What's the point of striking? Well, it might well be the only way a lot of people have to make sure their situation is noticed by the general public, as a lot of stuff that's going on isn't getting much attention from the media.
Public services are under threat in a way I haven't seen before - talking locally, a number of local councils are not recruiting anyone on a permanent contract and one (Cardiff) is filling all vacancies from a temp agency that they run which pays a maximum rate of £6.50 per hour. I know this to be true as I have done their assessment tests, come out with a top score and yet been offered jobs I can't afford to take. Another council is reputed to have sacked all of its employees and re-employed them at 25% lower salaries than before - I haven't seen this reported anywhere officially,which is why I say "reputed". My job within Education Inclusion (working with kids excluded from the mainstream school system) seems to have come to a full stop, although before the summer we were flooded with pupils needing teachers. Where have they gone? I've been trying to find a "proper" job, as it seems that working for agencies and for a number of different employers now bars me from getting loans and mortgages - but it also seems that my husband's "proper" job working for the local authority is also no longer considered safe.
In my case there's no point in striking as it just means more money I'm not earning and other people are available from other agencies to cover the work I'm not doing ...but if there was a way for me to wave a banner in the air and march down Whitehall to get someone to take notice of the plight we're in - trust me, I'd be there. Lots of people are losing their jobs, the social security budget is being cut and yet there are no other jobs to apply for. What are we supposed to live on?