What are your views on unions & strikes?

DaisyAnne

Sadly, Casdon, that is not what the papers will say. At least in the run-up to the by-elections.

This government is not about the people in the country. It is just about keeping their jobs so they can make the very wealthy more wealthy. Now the pain is going up the income ladder perhaps, eventually, more people will realise that.

You’re right DaisyAnne ,and that’s not what the papers will say. Divide and rule is the government’s motto. They aren’t going to win out though, because ultimately public workers will stand together, they’ve got no choice because so many can’t manage now. It’ll be messy. I haven’t seen ex colleagues so militant in years, and it takes a huge amount to push NHS staff into industrial action but I can see it coming this year.

To get better pay for carers, stop voting Tory.

Is there anything ordinary citizens can do to get better pay for carers?

Stop voting Tory.

I heard on the Sophie Rayworth programme this morning that the RMT has amassed a considerable war chest and those on strike will be receiving a generous payment on each strike day.

That’s really sticking two fingers up to those who will be unable to get to work and consequently lose pay.

Nightowl, that makes me feel angry. Is there anything ordinary citizens can do to get better pay for carers?

Shinamae's message is repeated from other sources again and again, and only the intervention of a liberal press seems to sort individual cases .

Caleo

As Shinamae's message shows, management is currently too strong.

Do the powerful unions strike in support of underpaid workers in other ethical industries? If not , why not?

I believe it is illegal for workers to strike in support of workers in different employment Caleo. Another legacy of Thatcher and of all parties continued determination to break the power of workers (not Unions).

What is the point of the Labour Party if it isn’t going to loudly support the rail strikes?
The Party was founded on workers rights. Fence-sitting could be its undoing.
Starmer's Labour seems unable to make an argument, to take on a fight?

And
Thousands march in London over cost of living crisis
Demonstration organised by TUC calls on government to make ‘better deal’ for people struggling to cope with soaring inflation

As Shinamae's message shows, management is currently too strong.

Do the powerful unions strike in support of underpaid workers in other ethical industries? If not , why not?

Anniebach

Yammy a general strike would be a disaster and the winter of
discontent gave us Thatcher

I agree Anniebach you and I have knowledge of the General strike as will many others and what it did to the mines and other industries, especially in the North and Wales.
Young people today have no idea what a General strike would do to the country which is already in a bad way.
There is a time and place for striking and at the moment with all the logistical problems we have with imports and exports alone does not seem to be it.

A power balance should be maintained between unions and management.

Agree with all the points in your last post MaisieD.

Shinamae

MaizieD

Perhaps the English don't want the work because it's so poorly paid, Shinamae.

Undoubtedly MaizieD and also for some of them I’m afraid to say it is better for them financially to stay on benefits..

As 'benefits' are minimal and are being rapidly eroded by inflation it doesn't look good that they are preferable to working in jobs which don't improve their circumstances.

I know that the tory idea is to make benefits so minimal that people are forced to work, but perhaps it would be better to legislate to make wages more attractive than being in receipt of benefits...

Still, with there being a shortage of labour at the moment, perhaps employers will get round to realising that they have to pay more than subsistence rates to attract workers..

MaizieD

Perhaps the English don't want the work because it's so poorly paid, Shinamae.

Undoubtedly MaizieD and also for some of them I’m afraid to say it is better for them financially to stay on benefits..

Perhaps the English don't want the work because it's so poorly paid, Shinamae.

As a carer l work very hard for minimum wage and there’s no way I would strike or would any of my colleagues… The powers that be know this and take full advantage of it.The English are outnumbered in my care home by foreign workers who are sponsored to come over here. I have nothing against them they are hard workers and very reliable, only thing is that even though their English is quite good the accents are so strong even without a mask it would be hard for residents to understand them but there’s nothing we can do about that at the moment because the English don’t want the work.Very sad state of affairs

There's never a good time for a strike.
I feel sorry that workers are reaching the stage where they have to take action. No one would be happy with having to strike.
Unfortunately it will only benefit this uncaring government.

Sadly, Casdon, that is not what the papers will say. At least in the run-up to the by-elections.

This government is not about the people in the country. It is just about keeping their jobs so they can make the very wealthy more wealthy. Now the pain is going up the income ladder perhaps, eventually, more people will realise that.

I think this is going to backfire because other groups of workers with different unions will be taking industrial action, no doubt including strikes soon.
www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/18/strike-chaoes-teachers-nhs-staff-action-pay-rail-unions
The public sector as a whole is justifiably very discontented with years of under inflation pay rises, and the government is about to reap what it has sowed. It’s nothing to do with Labour, the Tories have been in power for twelve years and they only have themselves to blame.

I repeat. Just to back up DiamondLily's post.

The government is not allowing the train operating companies to offer higher pay.

In other words, the government is deliberately contributing to causing the strikes.

inews.co.uk/news/politics/train-strike-chaos-continue-ministers-rail-firms-rmt-1693370

Be interesting to see if senior managers have received pay rises over the past few years.

B

Starmer not Starter!

Grant Schapps is on twitter saying Starter won't make his position clear. Starter clearly said last week he did not want the strikes to go ahead.

Division is clearly the aim.

Athrawes

I understand the reason for strikes generally but we're now in a situation which needs all the support we need to get this country back to a modicum of normality after Covid. I don't think it is right to have a strike at the moment. In fact I think it unfair to, for example, hospital and care home staff as they are not well paid compared to other organisations and children in schools need to get back to learning - online is not good enough. So, no I don't support it in the current climate

Surely, by their very nature, the need for strike action will only ever come at a "bad" time.

The difficulties with the pay, conditions and understaffing of the train service is a concocted "bad" time. The government, which normally loves to interfere with how the trains are run, is sitting back and glorying in the far-right MSM headlines.

How's that for leadership?

There's more than a few sources that think Johnson really wants these strikes to go ahead.

Due to stoking divisions, scoring points from Labour, and Tory hardliners thinking it can be his "Thatcher" moment in trying to reduce the power of unions still further.

"Tory chiefs sent a bizarre begging letter to supporters over this week’s train strikes - after Boris Johnson was accused of wanting industrial action to go ahead.

Ministers have failed to meet with unions and employers over the looming strikes, despite Labour calling for them to act as a facilitator in talks.

And Keir Starmer today accused Mr Johnson of wanting the strike to go ahead so he could “feed off division.”

This week has seen the Government pursue a number of so-called “wedge issues” - including the Rwanda refugee plan, the Northern Ireland protocol and holding Commons debates about train strikes - which divide public opinion and draw focus away from the PM’s Partygate woes.

But despite ministers’ failure to act, an email sent to Tory supporters this week branded the planned action “Labour’s strikes”, urging people to sign a petition against them.

And it begs for donations to “help fund our Campaign against Labour’s strikes.”

Mr Starmer said of the rail strikes: "My position and the Labour Party position is that I do not want these strikes to go ahead."

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tory-chiefs-bizarre-begging-letter-27268824

MerylStreep

I thought that might not be clear. Within reason I believe that striking is the only weapon that the working man has.
I also believe that for the vast majority of union members striking is the last resort.
Short of being at that negotiating table non of us know the facts.

Agree too.