Alternatives to STRIKING

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Are there any? All this talk of strikes recently got me thinking...

Although many of the people striking may have a perfectly good reason to do so, they never seem to get much sympathy from Joe Public for obvious reasons.

Why should a parent have to take a day off just because a teacher feels their pension deal isn't fair? Why should people not be able to travel on Boxing Day because a train driver has got the hump about his bonus? Is that really fair?

I think we showed as a football club that there is certainly more than one way of protesting/campaigning. You have to be creative if you really want to be heard.

Do you think there are any alternatives? Or is striking really the last resort?

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I thought this was gonna be a thread about our inability to have any shots at goal.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Are there any? All this talk of strikes recently got me thinking...

Although many of the people striking may have a perfectly good reason to do so, they never seem to get much sympathy from Joe Public for obvious reasons.

Why should a parent have to take a day off just because a teacher feels their pension deal isn't fair? Why should people not be able to travel on Boxing Day because a train driver has got the hump about his bonus? Is that really fair?

I think we showed as a football club that there is certainly more than one way of protesting/campaigning. You have to be creative if you really want to be heard.

Do you think there are any alternatives? Or is striking really the last resort?

Of course there are alternatives to striking. Just because you only hear about striking because it makes the news, it doesn't mean other methods of industrial action have not been considered or used, such as 'work to rule', go-slow or an overtime ban, Whatever the caricature, people are generally reluctant to strike, particularly as they will lose a day or more of pay. It's generally used as a last resort.

 

[fork me]

Of course there are alternatives to striking. Just because you only hear about striking because it makes the news, it doesn't mean other methods of industrial action have not been considered or used, such as 'work to rule', go-slow or an overtime ban, Whatever the caricature, people are generally reluctant to strike, particularly as they will lose a day or more of pay. It's generally used as a last resort.

Exactly, it's also well worth noting that some of the Unions involved in this strike (such as the NAHT, founded 1897, for example) were striking for the first time ever. That says a lot about the depth of feeling and how much of a last resort this strike is.

 

[xenophon]

 

[Triggaaar]

Are there any? All this talk of strikes recently got me thinking...

Although I don't think striking should be legal, I think the wages of those in the public sector should be better protected to compensate.

Why should a parent have to take a day off just because a teacher feels their pension deal isn't fair? Why should people not be able to travel on Boxing Day because a train driver has got the hump about his bonus? Is that really fair?

My beef with striking is that it isn't fair to the employer. Normally staff will only strike if they have been wronged, but there's nothing to stop them striking for any reason they fancy. You could easily bring a company like British airways down by striking, and give them no choice but to meet your demands, regardless whether they were fair or not.

I think we showed as a football club that there is certainly more than one way of protesting/campaigning. You have to be creative if you really want to be heard.

For public sector workers, like the NHS, it wouldn't matter how much they protested, it would fall on deaf ears. They get shafted over their pay, but they don't have the ability to move to another job like those in private industry do (yes there are some private hospitals, but not enough to give NHS staff a real choice).

Do you think there are any alternatives? Or is striking really the last resort?

Change the laws on controlling public sector pay, and remove the right to strike.

 

[Fungus]

Organise for socialism. It's the only long-term answer.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Of course there are alternatives to striking. Just because you only hear about striking because it makes the news, it doesn't mean other methods of industrial action have not been considered or used, such as 'work to rule', go-slow or an overtime ban, Whatever the caricature, people are generally reluctant to strike, particularly as they will lose a day or more of pay. It's generally used as a last resort.

Fair enough, maybe it's a PR issue then, but you very rarely, if ever hear about people threatening to work to rule or go slow. Is it used that often or just under-reported?

 

[withdeanwombat]

Yes,yes there is.

Roll over.Lose your rights.Allow your hard won conditions to be eroded.

What could be simpler than that ?

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Fair enough, maybe it's a PR issue then, but you very rarely, if ever hear about people threatening to work to rule or go slow. Is it used that often or just under-reported?

I have no data on the prevalence of particular forms of industrial action used in the UK, so unfortunately I can't answer that. To be honest, I don't think employees working to rule or going slow is particularly newsworthy, especially as they usually don't lose any core pay and the disruption caused to the employer and public is minimal. Also, if I was in a team that was using those tactics, I'm not sure how much I'd want them to go to the media about it. Using those low level forms of industrial action suggests that the employees haven't given up all hope yet and are not yet wanting to truly escalate the situation.

 

[jimhigham]

It often surprises me that "work to rule" isn't used more often. From my own experience in a government agency, the place largely functions on the goodwill of staff who do all manner of little extras here and there simply to "get the job done". If a strict work to rule was invoked many offices would fall apart in days.

 

[beorhthelm]

Fair enough, maybe it's a PR issue then, but you very rarely, if ever hear about people threatening to work to rule or go slow. Is it used that often or just under-reported?

here the thing, strikes are all about publicity. both externally to pressure the employer, and internally to be seen to be doing something for the members. for the vast majority of employees who cant involved in some individual dispute, pay negotiations and strikes are the only time the union does much for them. remember that unions need members, they need to sell their services to the employees, if you arent doing somthing visably, people might question membership and stop paying.

 

[KNC]

Yes,yes there is.

Roll over.Lose your rights.Allow your hard won conditions to be eroded.

What could be simpler than that ?

Oh, so THIS.

I have heard so many times during the recent strikes, the moans, the 'I haven't got a decent pension'. Yet these are the people who, when maybe times were better, gave away all their rights for fools gold.
That's exactly what they did. They rolled over.
Now, when a union takes the last resort, and calls a strike, its all those horrible leftie troublemakers fault.
NO, they are fighting for what YOU gave away. Their RIGHTS.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Oh, so THIS.

I have heard so many times during the recent strikes, the moans, the 'I haven't got a decent pension'. Yet these are the people who, when maybe times were better, gave away all their rights for fools gold.
That's exactly what they did. They rolled over.
Now, when a union takes the last resort, and calls a strike, its all those horrible leftie troublemakers fault.
NO, they are fighting for what YOU gave away. Their RIGHTS.

Interesting point. The question I'm asking is whether there is a better way to fight for your rights, than downing tools for a day and letting lots of people suffer the consequences. I just think with a little imagination, a real point could be made all whilst getting the public on side.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Do you think there are any alternatives?

I rekon everyone should do a dirty protest in their building reception when they arrive at work in the morning.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

I rekon everyone should do a dirty protest in their building reception when they arrive at work in the morning.

Poo.

 

[KNC]

As I stated, it normally is a last resort. The negotiations can go on for months. Specifically, I was a negotiator on the union side of part of the railway. Generally, the arguments would end in a compromise of some sought. There are many times when a threat of strike action would concentrate the company's mind. Believe me, this happens more times than you would imagine. I can assure you, the last thing unions want to do, is call the members out.
So, in answer to your question, there already is an alternative. Negotiation and compromise.

 

[beorhthelm]

As I stated, it normally is a last resort. [...] There are many times when a threat of strike action would concentrate the company's mind. Believe me, this happens more times than you would imagine.

hmmm. so the threat is used quite freely then?

 

[KNC]

It's always there. But I detect cynicism in your post. As I said, a very last resort.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

It's always there. But I detect cynicism in your post. As I said, a very last resort.

But is it really the only last resort? Do you think that unions need more of an imagination or would it just be pissing into the wind?