Strike

[Prestwich_Blue]

So you reckon a contract should be broken on a whim?

I have great sympathy for those of you in the front line and I know that you are personally very dedicated & committed to what you do. But this happens in the private sector all the time. I'm not saying it's right but things are not as they were 30 years ago.

 

[Blue Punter]

Usual turnout in my office today, about 50% of staff are in. A day without lefties in the office, i enjoy strike days.

I'd suggest that if only 50% of people are in, then it's not a usual turnout.

I take it the ones who break the strike will not accept any of the benefits if you win?
They really piss me off scabs. They'll happily reap the rewards for other peoples sacrifices.

I've got a friend who is quite low down the pay scale, up to his eyeballs in debt, but is paying it off slowly month by month. Very little disposable income. However he's still 100% behind the strike.

I've got a colleague who earns three times what he does, plenty of savings etc. He's decided to go in work. As you point out it's a bit unfair that my mate has sacrificed a days pay whilst the other bloke reaps any future benefits without making any sacrifice.

I suppose that's why one is a friend and one is a colleague. I used to give my colleague newspapers, bring food in the office, let him log in on my Sky Go, offer travel tips on cheap trains etc. Don't think I'll be doing that with the strike breaker from now on.

 

[mayo31]

There is no real consultation and negotiations in the public sector anymore. The usual time of notice is given but management will simply impose new terms by using ploys such as dismiss and re-engage

For years there was too much compromise by the unions and now they have no strength.

 

[nijinsky's fetlocks]

who is on strike, and why?

Can only speak for us in my office but some of the Civil Service. The ones that are on the front line so to speak. Against the sheer fooking nastiness against our Terms and Conditions of the contract I signed 32 years ago.
I can live with pay cuts (they made sure we had one as soon as they got power), it doesn't really bother me that much.
I'm fine with the be in it all together.

But anyone who fooks around with the contract I signed 32 years ago is fair game

I know we don't agree on very much,but very best wishes to you and all other public sector workers who are opposing these unilateral and morally wrong changes to a package previously sanctioned by the government.
A decent pension was one of the few compensations for a salary which is derisory in comparison with those in the private sector,and now that is under threat.
The government should not be allowed to renege in this disgraceful manner.

 

[Blue Maverick]

There is no real consultation and negotiations in the public sector anymore. The usual time of notice is given but management will simply impose new terms by using ploys such as dismiss and re-engage

For years there was too much compromise by the unions and now they have no strength.

Yep set of bastards now, however it is nice to see on here a change of attitudes less than a year ago many of the private sector bods on here were slagging off public sector workers and striking but I think attitudes are now changing and basically workers in both sectors are getting stiffed and they are turning on their "masters" and I think this can ony make all of us stronger. I think people have come to realise the people in charge are steam rolling eby one and abusing their powers to line their and their cronies pockets, it's obvious these austerity measures aren't working and the bankers etc. are still taking the piss with bonuses and people are slowly realising enough is enough, sadly I see a year of strikes ahead but if its the only way to be heard then so be it.

 

[BrianW]

The truth is employment contracts are no longer worth the paper they are written on. Employers can change them unilaterally at a whim. And although a contract is a two-way thing, employees can't.

Imagine someone saying to their employer - from next month I am only going to work 35 hours a week instead of 37. Wouldn't be tolerated, would it? But when it's the other way around, the employee has to accept it or leave.

This country is turning into a complete shithole, and the sad thing is many, perhaps most, working people are perfectly happy for it to happen.

 

[crazyg]

With you in spirit all the way.
I took early retirement nearly 7 years ago to get out of the madhouse that HMRC was becoming, having served for 35 years.
In 1981, when Herr Thatcher was the Fuhrer, I was on strike for 6 weeks in the dispute over the tearing up of our pay agreement, so I can fully empathise with you.

 

[johnmc]

I've got a friend who is quite low down the pay scale, up to his eyeballs in debt, but is paying it off slowly month by month. Very little disposable income. However he's still 100% behind the strike.

I've got a colleague who earns three times what he does, plenty of savings etc. He's decided to go in work. As you point out it's a bit unfair that my mate has sacrificed a days pay whilst the other bloke reaps any future benefits without making any sacrifice.

How come you know all your friends/colleagues personal financial positions? And should you strike if you disagree with the reasons behind it, just because a friend/colleague agrees with them?

 

[Blue Maverick]

The truth is employment contracts are no longer worth the paper they are written on. Employers can change them unilaterally at a whim. And although a contract is a two-way thing, employees can't.

Imagine someone saying to their employer - from next month I am only going to work 35 hours a week instead of 37. Wouldn't be tolerated, would it? But when it's the other way around, the employee has to accept it or leave.

This country is turning into a complete shithole, and the sad thing is many, perhaps most, working people are perfectly happy for it to happen.

Said this all along, would love it if I could walk in tomorrow and say hey I've paid in 22 years into my pension I want to retire and want my money now I'd get told to fuck off sharpish, but they now want me to work an extra 8 years, pay more and get less well Mr Cameron you can fuck off as well, and take the rest of that rabble in parliament (all parties) with you.

 

[Blue Punter]

I've got a friend who is quite low down the pay scale, up to his eyeballs in debt, but is paying it off slowly month by month. Very little disposable income. However he's still 100% behind the strike.

I've got a colleague who earns three times what he does, plenty of savings etc. He's decided to go in work. As you point out it's a bit unfair that my mate has sacrificed a days pay whilst the other bloke reaps any future benefits without making any sacrifice.

How come you know all your friends/colleagues personal financial positions? And should you strike if you disagree with the reasons behind it, just because a friend/colleague agrees with them?

I don't know ALL my friends & colleagues personal financial positions. Neither am I Mystic bleeding Meg. I know the two mentioned because they've openly spoken about them and I'm aware what the relevant pay grades for both people are.

I strike because I'm a member of a union and am happy to go with what the majority of the members democratically vote is the right course of action. If I wasn't happy doing that, I'd withdraw from the union.

I wouldn't have the barefaced cheek to let others make sacrifices, whilst I made none, yet still enjoy any potential benefits. Or in this case protect the ones we have.