Brighton 2012. The Strike Olympics.

Loughton_Monkey

Caroline_a wrote: »

Question - in what way does a strike benefit the country? I would say that it's a classic 'sod you, I'm all right jack' action. We've had what was a wonderful summer where the UK actually celebrated being British, and working towards the same goal. Now there are talks of strikes, so back to the 'me-society'.

As a general rule, strikes in 'commercial' firms are detrimental to our economy. Strikes by public workers, however, can often be marginally beneficial. It saves the public purse (wages) and people will generally muck-in together to get through a bin strike or look after each others' kids if the schools are closed.

One small caveat to this, though, is when they take to the streets and 'demonstrate'. It often provides good 'entertainment' on TV - what with badly spelt placards and everything [especially from the 'teachers']. But wages saved from the smelly demonstrators are in fact spent on overtime for the Police - who cannot strike. So out of one pocket and into another.

But I'd rather see it spent on police rather than strikers.

Caroline_a wrote: »

If we don't want to end up like Greece and Spain, perhaps we can work together to ensure that doesn't happen.... the only people who benefit from strikes are the union bosses.

Yes. It's wonderful for the Union boss, because he doesn't lose any wages whatsoever. Earns a few bob extra with interviews etc. if he can wangle it.

Memo to 'Dave'. A new law that requires every public sector strike to be backed up by an official statement of the 'requirements' of the striking workers. This is then put to the taxpaying public as a referendum. If the public agree with their demands, we pay up and they go back to work. If the public disagree with the demands, we sack the lot of them and get in people who will work on the existing terms. Democracy at work!

Fella

andyroberts1967 wrote: »

I'm one of the civil servants who will be happy to take part in any forthcoming action, particularly if it is focused on pay and pensions. I understand that a lot of private sector pensions have been decimated, but that's no reason to do the same with public sector ones. The longer the pay freeze goes on, the angrier that public sector workers will become

Indeed, it's possible that they'll get so angry that eventually one of them will look for a job outside the public sector.

ShAnE

Loughton_Monkey wrote: »

Memo to 'Dave'. A new law that requires every public sector strike to be backed up by an official statement of the 'requirements' of the striking workers. This is then put to the taxpaying public as a referendum. If the public agree with their demands, we pay up and they go back to work. If the public disagree with the demands, we sack the lot of them and get in people who will work on the existing terms. Democracy at work!

I approve!!
If a private sector worker doesn't like the terms and conditions they signed up too, they are told to look elsewhere.
When a public sector worker doesn't like the terms and conditions they signed up too, they hold the country to ransom until we give in.

Instead of going on strike, go down to a recruitment firm and find a new job which provides you with the wages/benefits you require and let someone else take your old job.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

A 50% vote threshold for a strike sounds entirely reasonable to me. Surely if their arguments are so convincing they'll have no problem with their members.

Unions do a lot of patient, unglamorous work that makes workplaces nicer for everyone (including non-unions), and shouldn't all be lumped in with the shouty, self-serving types.

Loughton_Monkey

Fella wrote: »

Indeed, it's possible that they'll get so angry that eventually one of them will look for a job outside the public sector.

Phew!

That's a bit ambitious isn't it? I didn't think these types looked for jobs outside, since they know from experience that most private industry/business would never recruit someone working in the public sector.

For a start, they use an entirely different language don't they?

Interviewer: "And why do you feel you are qualified for this job Mr Smith?"

Candidate: "At base level, this just comes down to holistic asset time-phases. I feel I can’t really fail when when I facilitate third-generation paradigm shifts that have always been capable of being mainstreamed. And, you might want to consider transitioning my relational collaborative infrastructures as well."