30th November - Industrial Action / Strikes

[Going Underground]

Does anyone know if TfL services are likely to be affected, as one of my work colleagues was planning a trip to London next Wednesday?

Cheers.....

[hopeful traveller]

This is a socially irresponsible act. You get nothing out of this so why even try? Take the government's offer or leave it and create pain for yourself.

[jamesthegill]

This is a socially irresponsible act. You get nothing out of this so why even try? Take the government's offer or leave it and create pain for yourself.

To make a point. Given the current panic about what may happen on Wednesday, it only serves to emphasise how vital they are and how stupid it would be to cut their jobs. I really don't think they're doing it just for a day of Xmas shopping.

[RichieG]

Yes, going to London for the day *is* socially irresponsible... best stay at home everybody.

[hopeful traveller]

What is on offer is extremely generous to the trade unions and they decline it! Only 25% of the unions voted in favour of a strike and whilst an individual may strike, it is wrong to strike when negotiations are ongoing and when you did not vote for it! Would you like to know where Labour are getting their budgets from? Well, I have the figures - 86% have been coming from the trade unions! Shame!

[Root]

What is on offer is extremely generous to the trade unions and they decline it! Only 25% of the unions voted in favour of a strike and whilst an individual may strike, it is wrong to strike when negotiations are ongoing and when you did not vote for it! Would you like to know where Labour are getting their budgets from? Well, I have the figures - 86% have been coming from the trade unions! Shame!

Have you been listening to PMQs? I heard most of those lines this week.

Whether or not they are right to strike - and I really have no idea - this "negotiations are ongoing" thing is just stupid. Picture this (completely made-up) scenario:

Trade Union Representative Dude: I want a 20% increase in pay for my members.
Corporate Unified Negotiating Team: We'll give you 1%.
TURD: That's ridiculous. 10% is as low as I'll go.
****: Our offer is still 1%.
TURD: Would you give us 5%?
****: How about 1%?

Option 1:

TURD: Right, I'm ending the negotiations. We'll have to strike.
****: We'll just put out this press release, then: "Trade union walks away from negotiations, more interested in striking than compromise".

Option 2:

TURD: I really want to come to an agreement, but in the meantime, we'll have to strike.
****: We'll just put out this press release, then: "Trade union strikes while negotiations are ongoing, irresponsibly threatening chances of agreement".

That's obviously ridiculous, but my point is that unless you were actually present during the negotiations, you can't truly know which side is in the right and which isn't.

[geofftech]

"Some RMT" ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15871084

[hopeful traveller]

What is on offer is extremely generous to the trade unions and they decline it! Only 25% of the unions voted in favour of a strike and whilst an individual may strike, it is wrong to strike when negotiations are ongoing and when you did not vote for it! Would you like to know where Labour are getting their budgets from? Well, I have the figures - 86% have been coming from the trade unions! Shame!

Have you been listening to PMQs? I heard most of those lines this week.

I was, but no Labour MP mentioned the word "strike" once.

[moley]

I'm sorry but if 2 million people strike and lets assume that they all earn minimum wage of say £6 per hour. Working an average of 7.5 hours a day.

Thats £90,000,000 that the government wont pay in salaries this month. IF they strike 3 times, then thats best part of
£300,000,000. I'm sure at that point the government will increase their offer.

The fact is that civil servants have some of the best flexible conditions and generous pensions anywhere in the UK. I know people that are going on strike because their 2.5% pension contribution is going up to 3.75%. They should work in the private sector where there is not protected final salary scheme, where pension contributions are more like 6% with employers only matching 2/3rds.