I work in the NHS. I am also a member of Unison.
Now it is the time of year when the annual pay award is being negotiated. The offer we got this year was 2.75%. Unison balloted us to see if we wanted to accept it.
I duly looked to see what the inflation rate was. 3% the Bank of England told me. (oh dear they are way off their 2% target!!). 3% may be the official rate but when you consider the increase in mortgage payments, the 10% increase in petrol prices, food prices have gone up 15% and gas and electricity prices have gone up about 20%, you have to think their 3% is a little light.
Therefore, I had no hesitation in putting my cross in the DO NOT ACCEPT box of the ballot. Who in their right mind would vote for effectively a pay decrease? It would be like turkey’s voting for Christmas.
Other Unions had already voted on the NHS pay proposal. The GMB Union rejected the pay award by a massive 96%.
So I was extremely optimistic that my colleagues in Unison would vote against this ludicrous offer.
However, unbelievably 65% of them voted in favour of the offer!! WTF?
Karen Jennings, Unison head of health, said they would not hesitate to renegotiate if inflation continues to rise. How far does it have to rise? Forgive me for being naive, but I would have thought if inflation rose above the amount of the pay award, it is time to renegotiate?
Forgive me, if anyone actually reads this, but I am getting extremely pissed off at people in government making a mockery of hard working people. I am also getting pissed off at people allowing it to happen.
When are we going to wake up and realise what is happening?
Friday, 6 June 2008
Monday, 2 June 2008
What Goes Around Comes Around
You know when you are on your way down and out when the stuff that used to work in your favour is now working against you. Take Jim Sheridan MP. On Radio Scotland this morning he was bleating about the press’ treatment of Gordon Brown, whilst grossly insulting the intelligence of the electorate at the same time.
He said that because voters vote for whoever the press tell them to, it is extremely unfair how Gordon Brown and his Labour government is being treated.
Oh, my heart bleeds for them!!
Firstly, I can recall, barely a year ago, how one newspaper had Scotland’s head in a noose, indicating if you voted SNP, then you were effectively killing Scotland.
I can’t recall Jim Sheridan or any of his colleagues north or south of the border complaining about that.
Secondly, virtually every single major press outlet was still telling us to vote Labour at the last election, or at the very least not to vote SNP and look how that worked out.
So, Jim Sheridan and your Labour colleagues, unless stop patronising the voting public you will find yourself out of power for a long, long time.
He said that because voters vote for whoever the press tell them to, it is extremely unfair how Gordon Brown and his Labour government is being treated.
Oh, my heart bleeds for them!!
Firstly, I can recall, barely a year ago, how one newspaper had Scotland’s head in a noose, indicating if you voted SNP, then you were effectively killing Scotland.
I can’t recall Jim Sheridan or any of his colleagues north or south of the border complaining about that.
Secondly, virtually every single major press outlet was still telling us to vote Labour at the last election, or at the very least not to vote SNP and look how that worked out.
So, Jim Sheridan and your Labour colleagues, unless stop patronising the voting public you will find yourself out of power for a long, long time.
Friday, 23 May 2008
Tories Torment
What are the Tories all about? A couple of decent results and they think they are destined for Downing Street! Nothing like counting your chickens!
At the Tory get together this week in Ayr, Annabel Goldie claimed that the Scottish Tories were on the up. That may be stretching it a bit. But here is a question I want to ask Goldie and Cameron. How many MPs do you expect to return at the next Westminster election?
Let’s assume they hold on to all the seats they have. Wait until I get my calculator. Yep, I’ve got the answer ~ 1. Now let’s look at the seats they could win. Perth? Doubt it. Angus? You joking?! Dumfries and Galloway is a possibility. Stirling is another, but then you are getting into the realms of massive swings needed.
But I can see an answer to the problem that is so bloody obvious. There are two words that would bring about a Tory government in Westminster for at least the next 30 years and a substantial increase in the number of Tory MSPs.
Being the nice guy I am, I will tell the Tories how to achieve this.
Scottish Independence.
It goes without saying that not having to worry about Scotland, the Tories down south would be in a lot stronger position. Up here, disassociating themselves with the bad people that brought about the poll tax, the Tory Party might once again reach levels akin to the 50% they reached back in 1955.
Who knows, after independence, the SNP might disband and lots of them might join a revamped Tory Party. Some of the policies the SNP are pursuing at the moment are not a million miles away from the ones the Tories would be proud of. More police on the streets, cut in business rates etc.
But today in an interview with Brian Taylor, Annabel Goldie admitted that she would vote against a referendum on Scottish independence. She would not give the electorate the chance to have their say.
It may have been 11 years since the Tories have been in power, but it looks as if they are still hanging on to their old habits.
They love keeping Scotland down.
At the Tory get together this week in Ayr, Annabel Goldie claimed that the Scottish Tories were on the up. That may be stretching it a bit. But here is a question I want to ask Goldie and Cameron. How many MPs do you expect to return at the next Westminster election?
Let’s assume they hold on to all the seats they have. Wait until I get my calculator. Yep, I’ve got the answer ~ 1. Now let’s look at the seats they could win. Perth? Doubt it. Angus? You joking?! Dumfries and Galloway is a possibility. Stirling is another, but then you are getting into the realms of massive swings needed.
But I can see an answer to the problem that is so bloody obvious. There are two words that would bring about a Tory government in Westminster for at least the next 30 years and a substantial increase in the number of Tory MSPs.
Being the nice guy I am, I will tell the Tories how to achieve this.
Scottish Independence.
It goes without saying that not having to worry about Scotland, the Tories down south would be in a lot stronger position. Up here, disassociating themselves with the bad people that brought about the poll tax, the Tory Party might once again reach levels akin to the 50% they reached back in 1955.
Who knows, after independence, the SNP might disband and lots of them might join a revamped Tory Party. Some of the policies the SNP are pursuing at the moment are not a million miles away from the ones the Tories would be proud of. More police on the streets, cut in business rates etc.
But today in an interview with Brian Taylor, Annabel Goldie admitted that she would vote against a referendum on Scottish independence. She would not give the electorate the chance to have their say.
It may have been 11 years since the Tories have been in power, but it looks as if they are still hanging on to their old habits.
They love keeping Scotland down.
Sunday, 18 May 2008
Be Prudent!!
One of accountant’s favourite words is prudence. I should know, because I am an accountant.
Prudence means estimating on the side of caution although Wikepedia’s, equally appropriate definition is, “Conventionally, prudence is the exercise of sound judgement in practical affairs.”
Now, Grant Thornton is an international accounting firm and one of the biggest in the UK.
So when Grant Thornton claims that Scotland would be a rich nation if it were to become independent, then people should sit up and listen.
Based on a prudent estimate of 82.5% of North Sea revenues, Grant Thornton say that we could afford to cut corporation tax from 28% to 12.5% and cut income tax by 5p in the pound and still have £2bn of a surplus.
I say prudent estimates of North Sea revenues because the SNP are demanding a 95% share of the revenues, compared to the 85% estimated in the study. If 95% was taken, the surplus would rise to £6.2bn.
Now, Labour has repeated stated in the past that businesses would leave in their droves if Scotland were to become independent. Is it just me, or would the opposite happen with businesses flocking INTO Scotland when tax rates are so low?
Independence?
BRING IT ON!!
Prudence means estimating on the side of caution although Wikepedia’s, equally appropriate definition is, “Conventionally, prudence is the exercise of sound judgement in practical affairs.”
Now, Grant Thornton is an international accounting firm and one of the biggest in the UK.
So when Grant Thornton claims that Scotland would be a rich nation if it were to become independent, then people should sit up and listen.
Based on a prudent estimate of 82.5% of North Sea revenues, Grant Thornton say that we could afford to cut corporation tax from 28% to 12.5% and cut income tax by 5p in the pound and still have £2bn of a surplus.
I say prudent estimates of North Sea revenues because the SNP are demanding a 95% share of the revenues, compared to the 85% estimated in the study. If 95% was taken, the surplus would rise to £6.2bn.
Now, Labour has repeated stated in the past that businesses would leave in their droves if Scotland were to become independent. Is it just me, or would the opposite happen with businesses flocking INTO Scotland when tax rates are so low?
Independence?
BRING IT ON!!
Monday, 5 May 2008
Going Round In Circles?
Labour are doing that many U-turns at the moment, they are at risk of going round in circles.
Can you believe anything they say anymore?
Remember at election time they were saying that if we voted SNP then extremely bad things would happen to Scotland! Well we are still waiting.
Remember barley a couple of months ago, Wendy Alexander claimed that a referendum was a distraction and would only feed the SNP's obsession.
Remember Alexander then got her Unionist mates together and set up a commission to look at the role of the devolved Scottish Parliament, EXCLUDING independence.
Now, she has completely bypassed her own commission and is saying what is Salmond waiting for. She wants a referendum on independence right now with a simple yes or no to the question.
Labour are an absolute joke and I sincerely hope that this political gamble comes back to bite Alexander on the arse when Scotland votes yes to the independence question.
Can you believe anything they say anymore?
Remember at election time they were saying that if we voted SNP then extremely bad things would happen to Scotland! Well we are still waiting.
Remember barley a couple of months ago, Wendy Alexander claimed that a referendum was a distraction and would only feed the SNP's obsession.
Remember Alexander then got her Unionist mates together and set up a commission to look at the role of the devolved Scottish Parliament, EXCLUDING independence.
Now, she has completely bypassed her own commission and is saying what is Salmond waiting for. She wants a referendum on independence right now with a simple yes or no to the question.
Labour are an absolute joke and I sincerely hope that this political gamble comes back to bite Alexander on the arse when Scotland votes yes to the independence question.
Sunday, 4 May 2008
Black Day For Brown
Two years is an astonomical amount of time in politics. There are governments that have not even lasted two years. However that may be that amount of time that Gordon Brown has left before he is ousted.
This week saw Labour get an absolute kicking in the local elections in England and Wales. If this trend continues through to the election, expected in 2010, then Brown will be out the door faster than you can say, "Ten years of economic stability."
If the local elections results weren't bad enough, Labour then went and lost the London Mayor elections to a Tory candidate that may have been more at home in the Monster Raving Loony Party.
So where can we look to in history to see when the last time such a local election whitewash happened. Well not too far. John Major suffered a similar fate in 1995, before being punted out of office in 1997.
The Labour Party are scheming behind the scenes to try and replace Brown. But at the end of the day, sometimes you just have to accept that you can't influence anything. People want change. They are sick and tired of Labour spin and they want an alternative. For the majority of people in the UK, that alternative is seen to be the Tory Party.
So fast forward to 2010. I would imagine the Tory Party would be the last party most Scots would vote for in order to give Labour a kicking. This leaves the Lib Dems and the SNP. Maybe this will give Salmond the votes he needs to achieve his ambitious target of 20 MPs.
If the Tories are elected in 2010, what will this mean for Scotland?
One thing that is pretty certain to happen is the introduction of English votes for English laws in Westminster. Is this just another step to the separation of the Union?
Let's hope so!!
This week saw Labour get an absolute kicking in the local elections in England and Wales. If this trend continues through to the election, expected in 2010, then Brown will be out the door faster than you can say, "Ten years of economic stability."
If the local elections results weren't bad enough, Labour then went and lost the London Mayor elections to a Tory candidate that may have been more at home in the Monster Raving Loony Party.
So where can we look to in history to see when the last time such a local election whitewash happened. Well not too far. John Major suffered a similar fate in 1995, before being punted out of office in 1997.
The Labour Party are scheming behind the scenes to try and replace Brown. But at the end of the day, sometimes you just have to accept that you can't influence anything. People want change. They are sick and tired of Labour spin and they want an alternative. For the majority of people in the UK, that alternative is seen to be the Tory Party.
So fast forward to 2010. I would imagine the Tory Party would be the last party most Scots would vote for in order to give Labour a kicking. This leaves the Lib Dems and the SNP. Maybe this will give Salmond the votes he needs to achieve his ambitious target of 20 MPs.
If the Tories are elected in 2010, what will this mean for Scotland?
One thing that is pretty certain to happen is the introduction of English votes for English laws in Westminster. Is this just another step to the separation of the Union?
Let's hope so!!
Monday, 21 April 2008
Fuel Shortage
What is the last thing you should say if you want people to avoid panic buying? “Don’t Panic Buy.”
As soon as those words are uttered, people are racing off to the nearest petrol forecourt faster than you can say “Oil Refinery.”
Remember those big long queues back in 2000, the year of the fuel protests, well expect to see similar queues in the coming days as the prospect of a strike at Grangemouth looms ever closer.
The proposed strike is about the changing of the company pension. And it seems that both sides have really dug their heels in and are playing out a war of words in the media. 97% of the Union members voted for strike action, which gives an indication of the feeling. Therefore I wouldn’t expect either side to back down any time soon.
But the people who shout, “Don’t panic buy,” really p!ss me off. We have got enough fuel until Friday they claim. Aye, very good. What happens when Friday comes though? It is perfectly understandable why people go and fill their cars up.
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few days and if Scotland does run out of fuel, what the political fall out of this will be.
Anyway, better go. I’ve got a car that needs filling up!!
As soon as those words are uttered, people are racing off to the nearest petrol forecourt faster than you can say “Oil Refinery.”
Remember those big long queues back in 2000, the year of the fuel protests, well expect to see similar queues in the coming days as the prospect of a strike at Grangemouth looms ever closer.
The proposed strike is about the changing of the company pension. And it seems that both sides have really dug their heels in and are playing out a war of words in the media. 97% of the Union members voted for strike action, which gives an indication of the feeling. Therefore I wouldn’t expect either side to back down any time soon.
But the people who shout, “Don’t panic buy,” really p!ss me off. We have got enough fuel until Friday they claim. Aye, very good. What happens when Friday comes though? It is perfectly understandable why people go and fill their cars up.
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few days and if Scotland does run out of fuel, what the political fall out of this will be.
Anyway, better go. I’ve got a car that needs filling up!!
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