Strikes

[securespark]

Started with BA, and Brown was furious. "HOW DARE THEY STRIKE!", he no doubt bellowed into the ear of the nearest unfortunate bystander.

Now other unions are also balloting (?) their members for strike action.

Is this, coupled with the general election looming, a coincidence?

 

[roughcaster]

Like a load of sheep following each other. Sack the lot of em i say,,, bring the Army in,,,,, Mr Mannering sir,,,,, Not really funny though.

 

[skitzee2k]

....difficult isn't it. I can't stand strikers, or unions. I do however see the NEED for them. They need to have that power to strike just INCASE the employers take the p**s ....but they abuse that power so much.

I think we need to tweak the law a bit.

 

[securespark]

Sorry, skit...

Who abuses power, the unions or the employers?

 

[skitzee2k]

Sorry, skit...

Who abuses power, the unions or the employers?

I'm actually with the employers all the way, but I thought i'd mask that otherwise everyone would disagree because i was the one that said it.

 

[oompah]

Is this, coupled with the general election looming, a coincidence?

I wandered about this securepark could they possibly be hell bent on not trying to win, the opposition has not come up with any thing to enhance their reputations.

 

[skitzee2k]

Is this, coupled with the general election looming, a coincidence?

I wandered about this securepark could they possibly be hell bent on not trying to win, the opposition has not come up with any thing to enhance their reputations.

I am suprised labour had the bottle to say anything considering they are are paid for by the unions pretty much.

 

[big-all]

no one calls a strike lightly
its usualy the lowest paid who can least afford to loose the 2 or 3 days pay that are forced by employers in to a corner because they wont accept the new terms and conditions that usualy favour the employer more or mean unemployment without reasonable recompence

 

[conny]

Last year we were given the choice;
Take a 3½% pay cut and no wage rise or face possible redundancies.
In effect about 5½% cut.
We asked if we took the cut would it guarantee no redundancies.
Answer, "No. But it will give us time to assess the business needs and form a strategy for the future. Also if you agree you will be expected to sign a new contract to the effect that you are now employed under different terms to your original contract. Those not agreeing to sign by the due date will be deemed to have self terminated their contract and will no longer be employed by this company. This will also mean they will have no recourse to claim for unfair dismissal as it is self terminated. If the new strategy is successful over a continuous 9 month period we will review discussing re-instating the 3½%."

Personally I could see no choice, take the cut and keep working while looking elsewhere, if you found something ask if they would take voluntary redundancies. 2 wanted an immediate strike. Yeah right, we do not have any union involment, only 1 guy was in the union, the 2 who called for it suddenly went on the sick, 1 with back problems and the other with stress due to having to take a pay cut.
As it is, the new strategy seems to be working, there has been a bit of shuffling higher up and we have been hitting targets consistently and we've all kept our jobs.
Just hope we get our 3½% back and a decent rise this year.

 

[wotan]

Don't hold your breath Conny, the firm I worked for was far more devious, I got deselected from a position I had held fo twenty years, fortunately, I left with a good redundancy package, it was either that or take a 10K pay cut.
I was very bitter about it at the time, but on reflection it was the best thing that could have happened.

Wotan

 

[nickso]

if only BG would pay me off. i would break their arm off.

looks like a new job for the winter for me as i cant see the strike achieving anything at all.

 

[Infidel]

I think the whole strike question needs to be addressed yet again, most people on this site I'm guessing are self employed.
Most people who strike are on cards fully employed and on contracts paying tax with no choice.
Up to them I here you cry, but what about if they weren't there and they adopted the feck it attitude and signed on?

 

[oompah]

Back in 2008 a two year pay agreement was made between the management and union where i work,the agreement was 3% a year,we got the first years but not unsuprisingly last years,although they made a far more healthy profit last year compared to 2008 they are still refusing to honour the two year agreement.Consequently the union is looking to take the firm to court over breach of contract.There have been sorts of veiled threats that if this course is pursued then maybe redundancies will be made,
strike action will never be contemplated so we're stuck between a rock and hard place.

 

[nickso]

thats always the way.

our union has a history of giving up when it suits them, they have their own agenda and it doesnt involve me, other than my dues of course. whatever the union think they are going to gain for me i can bet its not even close to what i want....time to move on.

look at the BA strike, slowly but surely the workers are going back to work as they realise its not going to work, BA probably have the upper hand now.....if they can last long enough to see it out.

 

[conny]

our union has a history of giving up when it suits them, they have their own agenda and it doesnt involve me, other than my dues of course.

Which is exactly why I never re-joined years ago when the firm I then worked for closed down over Christmas and posted a note on the gate saying 'This factory is no longer open for business.'
I was lucky in that I had been made redundant in the November after a dispute over a final written warning which was out of date, but thats another story.
The other lads came back after the holidays to find they were out of a job and the unions reaction was, 'Theres nowt we can do if they have gone bust.' They hadn't gone bust, just shut the place down and then a while later re-opened producing electrical components instead of repairing motors.