Heading towards a general strike?

MazieD

I have mentioned 'critical mass' before in connection with the current unrest. Do people understand what it means?

Very much so. And I believe we are nearing, or already at, that point.

Your observation about the previous so-called "winter of discontent" is accurate, it has very little in common with what is happening now.

Like Caesar, we have passed the Rubicon.

I doubt it. The British aren't really into mass civil disobedience/general strikes, we rarely have been, and never in the last 90+ years.

I don't think that we have ever been in such an extreme position before with so many different sectors very unhappy with the way the country is being run (or, more accurately, not run). Industrial unrest in multiple sectors is in the news but we also have businesses deeply worried about their survival, many of them already badly affected by Brexit but now with the threat of massive, unsustainable, energy bills.

The 'winter of discontent', which is the nearest scenario to the current one that I can think of, had nothing like so many disaffected sectors. It also happened under governments which did seem to care...

I have mentioned 'critical mass' before in connection with the current unrest. Do people understand what it means?

varian

I sometimes think that we may be heading for something more alarming than a general strike -this country has lost its way. Nothing in this country works as it should.

We have had enough of a thoroughly corrupt and incompetent Tory government and it really doesn't matter which corrupt and incompetent Tory becomes the next PM.

We need total rethink if the UK is to survive as a country -top to bottom constitutional reform, starting with scrapping our undemocratic FPTP voting system.

... spot on. Absolutely spot on.

I doubt it. The British aren't really into mass civil disobedience/general strikes, we rarely have been, and never in the last 90+ years.

There will be protests, there will be different strikes, at different times, but other than that, we'll do what we've always done in times of recession - just get on with life, the best way we can.

Meanwhile, Felixstowe Port, where half of all our imports land, are due to hold an 8 day strike.

The workers were offered a 7% pay rise, but have rejected it.

This will impact on everyone, as the supply chain will be badly affected.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-62608112

Casdon

Removal of the populations rights to strike, receive free healthcare and education and their ability to afford to work but not live in poverty would be a good start Doodledog

I see what you mean, (and believe that if the Tories could do those things they would), but I was thinking in terms of what people think might happen if the population is pushed far enough. Civil war? Riots? Marshal law?

We had perfectly good foreign workers that did those jobs. The trouble is they were ‘foreign’ and were taking jobs that U.K. workers wanted to do. Or thought they did….

Katie59

Care workers are voting with their feet there are 160,000 vacancies. Very similar vacancies throughout the health service, we are very close to breaking point.
Hospitality has major shortages too, this is not going to end well.

And foreign workers will be brought in to fill those vacancies

varian

One of these possible Tory PMs may be worse than the other but I have no doubt that whichever one wins will continue to inflict damage on our country.

Surely at some point even the readers of the Daily Mail might say "that's enough damage-we need a better government".

I’m sure you’re right, but it’s still very important to have the one as PM who will inflict the least damage, two years is a long time.

One of these possible Tory PMs may be worse than the other but I have no doubt that whichever one wins will continue to inflict damage on our country.

Surely at some point even the readers of the Daily Mail might say "that's enough damage-we need a better government".

Care workers are voting with their feet there are 160,000 vacancies. Very similar vacancies throughout the health service, we are very close to breaking point.
Hospitality has major shortages too, this is not going to end well.

Removal of the populations rights to strike, receive free healthcare and education and their ability to afford to work but not live in poverty would be a good start Doodledog

Really interesting blog by Richard Murphy here on company dividends, productivity and profits. It's a long read, but I think it contributes to supporting the case for workers demanding higher wages.

We are continually being told by Tory politicians and the Bank of England that businesses must not give employees pay rises that might match inflation because this would create an inflationary spiral. But what about dividends? Aren’t they the real cause of the problem?

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2022/08/20/companies-are-paying-inflation-busting-dividends-at-cost-to-the-rest-of-the-economy-including-their-employees/

It was posted as a twitter thread, which I've looked at and can't find anyone responding with a serious critique of the research and its conclusions.

I keep hearing (and reading) that we (the UK) are on the edge of the abyss. What do people see as being at the bottom of it?

varian

I sometimes think that we may be heading for something more alarming than a general strike -this country has lost its way. Nothing in this country works as it should.

We have had enough of a thoroughly corrupt and incompetent Tory government and it really doesn't matter which corrupt and incompetent Tory becomes the next PM.

We need total rethink if the UK is to survive as a country -top to bottom constitutional reform, starting with scrapping our undemocratic FPTP voting system.

I don’t agree varian because given we will doubtless have a Tory government for over 2 years, it still matters a great deal who is PM.

I sometimes think that we may be heading for something more alarming than a general strike -this country has lost its way. Nothing in this country works as it should.

We have had enough of a thoroughly corrupt and incompetent Tory government and it really doesn't matter which corrupt and incompetent Tory becomes the next PM.

We need total rethink if the UK is to survive as a country -top to bottom constitutional reform, starting with scrapping our undemocratic FPTP voting system.

There is no such thing as a mere nursery nurse!
A very valuable and necessary job, Harris27

Harris27

A mere nursery nurse for twenty years wouldn’t know where to start joining a union it’s work or want for me!

Unison represent Nursery Nurses/Early Years Practitioners

Dickens

GrannyGravy13

I think the last thing the U.K. needs at the moment is a general strike.

... the "UK" is not a homogenous group.

And a general strike is never a desirable outcome is it?

But things cannot go on as they are. If people working full-time were just about managing to put food on the table and pay their bills, but are now in the position where they simply and literally cannot afford to do both - what do you expect them to do? If the ever-increasing cost of living is so punitive, do you really think they should just suck it up, continue to accept that BP etc are making unprecedented profits, while they continue to cut, cut - and cut some more from their weekly food shop to the point where they're not able to eat enough to sustain them to even go to work?

The government have it within their remit to help those who are really struggling. It won't suit their ideology, they would have to do it through gritted teeth because it goes against their free-market ideology, and they loath giving "handouts", but people cannot live below subsistence level - they cannot go home to an empty food cupboard and a cold house (possibly, in winter, very cold - even damp) indefinitely whilst they wait for the markets to re-balance themselves, for businesses to "grow", or wait for the 'trickle-down' effect.

No, a general strike is not good, but the mere fact that we are now looking at one in a nation that is normally mostly compliant, that moans and whinges but doesn't normally galvanise itself into any action to combat the things it complains about, should surely tell you that we have reached a critical stage, a stage where some simply will find that their income - no matter how "hard" they work, will not cover their outgoings.

The government have options to mitigate the effects of this cost of living crisis, to some extent at least. I for one will support a general strike - because it's the only way this current government will understand that people have had enough... years of Austerity, and now this. Government can still be fiscally 'responsible' and, at the same time, alleviate the very real suffering that some are experiencing. There is wealth - we are still a wealthy country. How much longer do you expect the low-paid to watch their income shrivel whilst those at the top get ever bigger payouts, bonuses - whilst BP reports it highest profits for eight years, etc, etc, bloody, etc?

We've reached a point of no-return. There will be riots, civil disobedience, strikes, economic instability. You can only supress people for a period of time before they retaliate. We're a tolerant nation in terms of what we're prepared to put up with economically, we've accepted the dwindling services in the Care sector, Dentistry, the NHS, etc, we've accepted the former increases in the cost of living. But the shocking increase in fuel and energy prices is now unacceptable. The end of the tether has been reached.

Very well said

A mere nursery nurse for twenty years wouldn’t know where to start joining a union it’s work or want for me!

What else is there to improve the situation other than a general strike?

A general election? Hopefully one will drive the other.

Yes, good post Dickens

What else is there to improve the situation other than a general strike?

Excellent post at 09.28 Dickens. Thank you. ????

Callistemon21

^The end of the tether has been reached^

When it was reached in 1978/79 Margaret Thatcher was more than ready. Like her or loathe her, the speeches she gave were impassioned and inspired many to vote Tory for the first time. Perhaps some didn't think of the ultimate consequences of her policies, they were sick and tired of the status quo and just wanted change.

Perhaps Keir Starmer lacks the charisma so he will have to rely on the fact that he would be a steady and reliable PM to steer us through the crises.

Like her or loathe her, the speeches she gave were impassioned and inspired many to vote Tory for the first time.

Disliked her and what she stood for, but - the difference between her and Johnson, Truss, Sunak, IMO is that she believed wholeheartedly in an ideology that had already formed her and one to which she was committed, regardless. I got the impression that she didn't need to 'cast around' for mantras and soundbites, though she did make some memorable statements and observations.

I don't think Johnson is committed to anything other than his own ambition and will adopt any stance necessary to achieve it. Truss was a Remainer but has become a Brexiter and seems to falter when choosing her priorities - back-tracking on them if necessary. Sunak - well I'm not sure about him, but I do believe he's a dedicated right-winter. But he, too, will back-track if necessary. Whereas Thatcher laid out her stall, and what you saw was what you were going to get.

Her speeches were impassioned I think because she really believed in what she was promoting.

Dickens summed up exactly what I feel.

I will support a general strike on the basis that this government could help but choose not to do so. How else can the voices of millions who are struggling just to keep up be heard?