Today I woke up to the news that the government were about to make an enhanced offer on public sector pensions.
On the day before the biggest union (Unison) are due to announce their ballot result.
Coincidence? I think not.
But this blog isn't about how they're running scared and are starting the divide and rule propaganda war between the unions. It isn't that at all. It is about why I will be striking.
I was musing about what I was going to write when I came across this.
It is simple and stunning and needs to be shared with all union members and used to recruit those that aren't.
If I ever meet the author I will give him a big kiss for being so beautifully moving and so simply eloquent.
Steven North hits the nail on the head: "I could argue that the reason I'm prepared to strike on the 30th is because my pension fund is a sustainable one that requires no increase in contributions, except to return more money to a Treasury that is already taxing me to death every time I fill my car up but refuses to allocate me a pay rise. I could say that it's because its unfair to ask me to work until I'm 68 when I live in an area where male life expectancy is still only 70. I could say that we went through discussions around accrual rates a few years ago and were told that changes had been made to make our pension fund sustainable for a generation. In reality though I'm striking because I don't want to die in a freezing cold flat 2 years after I retire after a lifetime in work. If any other working man or woman wants to be equally as selfish and pay no regard to the difficult decisions our Government has to make, I'll happily stand next to you."
Here's to you Steven North. You put it better than I could have.
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