MOD cuts
DCC
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I can see that people are REALLY upset with the impending cuts in the MOD.
I'll start by saying...who am I to pass judgement on such an issue? But
from where I stand, it seems that some people just want to stay in their
comfort zone and not admit that there is a better way of doing things and
not spend so much in doing so.
In the real world we have to compete for business and if we are not
competitive we get left behind. Why not in the public service, wherever
possible?
Let me share my experience in this respect. In 1983 Maggie decided to
shutdown the Royal Dockyards. Why? They were inefficient and expensive. In
the summer of 1984 I volunteered to be made redundant from the MOD and was
unemployed for a weekend. I started to work for the commercial shipyard.
Did I make the wrong decision? No way! Would I do it all over again (warts,
Appledore and all)? You bet! Today I have a whole set of experiences under
my belt that I would never have had I stayed in the MOD.
No hay mal que venga, que por bien no sea.
Ken
"DCC" <m...@home.com> wrote in message
news:d0dlss$qk2$1...@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
It is always very disturbing when stability is shaken and insecurity comes
along. I have never been made redundant as you describe, but recall my
father was in defence cuts in 1974. There was a period of uncertainty to put
it mildly, but all worked out in the end.
That Gib's economy now depends on MOD spending for around 4% of its total
and can doubtless take this minor knock is little consolation to those few
hundred people who are affected directly. However they have a number of
options when all said an done.
Those who are just on retiring age may take the opportunity to retire once
and for all, perhaps a few months, perhaps a couple of years earlier than
they had otherwise intended. Those who wish / need to remain in work can
either continue in the job they were doing but doing so for a new employer
and under new terms and conditions no doubt (the Appledore story above), or
they can leave that sphere and seek employment in some other sector
altogether. Given that Gib has always been "plagued" with OVERemployment
there should not be too much of a hiccup for perhaps under 100 individuals
who may wish / need to do this. I am not trying to trivialise everyone's
anxieties - they are very real - but things WILL sort out.
One political concern that exists however is that with MOD contracting
coming along, there is nothing stopping a Spanish company tenderig for this
work. AFAIK there is nothing stopping a Sp company getting the contract.
Where then the red lines is the question? What happens if and when (no, no
ifs, when) the Sp company comes under political pressure in Sp to act in
whatever way is demanded of it by the Sp govt? Not possible? See how Sp
companies have yielded to Spo govt pressure over the quesion of mobile
'phone roaming between Sp and Gib!
In the ideal world of course this would not be an issue, but unfortunately
the world we are in is far from ideal, and it is an issue.
K
jim.gm4dhj
That would take a lot.........
Jim Watt
>I can see that people are REALLY upset with the impending cuts in the MOD.
Indeed, thats the big news story set to dominate 2005
Locally the hot issue of the new hospital is over as its opened
and its very nice which considering it cost 55m it should be, but
hell its money well spent.
The MoD dispute falls into a number of areas;
1. LACK OF CONSULTATION. The unions are well established and operate
by "pre-thatcher" rules. They have been totally ignored and no
attempt made to use existing consultation processes.
2. FINANCIAL IMPACT. The MoD workers have traditionally enjoyed
good wages, the prospect of a good pension and job security. This is
being taken away from them. After the experience with A & P Appledore
nobody expects anything good from a contractor. Workers transferring
across will have their pensions frozen and will be quickly dumped in
favour of cheaper foreign labour, and the MoD will wash their hands
and use the Bart Simpson catchphrase 'I didn't do it'
3. SECURITY When a nuclear submarine or other warship comes into
port there is always an element of risk to the local population. The
Spanish are now up in arms at any visit of a sub. Locally we are more
relaxed, however if the workforce changes from the current responsible
people to cut price eastern european illegal immigrants from Spain
there us cause for concern all round.
4. LOCAL ISSUES having a military base here is an inconvenience which
is compensated by the jobs, as one slogan at a protest said 'no jobs
no base' the inconvenicence is manifested by the RAF practising
harrier and tornado landings and generating worse queues at the
frontier than than the usual suspects.
>from where I stand, it seems that some people just want to stay in their
>comfort zone and not admit that there is a better way of doing things and
>not spend so much in doing so.
Its not a 'better' way its a 'cheaper' way and the things will get
done worse. The present workforce has loyalty, in the event of
any problems the new workforce is likely to bugger off.
I see that the Government of Argentina is again making noises about
'recovering the sovereignty' of the Falkland Islands, recalling that
Spain was openly supportive of their invasion, what would happen
if the future MoD workforce was that way inclined.
>In the real world we have to compete for business and if we are not
>competitive we get left behind. Why not in the public service, wherever
>possible?
Public service exists to provide a service, its different to commerce.
However, if one does take a fully commerical view of things, the next
question is whats the point of wasting space on a military base which
yields a low income when the land could be better used for tourism and
building housing?
--
Jim Watt
http://www.gibnet.com