[Moved from SE23 Topics > Big Issue seller outside Sainsbury's -admin]

Wow...new here and just read this thread... are you all retired or work in public sector you seem to have so much time?

Semi retired. Never worked for public sector always had a proper job

Very off topic I know, but let me just say I do not work in the public sector. However, I happen do know many people who do, who work hard and are dedicated, and not for great rewards either.

I am sorry , said very toungue in cheek . Hope not offended anyone.
I agree most public sector workers work very hard. Very subsided pensions do annoy me however, but I agree not the place on this site to discuss

sorry

wooza,

Just let me know where you live and I will make sure your bins are never emptied.

Hmm, but the binmen are now private sector workers. Draw your own inferences.

Come on folks... people on this site are sometimes so anxious to avoid causing offence it gets silly. Public sector industriousness? I'll be looking out for the threads on fat people not really eating too much and bears using the Portaloos.

brian,

The pensions are part of the remuneration package. Just as The British Airways Chief Executive's bonus of ?700,000 is.

One person I know always says to people "If you think that job is so easy, why don't you do it?"

Just to let you know, Lewisham's refuse collectors are not private sector workers. Unlike many other local authorities, we have kept this service inhouse as it is such good value for money compared to those provided by many outsourced organisations.

On the latter point, it was easy; I did do it; the reason I don't do it anymore is that the lack of performance from a significant proportion of colleagues was too depressing.

On the former, how does that now stand when average public sector salary is reportedly now higher than the average private sector salary, after Gordon's program of state expansion?

Glib, arrogant, condescending posts suggesting that public sector jobs are 'not proper' (with the obligatory 'oh it was only a joke' comeback) don't really compare with those rather silly examples.

I don't think anyone in the public sector gets a ?700,000 bonus.

Correct me if I am wrong with a specific example.

By no means was it 'only a joke'. I fully believe that less work gets done in the public sector.

I take it you're a flexi-time kinda man yourself then?

I think you're probably correct. Why would they?

John Armitt, chief executive of Network Rail, salary and bonus of ?878,000 - rising to more than ? 1m when pension contributions are included.

Ed Richards, who was appointed earlier this month to head Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator. He is expected to be paid a similar amount to Stephen Carter, his predecessor, who earned ?369,417 plus benefits giving him a total package of ?440,000.

Source - Sunday Times, 8th October 2006

However, you may wish to consider that the BBC is publicly funded and presenters such as Jonathan Ross earn million of pounds of public money from the BBC. ?700k bonuses may be rare in most of the public sector, but there are exceptions such as the BBC, Post Office, Network Rail, and Ofcom. But would Network Rail operate any better in the private sector? I think we tried that and found that less work gets done in the private sector.

If there are some in the public sector who get paid too much and work too little, then we should remember all those that do not get paid enough and work very hard in the public sector. I'm thinking particularly of nurses but there are many others who contribute so much more than people of equivelent pay in the private sector. How many nurses could be paid for by the earnings of Jonathan Ross alone?

The only a joke thing referred to Brian's limp explanation of his comment, not yours.

No, I'm not. I just don't think you should so arrogantly belittle people just because of who their employer is, straight from the Littlejohn songbook.

That's fair enough. I think any criticism is more fairly directed at the way things are managed rather than - as you say - belittling people just because of who their employer is. You do however get a significant minority who abuse this - not something exclusive to the public sector but rather more prevalent.

But give me a load of nurses over Jonathan Ross anyday.

I think that's more to do with a ridiculous operating model and an illustration of a sector where the profit motive is not necessarily appropriate. Good example of one area that public sector can be best though. Similarly competing private sector businesses gave us the uncoordinated railway system in SE London that continues to hamper us today.

HTG - please explain 'significant minority.'

Not sure this is a matter for SE23 as applies to the whole UK of GB and NI.