We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
Did the union get it badly wrong? Grangemouth Refinery
Comments
-
I would suggest that is a matter for voters to decide, not minority vested interests such as unions. If the majority want a more left wing society, they can vote in one.
Unite has 1.6 million members
Tory party 135k
Labour 190k
National Trust: 3.7 million
British Association for Shooting and Conservation: 128k
TUs aren't minority vested interests0 -
Just heard on the news that the average workers salary at Grangemouth is £55,000.
Think that they should have kept their heads down.
Yes a lot of people in the plant are well paid. It's the oil industry; many will be highly qualified engineers and scientists; almost all will be working shifts.
These people got well paid jobs. But so what? Should everyone who earns more than the minimum wage be grateful and accept whatever salary cut their employer decided to implement? How would you like it is your employer came along and announced they were reducing your pay and pension starting tomorrow. Would you just accept it? I know I wouldn't.0 -
Maybe I'm always looking on the bright side of life, but I don't see anyone has really got it wrong here. It looks like a win-win situation.
As I understand it, the owner of the business was losing money from the site. The site has been losing money for a long time apparently.
The owner, having considered all the available options, needed to cut the cost of labour at the site.
The workers said they would rather not work, than work for the reduced pay and conditions the owner wished to impose, and they demonstrated this by withdrawing their labour.
So they weren't earning anything anyway. What option did the owner have but to close down the loss making site (which was presumably losing even more whilst the workers were on strike)
At least now the workers know where they stand. It looked like the closure announcement has at least kicked some former employees into looking elsewhere for work, sending out their CVs etc., even if they hadn't done so earlier when they said they'd rather not work there under the revised terms.
Even if they don't find alternative work quickly, presumably they will soon be entitled to claim benefits as unemployed, rather than strikers.
Meanwhile, the owner of the site can hopefully concentrate his time & energy on making or retaining the profitablility of his other sites and keep the employees there employed and off benefits.
wouldn't like to be sitting with a two hundred thousand mortgage with only benefits to look forward to!!!
spoke to someone who works there and he was saying alot of the skills they have are not transferable to most jobs0 -
Unite has 1.6 million members
Tory party 135k
Labour 190k
National Trust: 3.7 million
British Association for Shooting and Conservation: 128k
TUs aren't minority vested interests
But the problem here is that of that 1.6 million members how many of them are tory, labour. liberal or any other political persuasion? Why should the union be involved in politics.
If the National Trust started sponsoring the tory party I am sure there would be some complaints.0 -
Why should the union be involved in politics.
For the same reason any other lobby group does: because its the best way of protecting their members interests.If the National Trust started sponsoring the tory party I am sure there would be some complaints.
The NT has been doing lost of political lobbying on Planning policy recently0 -
Average means nothing in this context. One guy could be on £5m a year and the rest on £10ph
In the O&G industry the basic pay for a tradesman (welder, pipefitter etc) is around the £34k mark or ~£17 per hour. With a bit of overtime, shift payments and other allowances most of them easily top £50k per year, some of them at our site who like their overtime are earning ~£70k per year.Its amazing how these banks can't even do simple calculations correctly..............0 -
My employer has done that on more than one occasion due to the ups and downs of the business.Yes a lot of people in the plant are well paid. It's the oil industry; many will be highly qualified engineers and scientists; almost all will be working shifts.
These people got well paid jobs. But so what? Should everyone who earns more than the minimum wage be grateful and accept whatever salary cut their employer decided to implement? How would you like it is your employer came along and announced they were reducing your pay and pension starting tomorrow. Would you just accept it? I know I wouldn't.0 -
Be a bit of a drop when they have to go and work at Tesco Express then.In the O&G industry the basic pay for a tradesman (welder, pipefitter etc) is around the £34k mark or ~£17 per hour. With a bit of overtime, shift payments and other allowances most of them easily top £50k per year, some of them at our site who like their overtime are earning ~£70k per year.0 -
-
Why dont unions hire people who are talented at negotiating?0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 348.8K Banking & Borrowing
- 252.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 452.6K Spending & Discounts
- 241.7K Work, Benefits & Business
- 618.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176K Life & Family
- 254.7K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards