Strikes

[Dunners]

There's a lot of it about, which suggests that people are rediscovering that industrial action has delivered more meaningful improvements in the distribution of wealth than any other efforts.

It also appears that, despite the best efforts of certain politicians and sections of the media, the public are broadly sympathetic with the efforts of workers to secure better pay and conditions.

I thought it worth keeping track of all the strike action because it seems that almost everyone is at it. Obviously, we're not allowed to call this a general strike, but the implications may be the same.

Rail
Royal Mail
Nurses
Ambulance workers
Buses
Highway workers
Driving examiners
Teachers
Baggage handlers
Funeral directors
Workers in a pickled onion factory
University staff

Feel free to add any that I have missed.

[Long slender neck]

Just baffles me how the govt escape responsibility for this.

I've also heard it said that we cant have pay rises or it'll cause big inflation.

[Max Fowler]

Mick Lynch and all the other union Barons have a lot to answer for, thinking they can hold the country to ransom.

[Max Fowler]

Just baffles me how the govt escape responsibility for this.

Labour are to blame, they’re the ones working with the Union Barons.

[Dunners]

Just baffles me how the govt escape responsibility for this.

Labour are to blame, they’re the ones working with the Union Barons.

Not just Labour, but Corbyn's Labour!

[Max B Gold]

As a former pickled onion factory worker they are my favourite strikers after the Nurses.

Who are everyone else's favourites?

[Long slender neck]

BT https://www.theregister.com/2022/12/07/ ... rs_accept/

[Friend or fart]

When I was at BT we worked in a key area. Consequently we were often getting caught up in strike action. Prior to Privatisation we were called out for 6 weeks. The Union paid us full wages in lieu ( including Saturday & Sunday overtime payments ). Yet nobody like it, even on those terms & we even had a couple of scabs. We nearly always won ( except the Privatisation issue when the Govt went to the Courts ). Despite what idiots think, it is a very hard & often desperate decision to go on strike. My best wishes go to all those unfortunate people.
My Grandad was stitched up in the 1930's during a strike and got 3 months hard labour. Probably because he was miner, it wasn't breaking rocks, that was too easy for him. They had him picking oakum.

[Celtient]

I'd rather eat dogshit than a pickled onion. The people who make them should be imprisoned not given a payrise

[tuffers#1]

More strikes please . A New Winter of discontent T*RY Disaster !

[Give it to Jabo]

How much extra was it a week for the NHS with the Brexit windfall? No wonder the Govt want the war in Ukraine to continue - it gives them something to blame their pitiful record on.

[Long slender neck]

The NHS had to pay all that to Baroness Bra and Handcocks pub landlord.

[Long slender neck]

Border Farce https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63893115

[Friend or fart]

Tuffers:-More strikes please . A New Winter of discontent T*RY Disaster !

Border Force obviously read this message board. They have obliged you Tuffers. Think the dingy brigade need to be warned The Channel is very cold this time of year.

[Harlow]

Does anyone actually know what the RMT wants and what they have been offered. All I know is that it is ludicrous that their strikes have gone on so long

[ComeOnYouOs]

This is the first spell of strikes for a long time. It's taken 12 years of Tory misrule for working people to realise they've been stiched up by the Tories.
We need a full blown general strike to force an election, like the' who rules Britain, the government or the unions' that Ted Heath called in 1974, that got rid of the Conservative government.
About time the 99% showed the 1%, who really wields the power.

[Chelmsford Swimmer]

There are many deserving cases out there, but the reality is external factors beyond our control such as energy prices have forced up costs. Not sure how everybody can expect inflation matching pay rises, it doesn't work, somebodies standard of living has to drop somewhere. Not necessarily saying we can't distribute wealth more fairly, so that the needy are protected. For example some low pay RMT workers deserve more, not so sure about the train drivers.

[Max B Gold]

There are many deserving cases out there, but the reality is external factors beyond our control such as energy prices have forced up costs. Not sure how everybody can expect inflation matching pay rises, it doesn't work, somebodies standard of living has to drop somewhere. Not necessarily saying we can't distribute wealth more fairly, so that the needy are protected. For example some low pay RMT workers deserve more, not so sure about the train drivers.

It's not just about standards of living dropping for some. People are going without food and can't heat their houses. So it's a bit more serious than you make out.

[Cheshunto]

Does anyone actually know what the RMT wants and what they have been offered. All I know is that it is ludicrous that their strikes have gone on so long

I do wonder how the ordinary railway staff can afford to keep losing a days money for all these strikes.
However I don’t think it’s all about money as the RMT state that the Govt want to close every ticket office in the country and so I can understand the Union trying to protect their members jobs.
Our local station staff are very helpful and answer numerous queries and it would cause problems if you had to get help from a machine instead.

[Admin]

Does anyone actually know what the RMT wants and what they have been offered. All I know is that it is ludicrous that their strikes have gone on so long

If only there was a ready made medium you could access to find out this information.

[whittle76]

Does anyone actually know what the RMT wants and what they have been offered. All I know is that it is ludicrous that their strikes have gone on so long

It is WHAT railway Companies want actually. For a below inflation pay rise of 8% over two years, they want Driver only operated trains , ALL ticket offices closed, terms of employment changed without protest and job cuts.

[whittle76]

Does anyone actually know what the RMT wants and what they have been offered. All I know is that it is ludicrous that their strikes have gone on so long

It is WHAT the rail companies WANT actually. In return for a below inflation pay rise of 8% over 2 years, they want all trains to be Driver only, all ticket offices closed, changes to terms of employment without any protest by the workers and job cuts.

[Long slender neck]

Regardless of job, what % would you all consider a fair pay rise?

[Max Fowler]

There are many deserving cases out there, but the reality is external factors beyond our control such as energy prices have forced up costs.

Energy prices have not risen in other countries as much as they have here in the UK. This is within our control.

[Max Fowler]

somebodies standard of living has to drop somewhere.

No it doesn't.