Unions threatening strike action over planned cuts

[joinerjohn]

Any union that goes on strike does so after a secret ballot. So the ulimate decision is taken by it's members.

As I said or meant to say in my OP. These ballots are called by the union leaders, who as I have rightly pointed out are on a wage unheard of to the working man.
These union leaders should either cut their own wages to a level comparable with the membership, or at least when they call for strike action be only given the same monetary help from the union IE no wages whilst the members are on strike.

PS , before anyone suggests I'm anti trade union, I used to be a works convenor years ago and so know quite a lot about the trade unions.

 

[Nige F]

Just wondering who will stand up for the 'working classes' if the unions don't?

Excess at the top is back to the levels from before the 'crash', and yet everyone else is getting shafted...

No such thing as working class we`re all a middle class property owning democracy . Sowed the wind - this isn`t reaping the wirlwind , this is a gentle breeze. You aint seen nothing yet

 

[DIYDANDY]

If an employer can't sit around a table with union representatives and come to an amicable agreement, then when the workforce go on strike, the most senior executives should receive no pay for the duration of the strike.

The employer is the one who failed here after all.

If the strikers are civil servants then the PM and his entire cabinet should go without pay.

Bet that would concentrate their collective minds, well what little they have between them.

 

[joinerjohn]

If an employer can't sit around a table with union representatives and come to an amicable agreement, then when the workforce go on strike, the most senior executives should receive no pay for the duration of the strike.

The employer is the one who failed here after all.

If the strikers are civil servants then the PM and his entire cabinet should go without pay.

Bet that would concentrate their collective minds, well what little they have between them.

Depends what you call an amicable agreement though. Let's say for instance, a company is in real financial trouble and redundancies are on the cards. The employers "Amicable", might be to make 25% of the workforce redundant and ensure there are jobs for the remainder.

The unions "Amicable" might be no redundancies whatsoever at any cost. Even at the risk of the company failing completely.

TBQH lets face it. These unions at the TUC AGM are all about bringing the government down. Nothing else. Workers who face losing their jobs don't matter as long as the unions can force the government out of office.

Union leaders don't care as long as they receive their over inflated wage packets. In my OP, it was pointed out in the Wikipedia quote that Bob Crow received a 12% wage increase in 2008. This at a time when negotiated wage settlements were lucky to reach a few percent.

These strikes the unions are planning have very little to do with any reduction in workforce in the public sector and everything to do with politics. Nothing else.

 

[skitzee2k]

Completely agree. Unions are either blind to the big picture or Jude don't care. They only care about power but use the cover of trying to help. Parasites the lot of them.

 

[ellal]

Completely agree. Unions are either blind to the big picture or Jude don't care. They only care about power but use the cover of trying to help. Parasites the lot of them.

boll*cks comment as usual

 

[libby lou lou]

Just wondering who will stand up for the 'working classes' if the unions don't?

Excess at the top is back to the levels from before the 'crash', and yet everyone else is getting shafted...

No such thing as working class we`re all a middle class property owning democracy . Sowed the wind - this isn`t reaping the wirlwind , this is a gentle breeze. You aint seen nothing yet[/quot

About may/ june next year,should be intresting, my prediction.

 

[Donkmeister]

Well, I heard Bob Crow saying that we're facing a return to the days of Thatcher...

Excellent, I can't wait!

I understand Unions thrive on rousing up their members and causing a stir in order to make execs think "Aha, we better take this seriously". But I have a sneaking suspicion that the likes of Bob Crow are there purely to justify their own existence. That's not to say all Union bosses are bad, ibut the good ones must be very quiet because we only seem to see the rabid nutters on TV and in the papers.

It seems bizarre that all unions assume working class MUST EQUAL Labour vote... Is it not possible to be working class, in a working class job, and have political views right-of-centre? I work in a professional environment and there is no rule that everyone must vote Tory, in fact many of my friends and colleagues are staunchly anti-Tory. However, it's usually down to points of policy rather than the "my father voted for this party, and his father, therefore I must also vote for this party"...

 

[ajstoneservices]

Well, I heard Bob Crow saying that we're facing a return to the days of Thatcher...

Excellent, I can't wait!
.

You'd be disappointed. There's nothing left for HER to **** up, new labour finished what she started

 

[Mickymoody]

I think the unions are getting together to hold mass strikes across the board, like they tend to do in France, and the Police and Forces are saying whoa! hang on a minute, if there is all this upheaveal, then we can't cope, as you are cutting us too, and we are likely to strike too....so what's the backup?

Quietly in the background, the unemployed have to attend training schools, and working for their dole money, failure to compy results in non payment...

So everyone goes on strike, draft in the unemployed to be strike breakers. They have to do it, otherwise they starve, while the workers starve. Win Win government. Nobody likes the unemployed, the are forced to work for toffee, as the cost of getting to the place displaces what money you receive to pay for food, so cause a revolt. The workers get a rubbish deal to offset the unemployed now doing their jobs, Government still win, sounds like the Reich marches on! Who voted the co-allition in anyway? Nobody! Who voted Brown in? Nobody? So is it a democracy? No.

So what is the alternative? Civil War?

Workers don't get paid as they are on strike, Unemployed have been quietly trained, to take over jobs, that strikers refuse to do, at less than minimum wage, companies save millions in wages, and tax..Strikers angry at Government and unemployed revolt.

Is it that black and white?

 

[Nige F]

Well, I heard Bob Crow saying that we're facing a return to the days of Thatcher...

Excellent, I can't wait!
.

You'd be disappointed. There's nothing left for HER to **** up, new labour finished what she started

Hear Hear - but I would say " left to sell off" rather than the generalised F comment In fact New Labour was more of a con . @ least Thatcher was up front about policies

 

[skitzee2k]

Completely agree. Unions are either blind to the big picture or Just don't care. They only care about power but use the cover of trying to help. Parasites the lot of them.

boll*cks comment as usual

and this comment added to the conversation did it ? Re re

 

[^woody^]

Earlier this week, ITV news were in Nottingham (?) filming outside the council office where some union members were set up on a desk making protest placards, and the guy was being interviewed about the council cuts and forthcoming protests etc

Now in the background was [I assume] a couple of council workers sweeping the path. Not sweeping with any urgency or interest, but slooooowly, brushing up and down and picking a bit of debris up in a pan and slooooooowly walking off shot and then coming back for another bit. It was not a good advert, and would not garner much sympathy for council workers

 

[skitzee2k]

Like I have said before, I work opposite council buildings. The staff turn up at 9.30 and car park is empty by 4. They all have audi's, BMWs and mercs, close for Christmas a clear week before anyone else and come back a week later...and of course never work weekends......oh what a crime it would be to freeze their pay...it's not like the private sector has been squeezed is it.