Have Public Sector cuts now gone to far?

Enki

It seems to me that although the issue of cuts and funding public services is a wide ranging one including issues of not having enough staff, being unable to source qualified staff, growing and aging population etc, that mostly people want to argue one way or another over public sector pay.

Even within the pay argument, it seems to be a generalised issue of either they aren't getting paid enough or are doing far better than the average private sector employee.
Since in reality, the public sector covers a wide variety of essential roles, from nurses to bin men, teachers to firemen and all the other jobs carried out to protect, defend or mop up after the general public.

Is it a general feeling that public sector pay is too low/too protected or are the gripes over more specific roles or departments ?

How does that all fit in with the costs of education, immigration, inflation, currency exchange and trade ?

Faust

Good waste of time appraisals, 'bottom clacking'. As there is insurmountable other factors by others and their choices that I or my management cannot control that will determine my productivity. However, takes me off the front line and I get drink hot tea.

Faust

And it's been discontinued in many workplaces now for the simple reason it's been shown to be counter-productive.  However, I'm pleased it apparently worked for you.  

Whatever you would like me to believe, I am still of the opinion your posts demonstrate a clear anti-public sector bias and an unwillingness to accept whatever anyone shows or informs you of to the contrary.

jamescarter1981

I believe that pay and public services are two distinct and separate issues, though as always some individuals can't wait to conflate the two.

There is no doubt that pay and pensions in the public sector have been badly eroded by the last two governments leading to a demoralised workforce.  In some larger city areas public sector employers are struggling to recruit and retain staff.

However, going back to my original post I ask the question have cuts to public services gone much too far.  I think they have and now do a growing number of government M.P.s as well as opposition parties.

The reason the NHS is struggling to cope is because of social care being dumped on them.  The reason for that is because local authorities have been starved of resources since 2010.  The reason the Police are struggling is also due to cuts in local authority budgets as they too have now had to take on the unofficial role of social workers and care officials.  A large part of police resources are now taken up with sorting out people's problems e.g. mental health issues, domestics etc. etc. most of it nothing to do with crime.

Ruperts slippers

Domestics are very important. It's a fact that in around 60% of murders the parties involved are known to each other as current/ex partners or family members.

The drains to police resources is down to dealing with mental health calls, which should be for a local MH team or ambulance, missing people who aren't really missing but are vulnerable.

Faust

Nhs is struggling is because of terrible absence, just received a text, out of 120 team members, only 84 are in.. It's like that that every week.. I do feel NHS staff are underpaid, but universal pay-rises reward the lazy and those with poor attitudes to work.. Wonder how may would be off if there was no sick pay...

Faust

It has been discontinued in many places because it was never designed to be used permanently. You use it for a few cycles and then stop it.

You will see in an earlier post I agreed long term use is counter productive.

I don't really care what your opinion is about what I believe. I thought we were discussing public sector issues and not speculating on what views we may hold?

Faust

I don't doubt for one minute what you say.  However, how are we going to put these services on a proper sustainable financial footing?  I'm sick to death of government spokespersons keep trotting out the same tired phrases e.g. we are putting record amounts of money into this and that and we need to find smarter ways of working.

A lot of the money is money already promised in previous statements being drip fed or worse still simply recycled from other budgets. In the meantime many elderly, vulnerable or mental ill people are living (if that's the right word for it) wretched existences.

Ruperts slippers

We're supposed to be focusing on public services cuts - have they gone too far?  If we agree they have then how can they be turned around.

Faust

Again, what has this got to do with cuts to elderly social care, mental health, and just about any public service you can think of?

Your views that people shouldn't get sick pay is an entirely different discussion - perhaps you should start another thread.