CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 16years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
Hi Kirst - I don't think we have met. I'm pretty new to the formal workplace union role and am a member of one of the smaller public sector unions.
Nelly - thanks for the insight into what has happened at your work. I agree that we won't get much sympathy from many people - but I hope our action will benefit people far wider than those who are on strike by, hopefully, preventing a race to the bottom in pay, pensions etc.
"Many do have a 'union' but it is a toothless staff association by any other name."
Indeed. I have the Law Society (which contrary to the media-driven impression is actually generally thought of as being pretty useless at the big stuff by lawyers) and there is a work union which, in the only piece of any literature I have ever got from them, stated cases so incorrectly they managed to lose any credibility without any rebuttal required form those they were attacking. And that's in a large/huge organisation that you would think could support a union. Ergo very little protection for going on strike.
Not a pop at the public sector, as I say, I've got sympathy there; but to portray the private sector as meek followers of convention who are too scared to act and have no interest in understanding the troubles of those in the public sector is just as wrong as those in the private sector suggesting their public brethren are sitting on piles of gold and only having to work 3 hour days.
Anth - I'm afraid that, as an economy measure, my pile of gold is due to be replaced with a golden shower.
Ewwwwww!
It's fine - the showers here need spruced up, what...oh!
What building is that, chdot?
Looks like the one in Broughton Street?
That's Queen Street. 2 or 3 doors west of the Royal College of Physicians....
"George Osborne: Public sector pay rises capped at 1%"
Effectively a 5% cut in pay this year as wages are frozen, factoring inflation of 5%. Presumably inflation will remain at similar levels, so that's a 4% cut next year too. Meanwhile train fares are rising 6%, or 1% above inflation...
Retirement age will now be 67 for both men and women. For men this is a two year increase and for women a seven year increase in working life overall since the age for retiring goalpost was first moved and this has been brought forward to become effective from 2026, affecting anyone under the age of 52. Harsh, statistically men live shorter lives than women in any case. I would like to have been able to retire at 60 and not 65, I lost out on the first increase in pension age rises by about 3 years. I think the retirement age should be reduced allowing younger individuals the opportunity to work to pay taxes and keep us pensioners!! We would have time to enjoy our retirement still being fairly fit and not totally decrepit, and make full use of our reduced bus/rail/theatre/cinema/library and travel concessions! That would make me feel a whole lot better and improve the outlook...
If you are the cyclist I nearly took out with my placards on Rankeillor St, I am very sorry.
Weather looking good in the west. We must have used up all the rain yesterday. If it stays nice I may celebrate the day by going up a small hill with boy number 2.
The March takes place over Lunch time. Johntson Terr heading up Castle Hill, UpperBow, Lawnmarket, Highstreet, West Parli Sq, Parli Sq, then back via Cannon gate, Abbyhill Cres, Horse Wynd and Queens Drive:
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/6255/pensions_rally_and_march_301111-traffic_restrictions
Was on the road at 6AM today, place was still deserted. Did see a cooncil bin wagon on the road. Binmen not striking?
I cycled across the Firth Road Bridge and said hello to three early folk at the vehicle entrance to the FRB offices as I past them.
George St was quiet apart from hundreds of Lothian busses.... No cars though :D
(Post by local councillor)
(Comment on post by local councillor)
"George St was quiet apart from hundreds of Lothian busses.... No cars though :D"
Boo! Was no quieter on my route (and some very impatient driving too).
I saw a strike bus coming down the Royal Mile and past the Parliament. I gave them a wave.
"So when the ruling class decide we can have a day off for the royal wedding it doesn't damage the economy but when the workers decide to strike it costs millions! COPY AND PASTE THIS IF YOU SEE THE HYPOCRISY AND DOUBLE STANDARDS"."
But they did blame it for damaging the economy!
Afterwards.
(The quarter after they blamed the weather.)
"
But they did blame it for damaging the economy!
Afterwards.
"
'They' used to blame people in damp houses for breathing. (Or was that heavy breathing...?)
- and keeping the windows shut when it was cold.
BBC Scotland's take:
Up to 300,000 public sector workers strike in Scotland
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15938970
Interesting snippet:
"Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that he did not support the strike action. The SNP minister said he had already crossed a picket line outside St Andrew's House in Edinburgh and was expecting to cross the Scottish Parliament picket line later."
However:
"Labour and Green MSPs are also on strike and have refused to attend Holyrood on Wednesday."
Osborne: 'I'm not picking a fight with anyone'.
Aye, right!
"
Up to 300,000 public sector workers strike in Scotland
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15938970
"
"
MORE than 300,000 public sector workers were expected to be on strike across Scotland today in the biggest day of strike action in decades.
"
Who's counting??
Strikers told to be home in time for Newsround
Also a handy
Guide to Strike Etiquette
and the revelation that these strikes are
Nothing to do with Pensions anyway
Now, given that I have 3 URLS in this post I wonder if I am Picking a Fight With the Spam Filter...
Can see the top of Johnstone Terrace from my desk and tis a constant sea of blue (saltires) and green (placards).
Isn't it St Andrews Day today? I thought it had been made into a new public holiday for Scots? Or did wee jowly Eck quietly shelve that plan?
Shouldn't John 'some of my best friends are cyclists, honest' Swinney be observing today as a patriotic holiday?
Oh no - they got the holiday, well my wife did anyway - which means that some of those striking re striking on a day off...
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