So you think people should roll over and have their bellies tickled. Welcome to civvy st. You chose the forces. Nobody forced you.
That’s not the question though. do YOU think it’s right that the government took a pay rise and now won’t give one to their employees? Simple question. IMHO you can’t blame people for a protest against something that’s demonstrably wrong. And in blaming those people, you’re just accepting that the upper tiers of society are allowed to take what they want and the lower tiers have to pay for it.
Not sure what to say to the OP that is constructive - especially as he for some bizarre reasons thinks that the governments mishandling of Covid is not to be considered in this context We have had 10 years of Austerity under a Tory government - during that time a select few rich people have got richer and the poorest have got poorer, Child poverty has increased . MP's have had nice pay rises though During the pandemic a select few friends of the Tory Govermnent have made vast sums of money whilst the majority of the public sector have continues working in difficult conditions - They havent had the benefit of paid holiday for many months but now are being told that they cant have a payrise for the foreseable future. And all the OP can think to do is point a finger at the unions with a loaded question. The question asked is the wrong question but if forced to Answer it I would say of course the unions have a right to try and get a better deal for their members if they think they are being taken advantage of
This might be a bit of an old-fashioned view, but I have absolutely no issue with anybody going on strike if that's what they want.
You obviously need to understand what’s gone off in all sections of the Public sector before you can come to a general conclusion about pay demands. Public Sector pay, terms and conditions have nosedived since the Global collapse in 2008. The DWP is known as the poor relations of the Civil Service in terms of pay scales. Indeed, many have 20 years or more service holding frontline line jobs and responsible for a level of decision making that would be paid at a lot higher rate in the private Sector. Many of us are just hovering above the zNational Living wage. Austerity has never ended. After years of little or no pay rise we are now being told there ‘s a strong possibility of a pay freeze. Which will no doubt put many on zNational Living Wage. The pressures and responsibilities our jobs hold do not deserve this. Working through this Pandemic has been no picnic and very stressful. Particularly in the early days. Do you think the Gov’s sole reason for NHS workers being exempt from this is because they just deserve it, if you do you’re being very naive at least. The members are the Union and with Unions being properly democratic it is the members who will decide if we take industrial action or not. Unlike Govt and Council Ballots we have to have a 50% turnout for the result of the ballot to be legal. So those that don’t vote. ( which annoys the fek out of me) are counted as being against the Union
Strikes aren't worth the hassle. If you strike at the Hospital you lose a days pay and have to go through the rigmarole of claiming 75% of it back from the Union. If the union came to you and said we have your bank details we'll give you 75% of your daily pay stay at home that would be different.
So who has created the situation where it's "too much hassle" to go on strike? Sounds wrong to me that does
You are the Union, there is no them and us with the Union. I don’t get paid If I strike, in fact We get a double whammy as my Wife works there as well. No one likes going on strike it is a last resort. Regretfully Sometimes it is the only way.
No you don’t, they can ask but you don’t have to tell. Anyway, I just tell them I don’t know I haven’t made my mind up
Not everyone is in the union though. That's the main problem. Weak as ****. I'm only in the Union because I'd caught wind of something that didn't sit right with me to cover my back so to speak.
An argument based on the preface that you're asking people to ignore salient points that undermine said argument is hilarious. Answer, tax the billionaires til they squeak.
Annoys me when non-Union work colleagues start moaning and saying things like ‘what’s Union doing about this’ and and ‘where’s the Union’ It’s also very disappointing watching them and Union members cross picket lines.
So basically you’ve put together an argument and preloaded it by taking away counter arguments. Clever that. Did you learn it at some debating society in Oxford. That’s where Johnson learned it.
Strikes are the LAST RESORT. of any unions. Only if pushed into a corner by not negotiating a deal that satisfies most if not all. 33 yrs at my present company not even an overtime ban. Negotiations are the way. This government aren’t prepared to enter into meaningful negotiations. When that happens, conflict arises. And rightly so. What other means do workers have.