There's a lot of folk getting screwed over pensions these days. Yes the 50 somethings (in any line of work) have always trusted their future plans and no doubt feel the rug is being pulled from under their feet. Folk starting out these days are probably clueless as to what their future holds or what the hell they should be doing about their future.

PS

Tesco petrol station (Perth) was closed tonight.

As I sat at the lights two guys were putting barriers accross the forecourt whilst another guy was changing the prices on the big display sign.

I wished I'd had my camera with me.

Our Vectra is a diesel and there's none to be had. The Pug is unleaded and it's OK providing you're prepared to line up for half an hour.

Was on the news last night that some petrol stations are charging over the odds for fuel,playing on the shortage,made me furious that they can do this it's a damned disgrace what some get up to when theres a crisis like this,xxxxxxxx

I got petrol this moning as my tank was empty.
The price has gone down this week fom last week!
Cost me 105.9 today, but was 107.9 on Monday when I filled up.

Thanks nero for putting us in the picture as I didn't quite know it was all about. I understand it now and good on them!

This is typical of this company Louise IMO, when the public know the full facts about how they're treating the employees in that plant they will lose face, therefore they'll try and pick on the weakest ones because they know jobs are hard to find and most folks have financial commitments like mortgages and families to bring up, it's nowt short of bully-boy tactics, and also the threat of future advancement in their jobs being threatened as to promotion prospects within the company.

If this dispute goes on for weeks, as it may do, it would not surprise me if the company folded like Northern Rock did because they may be in difficulty meeting the repayments to the banks

I heard a rumor today that if this happened BP MAY consider taking it back under their wing, I hasten to add it's only a rumor.

As I've said, the cash being lost will run into hundreds of millions, both to the company and the government, all because they want to cut costs by not continuing with their employees pension scheme.

I wonder what Allan Sugar would have to say about this management.

PS: I'ts Nero posting this, I've just fitted a new keyboard and mouse on Fay's PC and I'm making sure it works OK.

Well the local garage has been shut since yesterday..was on the radio news today taht there were people outside it shouting!!!
THe other garage is limiting amounts but still seem to have plenty.

However..the garage near our stables was charging £2.00 a litre today!!!!!!!!!!!! cheek!!

We've been through this petrol crisis before and I can just see it coming again for even us right down at the other end of the Country! I went to get petrol this morning, and half the pumps were out of use because they were running out so I had to scoot around the garage forecourt trying to find a diesel pump that was actually open I must admit, instead of putting my usual £20 in, I filled her to the brim just in case, coz it seems to me people are getting panicky around here, and I'm one of them!

Surely the Government won't let the whole country come to a grinding halt when we can't get petrol yet AGAIN!

Yes, I feel sorry for these people, but I also feel they are cutting their nose to spite their face, because now that they've closed it (and it will be weeks and weeks before they CAN restart it) they might even end up closing it altogether and then where will they be? I really don't see the point in all this striking for whatever, if at the end of the day you lose your blooming job through it all, it really doesn't make any sense to me, that's my honest opinion. I'd much rather HAVE a job, be it without a pension paid on my behalf, than have no job at all and try and live off a pittance the Government would give me when unemployed! It's a fool's game imo! Apart from that, what about all the other people and firms who will also be affected by this and perhaps lose their jobs and businesses through no fault of their own then??? MIndless surely?

I totally agree with the strike, it's just a shame more people haven't done it before now!

I have to say though, one of the benefits of being a Nurse is priority at the petrol pumps!

The latest news last night was that the pipe line from the North Sea Fortes field supplies 40% of the UK's gas.

It comes ashore just north of Aberdeen and travels underground to Grangemouth.
A politician said that the government should get involved in mediation talks with the company and unions before the situation gets out of hand, a spokesman for the company (Ineos) said they had contingency plans to ship in fuel by bulk tankers to Grangemouth docks but they had to abandon the idea.

Reading between the lines I think Grangemouth dockers are supporting the refinery workers by refusing to allow the ships to dock at Grangemouth.
If this is true, then good for the dockers, it just goes to show how desperate Ineos is to try and thwart their employees and it also looks like they're not going to give in to the pensions dispute so we may be in for a long haul.

The talks about the pension scheme between the refinery workers and Ineos have been going on for 18 months so the company has had their chance to resolve it, IMO the unions have been very patient and reluctant to take industrial action, none of them want to withdraw their labour as they've got families and financial commitments to meet but there comes a time when enough is enough.

My advice to all of you is don't panic, keep your fuel tanks full, keep topping up and don't let them go below half full, two garages in our area had to close last night due to lack of fuel.

Thanks Denis, I managed to fill both cars very early this morning and will now keep them topped up

What I find most worrying is, if this does get out of hand, I have no faith whatsoever that the namby pamby Brown is a confident enough bloke to sort it all out. I know he has his right hand men, but, I have very little faith in him, and I'm getting a tad worried about the snowball effect it's going to have on the rest of the Country, even as far south as I am, coz I'm beginning to see the consequences of it already!
NOw whilst I have every sympathy for these workers, I'm getting a tad fed up with this something for nothing society. As you said in your original post, these pensions are non-contributory, or at least they were, and now the new workers want the same? So how come my husband has to pay for his own pension schemes (just because he chooses to be self employed), and although I worked all of my life, I've only got the Government pittance to look forward when I retire? NOne of the companies I worked for gave me any free pension schemes. I will get very, very angry if this spirals out of control and starts affecting not only my daily life and routine where I have an aged sick mother to visit, but also my husband's well established garage business that he has worked darn hard for for the past 15 years, which is in an industry reliant on petrol, i.e, people who have cars they want fixed, but if they can't drive them coz they can't get petrol, he can't fix them and Georgie will go without his dinner! That's when I'll get mad, really mad at those workers!!!!

Sorry, but I'm on one now, having just watched some news on the tv, it could get very silly and affect ALL of us if something isn't done about it and quickly! Meanwhile, Brown is probably tucking into his Sunday lunch without a care in the World. I know Tony Blair had his faults, but at least he had a pair of cahoonas! Lol!