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On 30th November 2011, tens of thousands of people joined rallies around the UK as a public sector strike over pensions disrupted schools, hospitals and other services. About two-thirds of state schools shut, and thousands of hospital operations were postponed, as unions estimated up to two million people went on strike.
The TUC called it “the biggest strike in a generation”. Many argue the strikes were an important display of disobedience against the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition attack on public sector pensions; and that despite government-led propagandizing to the contrary, the strikes were justified. The Conservatives’ pension reforms will mean public sector workers must work longer, pay more and get less at the end of it – and this, following a two-year pay freeze. The prime minister on the other hand described it as “a damp squib”. Many argue that media coverage of this was irrelevant, and whether or not this was 1926 all over again is to miss the point. They feel having children miss out on school, patients deprived of routine operations and economic damage to the tune of £500million is a serious matter; and that it’s important to look at the context that these proposals are being made in. They feel that country is in a treacherous economic situation – and that we have to make savings if we are to pull through. Public sector pension costs have sky-rocketed as longevity has increased (today the average 60-year-old is living 10 years longer than in the 1970s). So in the light of this controversy, the Debating Society puts forward the motion Proposition: Opposition: All public debates are sponsored by Allen & Overy LLP. This is the 7th public debate of the academic year. http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/ |
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