Strike Action Options

[Bloggo]

Interestingly the pole on the Newbury Today home page doesn't appear to reflect the views expressed here!

Well, it did do and amazingly swung the other way. I think it can be manipulated by an individual willing to spend the time on it.

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Well, it did do and amazingly swung the other way. I think it can be manipulated by an individual willing to spend the time on it.

I wondered what they were doing on their day off. Not on a picket line thats for sure.

[blackdog]

No, but their actions should be considerate. If all the train drivers go on strike 30% of the population will be UNABLE to get to work, harming the economy, even for one day that can be millions of pounds of lost revenue, let alone a likely loss of income for those unable to get in to work. All because they want a 2% payrise of moaning about their pension or something.

Their protest, from what I can tell, is about having to work longer, pay more and get less when they retire. Loss, loss, loss - not about a pay rise (they haven't had one for two years now).

So I could just go "I feel like temporarily refusing to do my job". And use that an excuse? Ok, so if I'm unhappy with an aspect of my job I could just "strike"? No, I couldn't. I have responsibilities and my terms of employment were made clear in various documentations, etc. I am unhappy with SOME aspects of my job, and things I will be discussing at reviews, or in a quiet email or chat at lunch, not by standing there with a sign saying "WE WON'T WORK"

Too right you couldn't - no individual can decide to take a day off and call it a strike. Strikes are by groups of employees, they must be organised, a ballot has to be taken to ensure that the strike is supported - under strict guidelines.

I hate children, or would end up kidnapping them and running away.

I sympathise with your opinion, I would hate to be a school teacher too - which makes those that are prepared to do the dreadful job the more valuable.

Irrelevant; the point is that it's selfish of these people to strike.

Of course it's selfish, it's their future they are worried about not one day in your life.

The government is imposing these pension cuts - are they cutting the much more generous MP pension scheme in the same way?

[factsonly]

Of course all these winging public sector workers could do what those employed in the private sector have to do if they don't like their terms of employment - leave and get a job somewhere you will be happy. Simple really, and done by thousands of people every week.

Actually just occurred to me that changing jobs requires effort, and their benefits in the private sector almost certainly wouldn't match those they current get (or even those that are proposed).

[TallDarkAndHands...]

All this reminds me of the Strawbs...

Now I'm a union man
Amazed at what I am
I say what I think, that the company stinks
Yes I'm a union man

When we meet in the local hall
I'll be voting with them all
With a **** of a shout, it's "Out brothers, out!"
And the rise of the factory's fall

Oh, you don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
Until the day I die
Until the day I die

The union has made me wise
To the lies of the company spies
And I don't get fooled by the factory rules
'cause I always read between the lines

And I always get my way
If I strike for higher pay
When I show my card to the Scotland Yard
And this is what I say:

Oh, oh, you don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
Until the day I die
Until the day I die

Before the union did appear
My life was half as clear
Now I've got the power to the working hour
And every other day of the year

So though I'm a working man
I can ruin the government's plan
And though I'm not hard, the sight of my card
Makes me some kind of superman

Oh, oh, oh, you don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
Until the day I die
Until the day I die

You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
You don't get me, I'm part of the union
Until the day I die
Until the day I die

[user23]

Of course all these winging public sector workers could do what those employed in the private sector have to do if they don't like their terms of employment - leave and get a job somewhere you will be happy. Simple really, and done by thousands of people every week.

Actually just occurred to me that changing jobs requires effort, and their benefits in the private sector almost certainly wouldn't match those they current get (or even those that are proposed).

Suggesting all teachers, nurses and the like on strike yesterday should leave their jobs seems counter productive. The NHS and our education system would no doubt grind to a halt.

Not really sure what these benefits in the private sector you refer to are. It's certainly not perks like share schemes, staff discount, company dos or Christmas bonuses one might receive in the private sector.

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

I've had a busy day at work so can't be bothered to debate in detail so will just be brief.

Their protest, from what I can tell, is about having to work longer, pay more and get less when they retire. Loss, loss, loss - not about a pay rise (they haven't had one for two years now).

no. their contributions are being raised so rather than paying like 1% and having the government pay 5% they have to pay 5% as well...or something like that, i'm too busy not being bothered to care.

Too right you couldn't - no individual can decide to take a day off and call it a strike. Strikes are by groups of employees, they must be organised, a ballot has to be taken to ensure that the strike is supported - under strict guidelines.

quick email round "hey guys shall we strike tomorrow?" get a majority of a reply yes. job done? no. get with the real world you have responsibilities and it's your JOB to perform them.

I sympathise with your opinion, I would hate to be a school teacher too - which makes those that are prepared to do the dreadful job the more valuable.

difference is i don't say i don't like kids and then choose to be a teacher. it's a choice, working in a school isn't like a concentration camp, you don't have to be there. you could have done something else. so basically those who DO want to do it are aware of the terms and need to shut up.

Of course it's selfish, it's their future they are worried about not one day in your life.

The government is imposing these pension cuts - are they cutting the much more generous MP pension scheme in the same way?

probably not and i don't think it's fair one group is treated differently to another but my point about striking being selfish and ignorant stands and is valid.

[factsonly]

Suggesting all teachers, nurses and the like on strike yesterday should leave their jobs seems counter productive. The NHS and our education system would no doubt grind to a halt.

Not really sure what these benefits in the private sector you refer to are. It's certainly not perks like share schemes, staff discount, company dos or Christmas bonuses one might receive in the private sector.

Not suggesting all public sector workers change jobs, just those that think they would be better off elsewhere - obviously

In the private sector staff discount (where available), share schemes and christmas bonuses are worked into the payscale from the off, so not really perks as such and paid for by the company not the tax payer. And many of these are being scrapped or cut back, many discount schemes are capped at x per month and now limited to just the employee where before it would have included family.

Can you imagine the ridicule you would be subject to if private sector workers went on strike because they were loosing:-
Staff discount, Christmas do and their share options!!

Now where's the company final salary pension and 10 weeks holiday

[Dodgys smarter b...]

All this reminds me of the Strawbs...

Oh dear.

Dave Cousins originally 'wrote' it as an updating of 'Union Maid' by Woody Guthrie et al

There once was a union maid, she never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs who made the raid.
She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called,
And when the Legion boys come 'round
She always stood her ground.

CHORUS:
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.

This union maid was wise to the tricks of company spies,
She couldn't be fooled by a company stool, she'd always organize the guys.
She always got her way when she struck for better pay.
She'd show her card to the National Guard
And this is what she'd say:

CHORUS

You gals who want to be free, just take a tip from me;
Get you a man who's a union man and join the ladies' auxiliary.
Married life ain't hard when you got a union card,
A union man has a happy life when he's got a union wife.

To this day, the remaining members of the Strawbs still insist it wasn't parodic or sarcastic, it was just (re)written very badly by them . And thus capable of being misunderstood. (which it was) (clearly). They should have stuck with the Guthrie version.

[factsonly]

Oh dear.

Dave Cousins originally 'wrote' it as an updating of 'Union Maid' by Woody Guthrie et al

There once was a union maid, she never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs who made the raid.
She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called,
And when the Legion boys come 'round
She always stood her ground.

CHORUS:
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.

This union maid was wise to the tricks of company spies,
She couldn't be fooled by a company stool, she'd always organize the guys.
She always got her way when she struck for better pay.
She'd show her card to the National Guard
And this is what she'd say:

CHORUS

You gals who want to be free, just take a tip from me;
Get you a man who's a union man and join the ladies' auxiliary.
Married life ain't hard when you got a union card,
A union man has a happy life when he's got a union wife.

To this day, the remaining members of the Strawbs still insist it wasn't parodic or sarcastic, it was just (re)written very badly by them . And thus capable of being misunderstood. (which it was) (clearly). They should have stuck with the Guthrie version.

What the fecking **** is happening, it's turning into the X factor round here.

[Dodgys smarter b...]

What the fecking **** is happening, it's turning into the X factor round here.

Judging by the age and lack of anything to do during the day on here I'd say it was more of a 'Pop' 'Idle' thing.

Geddit?

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

Ignore the miserable old man, he wishes death upon people for no reason other than the fact of being a miserable old man.

I quite liked your song.

[user23]

Now where's the company final salary pension and 10 weeks holiday

Looks like Private Sector staff might be going on strike over final salary pension schemes too.

Unilever Strike

[NWNREADER]

Oh dear.

Dave Cousins originally 'wrote' it as an updating of 'Union Maid' by Woody Guthrie et al

There once was a union maid, she never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs who made the raid.
She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called,
And when the Legion boys come 'round
She always stood her ground.

CHORUS:
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.

This union maid was wise to the tricks of company spies,
She couldn't be fooled by a company stool, she'd always organize the guys.
She always got her way when she struck for better pay.
She'd show her card to the National Guard
And this is what she'd say:

CHORUS

You gals who want to be free, just take a tip from me;
Get you a man who's a union man and join the ladies' auxiliary.
Married life ain't hard when you got a union card,
A union man has a happy life when he's got a union wife.

To this day, the remaining members of the Strawbs still insist it wasn't parodic or sarcastic, it was just (re)written very badly by them . And thus capable of being misunderstood. (which it was) (clearly). They should have stuck with the Guthrie version.

They also refuse to perform it!!! DC has nothing good to say of it as he is not a 'pop' musician! The band was in the grip of the producers who say pound signs, not quality

[blackdog]

no. their contributions are being raised so rather than paying like 1% and having the government pay 5% they have to pay 5% as well...or something like that, i'm too busy not being bothered to care.

Yes. The proposals are to change the pension scheme to make them pay more, work longer and get less.
If you don't care why on earth are you so het up about it?

quick email round "hey guys shall we strike tomorrow?" get a majority of a reply yes. job done? no. get with the real world you have responsibilities and it's your JOB to perform them.

Your ignorance of modern industrial relations law is impressive - do you ever watch the news or read a newspaper?

difference is i don't say i don't like kids and then choose to be a teacher. it's a choice, working in a school isn't like a concentration camp, you don't have to be there. you could have done something else. so basically those who DO want to do it are aware of the terms and need to shut up.

Teachers are aware of the terms of their employment - part of which is the right to join a union and to take strike action under certain circumstances. They are not stiking because they don't like the job, they are striking because their employer wants to change (for the worse) the terms of their employment.

probably not and i don't think it's fair one group is treated differently to another but my point about striking being selfish and ignorant stands and is valid.

But you are arguing that one group - public servants - should be treated differently to another - private sectore employees - by having their right to strike removed.

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Jeremy Clarkson was right!!!!!!!!!!

[factsonly]

Ignore the miserable old man, he wishes death upon people for no reason other than the fact of being a miserable old man.

I quite liked your song.

I also have the ability to move on from a disagreement without holding a grudge, that's something that comes with age. So yes, perhaps to you I am an old man, definitely not miserable though

[Nothing Much]

I think the thread might have run it's course,so I might ramble a tiny bit.
Woody Guthrie was not the first to change a tune or lyrics.Many American "folk songs"
came from the Appalachians They often came from Lincolnshire and East Anglia.
His version of Gypsy Davey is based on a border ballad from 1720 ish, via the Carter family.
Then Arlo took over and changed it again. (He looks older now since" Alice's Restaurant")

I always thought the Strawbs were just having a laugh but it was fun at the time..
ce

[On the edge]

Think you are probably right. Was around at the time and yes there were apparently loads of strikes; but where I lived and worked, you'd be hard put to find one. Anyway, we were more interested in how much Watneys Red Barrel we could pour down ourthroats....I can't remember it being that bad either!

[NWNREADER]

But a Double Diamond worked wonders