financial problems. I pay alot of money every year both in income tax and council tax for services that for the past 3 months I've not been getting.

I don't care for either side, this has gone on for far too long, I just want what I pay for.

Lone Ranger. wrote:
After Social Workers gave seven days notice to strike it appears that Royston and co have done absolutely nothing to avert the disruption.
.
According to local news the talks between unions and council will resume next week. More time being wasted.
.
You are not some hero Royston for failing to negotiate in a professional manner.
.
If you want to look big.... .. buy some cuban heels ......... rather than attempting to boost your Ego via media coverage.
.
A large number od councils and councillors have done it quite succesfully so far.
.
Negotiate NOT dictate

I think you'll find it's the Unions trying to do the dictating and failing miserably!
>
The Unions are up the creek without a paddle. They have gone down a blind alley and have nowhere to go. Whoever are the strategists behind their cause, need to demoted or better still, sacked!!
>
The whole dispute has been futile for the past month - it's exasperating to follow what was clearly a lost cause - lost before it even started because the Unions were unable to understand or grasp the need for cuts, or offer sensible alternatives. Their one achievement? - alienating the majority of Southampton people.............

I think you'll find it's the Unions trying to do the dictating and failing miserably!
>
The Unions are up the creek without a paddle. They have gone down a blind alley and have nowhere to go. Whoever are the strategists behind their cause, need to demoted or better still, sacked!!
>
The whole dispute has been futile for the past month - it's exasperating to follow what was clearly a lost cause - lost before it even started because the Unions were unable to understand or grasp the need for cuts, or offer sensible alternatives. Their one achievement? - alienating the majority of Southampton people.............

All I want is a rebate on my council tax for 2011/12, paid at a percentage of the services I and everyone has not received.

Where else do you get charged for a service your not getting?

saint61 wrote:
According to local news the talks between unions and council will resume next week. More time being wasted

This because the union negotiators are away on holiday ?

If you remember royboy was on holiday in egypt for two weeks whilst the good people of southampton were not getting their bins emptied.
Incidently, is the some kind of a job description for Leader of the Council, what is royboy actually getting 23grand for, and if he is not fulfilling his duties can we not get rid of him before may? Is the answer in the title, Leader (to lead a group of people??)

pod wrote:

saint61 wrote:
According to local news the talks between unions and council will resume next week. More time being wasted

This because the union negotiators are away on holiday ?

If you remember royboy was on holiday in egypt for two weeks whilst the good people of southampton were not getting their bins emptied.
Incidently, is the some kind of a job description for Leader of the Council, what is royboy actually getting 23grand for, and if he is not fulfilling his duties can we not get rid of him before may? Is the answer in the title, Leader (to lead a group of people??)

He wasn't even elected to the Leaders post, he was shooed in by the Tories, he stood unopposed when the last Leader left the council, a bit like his mate the Prime Minister, unelected and running the country.

The 5 common denominators, both unelected, both causing chaos, both egotist, both hate the public sector, both don't care about the people they are supposed to represent.

Hopefully we will be able to add another sooner rather than later,,,both out of a job.

The financial meltdown is global witness USA,Greece, Ireland,Portugal,Spa
in, Cyprus --the list goes on and on and yes includes the UK.
It is worldwide and entirely due to the greedy capitalist bankers who are still receiving obscene bonuses.
The right wing fools who blame the Labour Government,as usual have it totally wrong -- they were probably the first ones to queue round the block, all night to withdraw their Northern Rock savings-- Gordon Brown led the world and saved this country from a total financial disaster.
All agree that something has to be done, the difference between Labour and Tory is the former would protect the most vulnerable in our society and the latter are penalising them the most, protecting their capitalist supporters.
The people chose Tory/Lib over Labour in 2010 and must now live with it, they were ringing the bells then, now they are wringing their hands!
You got what you either voted for or let in, because you were too lazy to go to the polling booth, either way welcome to Tory Britain!
In modern history, the only legislation to benefit the ordinary working class people of this country was pushed through by Labour Governments.
Those who say to the refuse collectors and other public service employees get out and I'll do the job for less money make me sick -- they should try it -- the refuse collectors and others affected should not lose heart --- keep at it you have more support than you may realise -- don't be put off by the right wing extremists who contribute to this column they are in the minority!

My View From Here wrote:

pod wrote:

saint61 wrote:
According to local news the talks between unions and council will resume next week. More time being wasted

This because the union negotiators are away on holiday ?

If you remember royboy was on holiday in egypt for two weeks whilst the good people of southampton were not getting their bins emptied.
Incidently, is the some kind of a job description for Leader of the Council, what is royboy actually getting 23grand for, and if he is not fulfilling his duties can we not get rid of him before may? Is the answer in the title, Leader (to lead a group of people??)

He wasn't even elected to the Leaders post, he was shooed in by the Tories, he stood unopposed when the last Leader left the council, a bit like his mate the Prime Minister, unelected and running the country.

The 5 common denominators, both unelected, both causing chaos, both egotist, both hate the public sector, both don't care about the people they are supposed to represent.

Hopefully we will be able to add another sooner rather than later,,,both out of a job.

The people you condemn both inherited a pigs ear! Or to put it another way, a mess!
>
The coalition is doing an excellent job under extreme circumstances. As long as we retain the Triple A rating we will be fine - lose it and we will go down the tubes!
>
Southampton Council, is for the first time in at least 20 years, joining the modern world and the decisions being made will benefit us. We have already seen moves to attract more business and to carry out projects that will boost the economy of the City and which will provide more jobs and a future for our off spring.
(This, after a very poor performance for so long by the Labour Group, and at times, helped the Lib Dems. Us Sotonians have had to stand by and watch the likes of Portsmouth grasp the modern age and develop at a much faster rate than us!)

TEBOURBA wrote:
The financial meltdown is global witness USA,Greece, Ireland,Portugal,Spa

in, Cyprus --the list goes on and on and yes includes the UK.
It is worldwide and entirely due to the greedy capitalist bankers who are still receiving obscene bonuses.
The right wing fools who blame the Labour Government,as usual have it totally wrong -- they were probably the first ones to queue round the block, all night to withdraw their Northern Rock savings-- Gordon Brown led the world and saved this country from a total financial disaster.
All agree that something has to be done, the difference between Labour and Tory is the former would protect the most vulnerable in our society and the latter are penalising them the most, protecting their capitalist supporters.
The people chose Tory/Lib over Labour in 2010 and must now live with it, they were ringing the bells then, now they are wringing their hands!
You got what you either voted for or let in, because you were too lazy to go to the polling booth, either way welcome to Tory Britain!
In modern history, the only legislation to benefit the ordinary working class people of this country was pushed through by Labour Governments.
Those who say to the refuse collectors and other public service employees get out and I'll do the job for less money make me sick -- they should try it -- the refuse collectors and others affected should not lose heart --- keep at it you have more support than you may realise -- don't be put off by the right wing extremists who contribute to this column they are in the minority!

you sad t**t !!
"Right wing extremist" for pointing out the obvious !!
The strikes are a net cash benefit to SCC so the Unions have MASSIVELY midjudged their political strike. The only "extremist" here is you, you are extremely shallow and inadequate.
You can post your childish cr*p all you like but most people in southampton no longer give a monkeys about the strikes since the contractors are emptying the bins very nicely thank you. Keep going strikers, you are saving council tax payers thousands.....lemmin
gs.

TEBOURBA wrote:
The financial meltdown is global witness USA,Greece, Ireland,Portugal,Spa

in, Cyprus --the list goes on and on and yes includes the UK.
It is worldwide and entirely due to the greedy capitalist bankers who are still receiving obscene bonuses.
The right wing fools who blame the Labour Government,as usual have it totally wrong -- they were probably the first ones to queue round the block, all night to withdraw their Northern Rock savings-- Gordon Brown led the world and saved this country from a total financial disaster.
All agree that something has to be done, the difference between Labour and Tory is the former would protect the most vulnerable in our society and the latter are penalising them the most, protecting their capitalist supporters.
The people chose Tory/Lib over Labour in 2010 and must now live with it, they were ringing the bells then, now they are wringing their hands!
You got what you either voted for or let in, because you were too lazy to go to the polling booth, either way welcome to Tory Britain!
In modern history, the only legislation to benefit the ordinary working class people of this country was pushed through by Labour Governments.
Those who say to the refuse collectors and other public service employees get out and I'll do the job for less money make me sick -- they should try it -- the refuse collectors and others affected should not lose heart --- keep at it you have more support than you may realise -- don't be put off by the right wing extremists who contribute to this column they are in the minority!

In my experience, those who harp on about 'der bankers' all day have no knowledge of how banking systems work or have always been bad at managing their own finances, so 'der bankers' are now convenient to blame.

George4th wrote:

My View From Here wrote:

pod wrote:

saint61 wrote:
According to local news the talks between unions and council will resume next week. More time being wasted

This because the union negotiators are away on holiday ?

If you remember royboy was on holiday in egypt for two weeks whilst the good people of southampton were not getting their bins emptied.
Incidently, is the some kind of a job description for Leader of the Council, what is royboy actually getting 23grand for, and if he is not fulfilling his duties can we not get rid of him before may? Is the answer in the title, Leader (to lead a group of people??)

He wasn't even elected to the Leaders post, he was shooed in by the Tories, he stood unopposed when the last Leader left the council, a bit like his mate the Prime Minister, unelected and running the country.

The 5 common denominators, both unelected, both causing chaos, both egotist, both hate the public sector, both don't care about the people they are supposed to represent.

Hopefully we will be able to add another sooner rather than later,,,both out of a job.

The people you condemn both inherited a pigs ear! Or to put it another way, a mess!
>
The coalition is doing an excellent job under extreme circumstances. As long as we retain the Triple A rating we will be fine - lose it and we will go down the tubes!
>
Southampton Council, is for the first time in at least 20 years, joining the modern world and the decisions being made will benefit us. We have already seen moves to attract more business and to carry out projects that will boost the economy of the City and which will provide more jobs and a future for our off spring.
(This, after a very poor performance for so long by the Labour Group, and at times, helped the Lib Dems. Us Sotonians have had to stand by and watch the likes of Portsmouth grasp the modern age and develop at a much faster rate than us!)

Smith inherited a pig's ear?

Would that be the pig's ear left by the former of the council one Alex Samuels who Smith took over from?

CaMoron, inherited nothing, the problems this and almost every country in the western world are suffering, are due to the mega-rich, greedy bankers creaming everything thing off for themselves.

Even today, the state owned, yes owned Northern Rock losses have reduced to £68.5 million, with their Chairman saying they will return to private ownership, I imagine the ownership will transfer back to the private sector when there are no more loses incurred, hence greedy bankers, the friends of the Tories.

My View From Here wrote:

George4th wrote:

My View From Here wrote:

pod wrote:

saint61 wrote:
According to local news the talks between unions and council will resume next week. More time being wasted

This because the union negotiators are away on holiday ?

If you remember royboy was on holiday in egypt for two weeks whilst the good people of southampton were not getting their bins emptied.
Incidently, is the some kind of a job description for Leader of the Council, what is royboy actually getting 23grand for, and if he is not fulfilling his duties can we not get rid of him before may? Is the answer in the title, Leader (to lead a group of people??)

He wasn't even elected to the Leaders post, he was shooed in by the Tories, he stood unopposed when the last Leader left the council, a bit like his mate the Prime Minister, unelected and running the country.

The 5 common denominators, both unelected, both causing chaos, both egotist, both hate the public sector, both don't care about the people they are supposed to represent.

Hopefully we will be able to add another sooner rather than later,,,both out of a job.

The people you condemn both inherited a pigs ear! Or to put it another way, a mess!
>
The coalition is doing an excellent job under extreme circumstances. As long as we retain the Triple A rating we will be fine - lose it and we will go down the tubes!
>
Southampton Council, is for the first time in at least 20 years, joining the modern world and the decisions being made will benefit us. We have already seen moves to attract more business and to carry out projects that will boost the economy of the City and which will provide more jobs and a future for our off spring.
(This, after a very poor performance for so long by the Labour Group, and at times, helped the Lib Dems. Us Sotonians have had to stand by and watch the likes of Portsmouth grasp the modern age and develop at a much faster rate than us!)

Smith inherited a pig's ear?

Would that be the pig's ear left by the former of the council one Alex Samuels who Smith took over from?

CaMoron, inherited nothing, the problems this and almost every country in the western world are suffering, are due to the mega-rich, greedy bankers creaming everything thing off for themselves.

Even today, the state owned, yes owned Northern Rock losses have reduced to £68.5 million, with their Chairman saying they will return to private ownership, I imagine the ownership will transfer back to the private sector when there are no more loses incurred, hence greedy bankers, the friends of the Tories.

Keep up your studies in Economics, you've clearly got a long way to go...

Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

These workers do a really difficult job - their work is hard enough doing the jobs that no one else will. This move by the counicil really is de-valuing these skills and undermining the work that workers do. Time the council Roysten, Alistair... actually respected the workers for the job they do.

Shoong wrote:

TEBOURBA wrote:
The financial meltdown is global witness USA,Greece, Ireland,Portugal,Spa


in, Cyprus --the list goes on and on and yes includes the UK.
It is worldwide and entirely due to the greedy capitalist bankers who are still receiving obscene bonuses.
The right wing fools who blame the Labour Government,as usual have it totally wrong -- they were probably the first ones to queue round the block, all night to withdraw their Northern Rock savings-- Gordon Brown led the world and saved this country from a total financial disaster.
All agree that something has to be done, the difference between Labour and Tory is the former would protect the most vulnerable in our society and the latter are penalising them the most, protecting their capitalist supporters.
The people chose Tory/Lib over Labour in 2010 and must now live with it, they were ringing the bells then, now they are wringing their hands!
You got what you either voted for or let in, because you were too lazy to go to the polling booth, either way welcome to Tory Britain!
In modern history, the only legislation to benefit the ordinary working class people of this country was pushed through by Labour Governments.
Those who say to the refuse collectors and other public service employees get out and I'll do the job for less money make me sick -- they should try it -- the refuse collectors and others affected should not lose heart --- keep at it you have more support than you may realise -- don't be put off by the right wing extremists who contribute to this column they are in the minority!

In my experience, those who harp on about 'der bankers' all day have no knowledge of how banking systems work or have always been bad at managing their own finances, so 'der bankers' are now convenient to blame.

Excellent..... perhaps you would like to give us all an explanation and enable us to understand how the banking systen works.
.
By the way my finances are fine.
.
So off you go then ..................

loosehead wrote:
Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead,

What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government.

You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

radar12000 wrote:
These workers do a really difficult job - their work is hard enough doing the jobs that no one else will. This move by the counicil really is de-valuing these skills and undermining the work that workers do. Time the council Roysten, Alistair... actually respected the workers for the job they do.

If you had read the echo & my post you would have seen that the council had offered to do a review of these peoples pay with the unions but once again the unions said NO so why not ask the unions why they said NO? it always seems to be that people jump on the anti council band wagon but the council have made many concessions which the unions have said no to.I personally don't believe we need so many social workers/carers.I feel the family should take more responsibility unless there are no living family then we should provide help.to many people think it's their god given right to not lift a finger to help but get someone else to do it for them things have got to change.Italy & now Spain have asked for talks with EU treasury/finance ministers that should tell these strikers we need to pay off this debt

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote:
Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead,

What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government.

You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

Are you an absolute idiot? When the conservative council took control of Southampton & the budget was set for that year by the previous administration they had left a short fall of £25million this was printed as an article in the Echo or don't you read the Echo if it doesn't suit you?I also said why not ask the health workers? Any way Eastleigh Boy when or if labour gets in lets see all the extra 800 redundant people agreeing with your absolute twaddle .also let the families take more responsibility for the parents/children

Not unexpectedly the right wing contributors to this column resort to verbal abuse when responding to opinions they don't like, by using words such as t--t, c--p etc.
By doing so they not only show their complete and utter ignorance but of course, in the opinion of the majority of fair, educated people everywhere, does not advance their argument one jot, on the contrary they lose it!

My View From Here wrote:

George4th wrote:

My View From Here wrote:

pod wrote:

saint61 wrote:
According to local news the talks between unions and council will resume next week. More time being wasted

This because the union negotiators are away on holiday ?

If you remember royboy was on holiday in egypt for two weeks whilst the good people of southampton were not getting their bins emptied.
Incidently, is the some kind of a job description for Leader of the Council, what is royboy actually getting 23grand for, and if he is not fulfilling his duties can we not get rid of him before may? Is the answer in the title, Leader (to lead a group of people??)

He wasn't even elected to the Leaders post, he was shooed in by the Tories, he stood unopposed when the last Leader left the council, a bit like his mate the Prime Minister, unelected and running the country.

The 5 common denominators, both unelected, both causing chaos, both egotist, both hate the public sector, both don't care about the people they are supposed to represent.

Hopefully we will be able to add another sooner rather than later,,,both out of a job.

The people you condemn both inherited a pigs ear! Or to put it another way, a mess!
>
The coalition is doing an excellent job under extreme circumstances. As long as we retain the Triple A rating we will be fine - lose it and we will go down the tubes!
>
Southampton Council, is for the first time in at least 20 years, joining the modern world and the decisions being made will benefit us. We have already seen moves to attract more business and to carry out projects that will boost the economy of the City and which will provide more jobs and a future for our off spring.
(This, after a very poor performance for so long by the Labour Group, and at times, helped the Lib Dems. Us Sotonians have had to stand by and watch the likes of Portsmouth grasp the modern age and develop at a much faster rate than us!)

Smith inherited a pig's ear?

Would that be the pig's ear left by the former of the council one Alex Samuels who Smith took over from?

CaMoron, inherited nothing, the problems this and almost every country in the western world are suffering, are due to the mega-rich, greedy bankers creaming everything thing off for themselves.

Even today, the state owned, yes owned Northern Rock losses have reduced to £68.5 million, with their Chairman saying they will return to private ownership, I imagine the ownership will transfer back to the private sector when there are no more loses incurred, hence greedy bankers, the friends of the Tories.

I noticed you ignored the reference to the coalition?
>
"The Pig's Ear" was that left by 20 years of Labour (some Lib Dem) rule on SCC.
>
If you would like to check back, this country was already in economic decline BEFORE the global financial crisis! We had by then about £600 Billion and rising because we were spending more than we were getting in. Labour in power are like children let loose in a sweet shop! - trouble was, it was your money and my money and our children's money they ended up spending!
>
I think you had better check your facts on Northern Rock. It is now two separate entities.
>
With regard to Banks. Only a few are British owned - the vast majority of Banks in London are foreign owned - work it our for yourself............
...

Should read:-"If you would like to check back, this country was already in economic decline BEFORE the global financial crisis! We had by then about £600 Billion DEBT, and rising "

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote: Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead, What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government. You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

Are you an absolute idiot? When the conservative council took control of Southampton & the budget was set for that year by the previous administration they had left a short fall of £25million this was printed as an article in the Echo or don't you read the Echo if it doesn't suit you?I also said why not ask the health workers? Any way Eastleigh Boy when or if labour gets in lets see all the extra 800 redundant people agreeing with your absolute twaddle .also let the families take more responsibility for the parents/children

Loosehead,

No I am not an Idiot. I don't care what it said in the Echo, the previous administration did not leave a funding gap of £25m. Budgets are 'roughly' set 3 years ahead and Councils respond with their spending plans accordingly. DC took control at Westminster and tore up previous agreements, and yes, I suspect that what was initially planned for then became a £25m black shortfall.

Yes, you said what would the health workers have said to a pay cut rather than redundancies. Well, I don't have the answer to that and quite frankly, nor do you.

I am not an 'Eastleigh boy' I am an 'Eastleigh girl' and an employee of SCC, and, before you start bleating on about the private sector, I worked there for many years, for a global company, including working overseas. Bet, I don't fit your image of a Local Government employee?

As for families taking more responsibility for children, sorry to impart some bad but well known news, but it's normally the families abusing the children....

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote: Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead, What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government. You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

Are you an absolute idiot? When the conservative council took control of Southampton & the budget was set for that year by the previous administration they had left a short fall of £25million this was printed as an article in the Echo or don't you read the Echo if it doesn't suit you?I also said why not ask the health workers? Any way Eastleigh Boy when or if labour gets in lets see all the extra 800 redundant people agreeing with your absolute twaddle .also let the families take more responsibility for the parents/children

Loosehead,

No I am not an Idiot. I don't care what it said in the Echo, the previous administration did not leave a funding gap of £25m. Budgets are 'roughly' set 3 years ahead and Councils respond with their spending plans accordingly. DC took control at Westminster and tore up previous agreements, and yes, I suspect that what was initially planned for then became a £25m black shortfall.

Yes, you said what would the health workers have said to a pay cut rather than redundancies. Well, I don't have the answer to that and quite frankly, nor do you.

I am not an 'Eastleigh boy' I am an 'Eastleigh girl' and an employee of SCC, and, before you start bleating on about the private sector, I worked there for many years, for a global company, including working overseas. Bet, I don't fit your image of a Local Government employee?

As for families taking more responsibility for children, sorry to impart some bad but well known news, but it's normally the families abusing the children....

She's slapped you down there, Loosehead!

Oh and what's this article from 2009...

http://www.dailyecho
.co.uk/news/4737238.
Union_will_fight_Tor
ies____job_cuts/
.
And wasn't it a Con-Lib coalition before the Conservatives took over? hmmm...

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote: Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead, What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government. You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

Are you an absolute idiot? When the conservative council took control of Southampton & the budget was set for that year by the previous administration they had left a short fall of £25million this was printed as an article in the Echo or don't you read the Echo if it doesn't suit you?I also said why not ask the health workers? Any way Eastleigh Boy when or if labour gets in lets see all the extra 800 redundant people agreeing with your absolute twaddle .also let the families take more responsibility for the parents/children

Loosehead,

No I am not an Idiot. I don't care what it said in the Echo, the previous administration did not leave a funding gap of £25m. Budgets are 'roughly' set 3 years ahead and Councils respond with their spending plans accordingly. DC took control at Westminster and tore up previous agreements, and yes, I suspect that what was initially planned for then became a £25m black shortfall.

Yes, you said what would the health workers have said to a pay cut rather than redundancies. Well, I don't have the answer to that and quite frankly, nor do you.

I am not an 'Eastleigh boy' I am an 'Eastleigh girl' and an employee of SCC, and, before you start bleating on about the private sector, I worked there for many years, for a global company, including working overseas. Bet, I don't fit your image of a Local Government employee?

As for families taking more responsibility for children, sorry to impart some bad but well known news, but it's normally the families abusing the children....

Sorry but once again your totally wrong.The Labour council set a budget in the April,in the next local elections the conservatives got in.When all finances were looked into the council had a short fall of £25million it might not suit your argument now but it was fact.You say your a SCC employee? so what do you advocate? higher council tax which being an Eastleigh girl you won't have to pay? I have noticed many social workers/office workers don't live inside Southampton shouting for a rise in council tax & I wonder if they lived in the city if they would still be so keen on that option?Look thinklikealocal I don't want to have a slagging match with council workers but if you had Listened to Andy Straker you would see why negotiations are going no where.I'm proud of my city but it's small compared to Bristol,Manchester or Birmingham yet the union has made this into a national dispute against a small local council as thet're scared other councils might copy Southampton .surely this shouldn't be the case it's a local dispute & the only worry should be getting the best possible deal/settlement.If Labour takes control in May you will still get pay cuts & 800 more redundancies plus the people of Southampton will have to pay more tax .so why don't the unions forget the national picture & negotiate with the party that's offering the best deal or can't you or the unions see that?

SpittingMoreFire wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote: Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead, What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government. You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

Are you an absolute idiot? When the conservative council took control of Southampton & the budget was set for that year by the previous administration they had left a short fall of £25million this was printed as an article in the Echo or don't you read the Echo if it doesn't suit you?I also said why not ask the health workers? Any way Eastleigh Boy when or if labour gets in lets see all the extra 800 redundant people agreeing with your absolute twaddle .also let the families take more responsibility for the parents/children

Loosehead,

No I am not an Idiot. I don't care what it said in the Echo, the previous administration did not leave a funding gap of £25m. Budgets are 'roughly' set 3 years ahead and Councils respond with their spending plans accordingly. DC took control at Westminster and tore up previous agreements, and yes, I suspect that what was initially planned for then became a £25m black shortfall.

Yes, you said what would the health workers have said to a pay cut rather than redundancies. Well, I don't have the answer to that and quite frankly, nor do you.

I am not an 'Eastleigh boy' I am an 'Eastleigh girl' and an employee of SCC, and, before you start bleating on about the private sector, I worked there for many years, for a global company, including working overseas. Bet, I don't fit your image of a Local Government employee?

As for families taking more responsibility for children, sorry to impart some bad but well known news, but it's normally the families abusing the children....

She's slapped you down there, Loosehead!

Oh and what's this article from 2009...

http://www.dailyecho

.co.uk/news/4737238.

Union_will_fight_Tor

ies____job_cuts/
.
And wasn't it a Con-Lib coalition before the Conservatives took over? hmmm...

no it was a Labour/Liberal coalition

Spittingfire's quote of note:

...a shallow minded power crazed dwarf...

I object to this, it's too heavy on the old boy. He can't help being a gent of restricted height.

That's just how God intended...

http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=BUlIv3Ca8
AI
.
Have more sympathy!

loosehead wrote:

SpittingMoreFire wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote: Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead, What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government. You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

Are you an absolute idiot? When the conservative council took control of Southampton & the budget was set for that year by the previous administration they had left a short fall of £25million this was printed as an article in the Echo or don't you read the Echo if it doesn't suit you?I also said why not ask the health workers? Any way Eastleigh Boy when or if labour gets in lets see all the extra 800 redundant people agreeing with your absolute twaddle .also let the families take more responsibility for the parents/children

Loosehead,

No I am not an Idiot. I don't care what it said in the Echo, the previous administration did not leave a funding gap of £25m. Budgets are 'roughly' set 3 years ahead and Councils respond with their spending plans accordingly. DC took control at Westminster and tore up previous agreements, and yes, I suspect that what was initially planned for then became a £25m black shortfall.

Yes, you said what would the health workers have said to a pay cut rather than redundancies. Well, I don't have the answer to that and quite frankly, nor do you.

I am not an 'Eastleigh boy' I am an 'Eastleigh girl' and an employee of SCC, and, before you start bleating on about the private sector, I worked there for many years, for a global company, including working overseas. Bet, I don't fit your image of a Local Government employee?

As for families taking more responsibility for children, sorry to impart some bad but well known news, but it's normally the families abusing the children....

She's slapped you down there, Loosehead!

Oh and what's this article from 2009...

http://www.dailyecho


.co.uk/news/4737238.


Union_will_fight_Tor


ies____job_cuts/
.
And wasn't it a Con-Lib coalition before the Conservatives took over? hmmm...

no it was a Labour/Liberal coalition

Yes I think you're right on it being a Lab+Lib here... I was somewhere else at the time.

SpittingMoreFire wrote:

loosehead wrote:

SpittingMoreFire wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote: Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead, What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government. You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

Are you an absolute idiot? When the conservative council took control of Southampton & the budget was set for that year by the previous administration they had left a short fall of £25million this was printed as an article in the Echo or don't you read the Echo if it doesn't suit you?I also said why not ask the health workers? Any way Eastleigh Boy when or if labour gets in lets see all the extra 800 redundant people agreeing with your absolute twaddle .also let the families take more responsibility for the parents/children

Loosehead,

No I am not an Idiot. I don't care what it said in the Echo, the previous administration did not leave a funding gap of £25m. Budgets are 'roughly' set 3 years ahead and Councils respond with their spending plans accordingly. DC took control at Westminster and tore up previous agreements, and yes, I suspect that what was initially planned for then became a £25m black shortfall.

Yes, you said what would the health workers have said to a pay cut rather than redundancies. Well, I don't have the answer to that and quite frankly, nor do you.

I am not an 'Eastleigh boy' I am an 'Eastleigh girl' and an employee of SCC, and, before you start bleating on about the private sector, I worked there for many years, for a global company, including working overseas. Bet, I don't fit your image of a Local Government employee?

As for families taking more responsibility for children, sorry to impart some bad but well known news, but it's normally the families abusing the children....

She's slapped you down there, Loosehead!

Oh and what's this article from 2009...

http://www.dailyecho



.co.uk/news/4737238.



Union_will_fight_Tor



ies____job_cuts/
.
And wasn't it a Con-Lib coalition before the Conservatives took over? hmmm...

no it was a Labour/Liberal coalition

Yes I think you're right on it being a Lab+Lib here... I was somewhere else at the time.

Spittingfire do you not think if the unions had approached this as a local dispute it would be over by now? we the citizens of this city are taking the brunt of a national campaign by the unions.by beating this council they're hoping to stop other councils doing the same thing.what the hells going to happen if Labour get's in? what will the unions do then?

My View From Here wrote:
All I want is a rebate on my council tax for 2011/12, paid at a percentage of the services I and everyone has not received. Where else do you get charged for a service your not getting?

All you need to do is to produce a copy of the agreement which states EXACTLY what services you were to be provided with and at what cost and then PROVE that you have paid for services which you have not received; you should then be able to sue the council in the county court.
This could be a little more difficult than you think....

TEBOURBA wrote:
Not unexpectedly the right wing contributors to this column resort to verbal abuse when responding to opinions they don't like, by using words such as t--t, c--p etc.
By doing so they not only show their complete and utter ignorance but of course, in the opinion of the majority of fair, educated people everywhere, does not advance their argument one jot, on the contrary they lose it!

you are a f***ing Pr**K. that is less offensive that "right wing extremist" , or nazi... so get over it you tw** ( again less offensive than nazi )

Mgra calm down dear count to ten and ...breath....that's better.

go ahead punk make my day wrote:
Mgra calm down dear count to ten and ...breath....that's better.

oh very calm. just using language approriate for someone who abuses me and others with the offensive phrase "righ wing extremist". If people want to be offensive then they should accept offending words in return ! Just because myself and others recognise the political strike for what it is does make us even right wing, let alone "extremists". I have said before that I would nationalise gas,water and electricity in this country, how "right wing" is that !?

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote: Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead, What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government. You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

Are you an absolute idiot? When the conservative council took control of Southampton & the budget was set for that year by the previous administration they had left a short fall of £25million this was printed as an article in the Echo or don't you read the Echo if it doesn't suit you?I also said why not ask the health workers? Any way Eastleigh Boy when or if labour gets in lets see all the extra 800 redundant people agreeing with your absolute twaddle .also let the families take more responsibility for the parents/children

Loosehead, No I am not an Idiot. I don't care what it said in the Echo, the previous administration did not leave a funding gap of £25m. Budgets are 'roughly' set 3 years ahead and Councils respond with their spending plans accordingly. DC took control at Westminster and tore up previous agreements, and yes, I suspect that what was initially planned for then became a £25m black shortfall. Yes, you said what would the health workers have said to a pay cut rather than redundancies. Well, I don't have the answer to that and quite frankly, nor do you. I am not an 'Eastleigh boy' I am an 'Eastleigh girl' and an employee of SCC, and, before you start bleating on about the private sector, I worked there for many years, for a global company, including working overseas. Bet, I don't fit your image of a Local Government employee? As for families taking more responsibility for children, sorry to impart some bad but well known news, but it's normally the families abusing the children....

Sorry but once again your totally wrong.The Labour council set a budget in the April,in the next local elections the conservatives got in.When all finances were looked into the council had a short fall of £25million it might not suit your argument now but it was fact.You say your a SCC employee? so what do you advocate? higher council tax which being an Eastleigh girl you won't have to pay? I have noticed many social workers/office workers don't live inside Southampton shouting for a rise in council tax & I wonder if they lived in the city if they would still be so keen on that option?Look thinklikealocal I don't want to have a slagging match with council workers but if you had Listened to Andy Straker you would see why negotiations are going no where.I'm proud of my city but it's small compared to Bristol,Manchester or Birmingham yet the union has made this into a national dispute against a small local council as thet're scared other councils might copy Southampton .surely this shouldn't be the case it's a local dispute & the only worry should be getting the best possible deal/settlement.If Labour takes control in May you will still get pay cuts & 800 more redundancies plus the people of Southampton will have to pay more tax .so why don't the unions forget the national picture & negotiate with the party that's offering the best deal or can't you or the unions see that?

Loosehead,

The following is from an article in the Daily Echo in December 2010. The budget that the previous administration had prepared was £25m short because of changes in central funding.

The leader of the council, Cllr Royston Smith, said: "We now understand that we will need to find savings of £25million next year to meet the funding shortfall. This is really tough but the proposals we have put forward will meet this shortfall as long as all of them are adopted.

Negotiations are going nowhere because of Royston Smith. It's a bit like the BA situation. The 'personalities' got in the way and once the CE of BA let someone else take over a deal was struck very quickly. It's going to be tough for the Administration because I don't think the staff will accept anything less than a return to previous T & C. Other Council's are indeed looking on with interest because employees of SCC have now effectively exited a national pay scale/agreement. You ask what alternatives there are. Well, lets look at our neighbour HCC, another Tory controlled Council. They have embraced the signal from HQ in Downing Street and cut services. Surely, if central government cut funding by that much they are effectively saying we want you to deliver less services? HCC have mostly achieved the necessary staff reductions through voluntary redundancy. There have been some forced, but then so have there been in Southampton. Believe me, morale is rock bottom at work and they would be queuing out the door to go. I'm afraid I and many others still believe that this is a 'party political' stunt and is not really about savings staff from redundancies at all. Staff have been treated like absolute trash. You would have to have been reading some of the absolute hogwash that has been presented to believe it. Their own senior HR Managers don't endorse their policies. Just one tiny example, on 14 March 2011 I was sent a letter inviting me to sign the new terms and conditions. I had until 18 March 2011 to sign or I would be dismissed. Do you not think that is a bit bonkers? Can you understand why people would get upset? Lets not forget, this doesn't apply to schools, they tried to then legally realised they couldn't, so that's about half SCC employees not affected. A receptionist in a school on the same grade as a receptionist in a Civic office now earns more? Then the market supplement for Social Workers. The whole thing is a complete mess and Royston Smith is to blame.

Negotiations have gone nowhere because unions cannot see the reality of the economic situatiion.

The council has been willing to negotiate all the way along, BUT that does not mean that the council has the flexibility to give ground on whatever issues the unions wish.

The cuts have to happen, and they are significant. That is a reality.

How on earth do you expect the unions to get anywhere if they are so unrealistic? No to cuts? Remove the dismissal notices? Such demands are a joke.

The council clearly wishes to make the cuts while protecting services, and preserving as many jobs as possible

Surely these aims are laudable, and if the unions were not simply engaging in political games, they would support.

If the council was labour, the unions and workers would have worked with the council to implement the plans, as has happened elsewhere.

Sadly, because so many of the union members are so idealogically opposed to the conservatives, they cannot see that they are cutting off their noses to spite their faces by striking.

The workers MUST realise that this is not some national fight they are fighting here.

In other councils around the country, the unions have been applauded for working WITH councils to persuade workers to accept bigger paycuts than they have had to accept in Southampton.

This goes to show that this industrial action is pointless and political.

All I can say is well done to the council for sticking up for the residents who are the mugs who have to pay their council taxes to support all these workers on their inflated pay and conditions.

Sotonians_lets_pull_
together wrote:
Negotiations have gone nowhere because unions cannot see the reality of the economic situatiion. The council has been willing to negotiate all the way along, BUT that does not mean that the council has the flexibility to give ground on whatever issues the unions wish. The cuts have to happen, and they are significant. That is a reality. How on earth do you expect the unions to get anywhere if they are so unrealistic? No to cuts? Remove the dismissal notices? Such demands are a joke. The council clearly wishes to make the cuts while protecting services, and preserving as many jobs as possible Surely these aims are laudable, and if the unions were not simply engaging in political games, they would support. If the council was labour, the unions and workers would have worked with the council to implement the plans, as has happened elsewhere. Sadly, because so many of the union members are so idealogically opposed to the conservatives, they cannot see that they are cutting off their noses to spite their faces by striking. The workers MUST realise that this is not some national fight they are fighting here. In other councils around the country, the unions have been applauded for working WITH councils to persuade workers to accept bigger paycuts than they have had to accept in Southampton. This goes to show that this industrial action is pointless and political. All I can say is well done to the council for sticking up for the residents who are the mugs who have to pay their council taxes to support all these workers on their inflated pay and conditions.

Can you please list for me the Local Auothorities where workers have taken a bigger pay cut than Southampton?

If you think Local Authority workers are on such 'inflated pay and conditions' how come you aren't savvy enough to have got a job with them? I'm really interested to know because I keep reading on here about how easy LA staff have it, how overpaid they are, gold plated pensions etc and I'm just curious while private sector workers aren't 'queing up' to apply for vacancies?

Sotonians_lets_pull_
together wrote:
Negotiations have gone nowhere because unions cannot see the reality of the economic situatiion. The council has been willing to negotiate all the way along, BUT that does not mean that the council has the flexibility to give ground on whatever issues the unions wish. The cuts have to happen, and they are significant. That is a reality. How on earth do you expect the unions to get anywhere if they are so unrealistic? No to cuts? Remove the dismissal notices? Such demands are a joke. The council clearly wishes to make the cuts while protecting services, and preserving as many jobs as possible Surely these aims are laudable, and if the unions were not simply engaging in political games, they would support. If the council was labour, the unions and workers would have worked with the council to implement the plans, as has happened elsewhere. Sadly, because so many of the union members are so idealogically opposed to the conservatives, they cannot see that they are cutting off their noses to spite their faces by striking. The workers MUST realise that this is not some national fight they are fighting here. In other councils around the country, the unions have been applauded for working WITH councils to persuade workers to accept bigger paycuts than they have had to accept in Southampton. This goes to show that this industrial action is pointless and political. All I can say is well done to the council for sticking up for the residents who are the mugs who have to pay their council taxes to support all these workers on their inflated pay and conditions.

Negotiations have gone nowhere because the Council simply have no intention of negotiating.

The Council have not been willing.

The cuts don't have to happen that is just a myth, there are other ways of dealing with it.

The Council cuts will preserve nothing. Jobs will be sacrificed if they have their way. Surely these cuts are laughable

The Unions are doing what all good Unions do irrespective of Political bent.
If the Council were Labour it wouldn't make the slightest difference except that they may manage it better without confrontation.

The workers must realise that this could become a National fight if a sensible outcome is not applied.

Other Councils have worked with the Unions and negotiated reasonable settlements, that is the difference.

It does not show that industrial action is pointless, it is the only weapon left to ensure a fair outcome.

All I can say is well done Council for making a complete pigs ear of the whole affair.

Those that can afford more should pay proportionally more for what they receive.

For every Right wing view there is a left wing counter argument, the only solution is sensible and fair negotiation, nothing else will do.

OSPREYSAINT wrote:

Sotonians_lets_pull_

together wrote:
Negotiations have gone nowhere because unions cannot see the reality of the economic situatiion. The council has been willing to negotiate all the way along, BUT that does not mean that the council has the flexibility to give ground on whatever issues the unions wish. The cuts have to happen, and they are significant. That is a reality. How on earth do you expect the unions to get anywhere if they are so unrealistic? No to cuts? Remove the dismissal notices? Such demands are a joke. The council clearly wishes to make the cuts while protecting services, and preserving as many jobs as possible Surely these aims are laudable, and if the unions were not simply engaging in political games, they would support. If the council was labour, the unions and workers would have worked with the council to implement the plans, as has happened elsewhere. Sadly, because so many of the union members are so idealogically opposed to the conservatives, they cannot see that they are cutting off their noses to spite their faces by striking. The workers MUST realise that this is not some national fight they are fighting here. In other councils around the country, the unions have been applauded for working WITH councils to persuade workers to accept bigger paycuts than they have had to accept in Southampton. This goes to show that this industrial action is pointless and political. All I can say is well done to the council for sticking up for the residents who are the mugs who have to pay their council taxes to support all these workers on their inflated pay and conditions.

Negotiations have gone nowhere because the Council simply have no intention of negotiating.

The Council have not been willing.

The cuts don't have to happen that is just a myth, there are other ways of dealing with it.

The Council cuts will preserve nothing. Jobs will be sacrificed if they have their way. Surely these cuts are laughable

The Unions are doing what all good Unions do irrespective of Political bent.
If the Council were Labour it wouldn't make the slightest difference except that they may manage it better without confrontation.

The workers must realise that this could become a National fight if a sensible outcome is not applied.

Other Councils have worked with the Unions and negotiated reasonable settlements, that is the difference.

It does not show that industrial action is pointless, it is the only weapon left to ensure a fair outcome.

All I can say is well done Council for making a complete pigs ear of the whole affair.

Those that can afford more should pay proportionally more for what they receive.

For every Right wing view there is a left wing counter argument, the only solution is sensible and fair negotiation, nothing else will do.

Have you not been reading the press? why has the unions turned this national if they're willing to talk?

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote:

thinklikealocal wrote:

loosehead wrote: Smith & the rest of the tory council inherited a £25million debt from the previous council which I can assure you wasn't Tory.I watch the BBC at lunchtime & Andy Straker said they're not happy that the council were giving some a bonus & asked if they could strike? Why didn't he tell them that the council had offered this & a review with the unions of all social workers pay? didn't this fit into his agenda? Then you had the picketers shouting stop the tory cuts? have they been walking around with the eyes shut & ear plugs in? Do they not know that this is the best deal on the table & Labour propose more job cuts ,pay cuts,pay freeze & council tax rises so meaning if they keep their jobs not only will they be on less money they will have to pay more tax?I know which option I'd have voted for! I wonder if the health workers had been offered a cut in pay & keep their jobs if they would have jumped at it? they weren't offered this & at least 100 will lose their jobs.Council workers take of your blindfolds & take out your earplugs & see what's happening in the real world

Loosehead, What inherited debt are you talking about? Absolute c**p. The current savings are necessary mostly because of cuts in central grants, a policy of the current Tory Government. You question why Social Workers are striking when they have effectively had their pay cut 'reversed' by the 'market supplement' offered to them after they threatened en masse not to sign their new contracts. Well i'll tell, you why, they are not idiots who can be brought off by a shallow minded power crazed dwarf - that's why! You say health workers would have accepted pay cuts instead of redundancies (100). How do you know this? Are you Physcic> If so, can I have the Lotto numbers for tonight! Do you know how many redunadancies there have been anayway? Far more than 100. And last but not least, when you spend your working days deciding who needs their a** wiped by someone else of whether a child is being abused or not, believe me, you are living in the real world!

Are you an absolute idiot? When the conservative council took control of Southampton & the budget was set for that year by the previous administration they had left a short fall of £25million this was printed as an article in the Echo or don't you read the Echo if it doesn't suit you?I also said why not ask the health workers? Any way Eastleigh Boy when or if labour gets in lets see all the extra 800 redundant people agreeing with your absolute twaddle .also let the families take more responsibility for the parents/children

Loosehead, No I am not an Idiot. I don't care what it said in the Echo, the previous administration did not leave a funding gap of £25m. Budgets are 'roughly' set 3 years ahead and Councils respond with their spending plans accordingly. DC took control at Westminster and tore up previous agreements, and yes, I suspect that what was initially planned for then became a £25m black shortfall. Yes, you said what would the health workers have said to a pay cut rather than redundancies. Well, I don't have the answer to that and quite frankly, nor do you. I am not an 'Eastleigh boy' I am an 'Eastleigh girl' and an employee of SCC, and, before you start bleating on about the private sector, I worked there for many years, for a global company, including working overseas. Bet, I don't fit your image of a Local Government employee? As for families taking more responsibility for children, sorry to impart some bad but well known news, but it's normally the families abusing the children....

Sorry but once again your totally wrong.The Labour council set a budget in the April,in the next local elections the conservatives got in.When all finances were looked into the council had a short fall of £25million it might not suit your argument now but it was fact.You say your a SCC employee? so what do you advocate? higher council tax which being an Eastleigh girl you won't have to pay? I have noticed many social workers/office workers don't live inside Southampton shouting for a rise in council tax & I wonder if they lived in the city if they would still be so keen on that option?Look thinklikealocal I don't want to have a slagging match with council workers but if you had Listened to Andy Straker you would see why negotiations are going no where.I'm proud of my city but it's small compared to Bristol,Manchester or Birmingham yet the union has made this into a national dispute against a small local council as thet're scared other councils might copy Southampton .surely this shouldn't be the case it's a local dispute & the only worry should be getting the best possible deal/settlement.If Labour takes control in May you will still get pay cuts & 800 more redundancies plus the people of Southampton will have to pay more tax .so why don't the unions forget the national picture & negotiate with the party that's offering the best deal or can't you or the unions see that?

Loosehead,

The following is from an article in the Daily Echo in December 2010. The budget that the previous administration had prepared was £25m short because of changes in central funding.

The leader of the council, Cllr Royston Smith, said: "We now understand that we will need to find savings of £25million next year to meet the funding shortfall. This is really tough but the proposals we have put forward will meet this shortfall as long as all of them are adopted.

Negotiations are going nowhere because of Royston Smith. It's a bit like the BA situation. The 'personalities' got in the way and once the CE of BA let someone else take over a deal was struck very quickly. It's going to be tough for the Administration because I don't think the staff will accept anything less than a return to previous T & C. Other Council's are indeed looking on with interest because employees of SCC have now effectively exited a national pay scale/agreement. You ask what alternatives there are. Well, lets look at our neighbour HCC, another Tory controlled Council. They have embraced the signal from HQ in Downing Street and cut services. Surely, if central government cut funding by that much they are effectively saying we want you to deliver less services? HCC have mostly achieved the necessary staff reductions through voluntary redundancy. There have been some forced, but then so have there been in Southampton. Believe me, morale is rock bottom at work and they would be queuing out the door to go. I'm afraid I and many others still believe that this is a 'party political' stunt and is not really about savings staff from redundancies at all. Staff have been treated like absolute trash. You would have to have been reading some of the absolute hogwash that has been presented to believe it. Their own senior HR Managers don't endorse their policies. Just one tiny example, on 14 March 2011 I was sent a letter inviting me to sign the new terms and conditions. I had until 18 March 2011 to sign or I would be dismissed. Do you not think that is a bit bonkers? Can you understand why people would get upset? Lets not forget, this doesn't apply to schools, they tried to then legally realised they couldn't, so that's about half SCC employees not affected. A receptionist in a school on the same grade as a receptionist in a Civic office now earns more? Then the market supplement for Social Workers. The whole thing is a complete mess and Royston Smith is to blame.

So Eastleigh Girl there was a £25million shortfall because of the budget set by the previous council & a Labour Government's cuts in funding to the South to send that money to the North true? remember the tory's took control of Southampton under a Labour Government so the blame should start there.

loosehead wrote:

OSPREYSAINT wrote:

Sotonians_lets_pull_


together wrote:
Negotiations have gone nowhere because unions cannot see the reality of the economic situatiion. The council has been willing to negotiate all the way along, BUT that does not mean that the council has the flexibility to give ground on whatever issues the unions wish. The cuts have to happen, and they are significant. That is a reality. How on earth do you expect the unions to get anywhere if they are so unrealistic? No to cuts? Remove the dismissal notices? Such demands are a joke. The council clearly wishes to make the cuts while protecting services, and preserving as many jobs as possible Surely these aims are laudable, and if the unions were not simply engaging in political games, they would support. If the council was labour, the unions and workers would have worked with the council to implement the plans, as has happened elsewhere. Sadly, because so many of the union members are so idealogically opposed to the conservatives, they cannot see that they are cutting off their noses to spite their faces by striking. The workers MUST realise that this is not some national fight they are fighting here. In other councils around the country, the unions have been applauded for working WITH councils to persuade workers to accept bigger paycuts than they have had to accept in Southampton. This goes to show that this industrial action is pointless and political. All I can say is well done to the council for sticking up for the residents who are the mugs who have to pay their council taxes to support all these workers on their inflated pay and conditions.

Negotiations have gone nowhere because the Council simply have no intention of negotiating.

The Council have not been willing.

The cuts don't have to happen that is just a myth, there are other ways of dealing with it.

The Council cuts will preserve nothing. Jobs will be sacrificed if they have their way. Surely these cuts are laughable

The Unions are doing what all good Unions do irrespective of Political bent.
If the Council were Labour it wouldn't make the slightest difference except that they may manage it better without confrontation.

The workers must realise that this could become a National fight if a sensible outcome is not applied.

Other Councils have worked with the Unions and negotiated reasonable settlements, that is the difference.

It does not show that industrial action is pointless, it is the only weapon left to ensure a fair outcome.

All I can say is well done Council for making a complete pigs ear of the whole affair.

Those that can afford more should pay proportionally more for what they receive.

For every Right wing view there is a left wing counter argument, the only solution is sensible and fair negotiation, nothing else will do.

Have you not been reading the press? why has the unions turned this national if they're willing to talk?

Sorry LH you are rambling again, too much Creme De Menthe? I have to work for a living so I don't see everything in the Press, have Unite and Unison gone National with this dispute?