Bob Crow has died

[Billy the Fish]

A slightly left field observation, but it just goes to show how fragile life can be.

It looks like bob made a good call when he decided to enjoy his time on earth, spunk his cash on holidays and not bother investing in property

 

[Bozza]

I do wonder what the issue with him is. He looked after his workers, who democratically voted him in year after year to represent them, and he worked tirelessly to give us a better, cheaper and safer rail service.

So, given your tireless rants about the rail service which you state is poor and expensive, was Crow just shit at (least part of) his job?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

A slightly left field observation, but it just goes to show how fragile life can be.

It looks like bob made a good call when he decided to enjoy his time on earth, spunk his cash on holidays and not bother investing in property

Big thumbs up for the sheer randomness of your observation!

 

[janee]

You can take my comment in anyway you like I was just saying that the council house will go to someone who actually need it. I wasn't laughing or anything and can't really see what the problem is with my comment.

Firstly it was a housing association home.

Secondly housing association (and council housing) was orginally built for "working people" which was often well paid artisans rather than the urban poor.

Its really only since the 1980s that it is housing of the last resort.

Most housing association/council tenants pay for the loan that their house was built with many times over

 

[The Large One]

A slightly left field observation, but it just goes to show how fragile life can be.

It looks like bob made a good call when he decided to enjoy his time on earth, spunk his cash on holidays and not bother investing in property

His response to being criticised for daring to go on holiday was "What do people think I do? Sit under a tree and read Marx?"

 

[London Irish]

bit of a shock.....just breaking on bbc news..last of the old school type of union leaders?......52

Or maybe the first of a new generation of union leaders?

Lovely response to the dinosaur tag to Jeremy Paxman here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/201...emy-paxman-dinosaur_n_4940389.html?1394539658

 

[brakespear]

Didn't hate the man at all. Respected him. Didn't always agree with him.

It's a sad loss. We need people with his leadership qualities on the left and right. RIP.

Yes, this, a man dedicated to representing his members rather than himself, far too rare nowadays.

 

[Bozza]

Or maybe the first of a new generation of union leaders?

Lovely response to the dinosaur tag to Jeremy Paxman here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/201...emy-paxman-dinosaur_n_4940389.html?1394539658

Am I missing something?

"I belong in 2014"

"They (dinosaurs) were around for a long while."

 

[beorhthelm]

I do wonder what the issue with him is. He looked after his workers, who democratically voted him in year after year to represent them, and he worked tirelessly to give us a better, cheaper and safer rail service. He never swerved from his beliefs and was trustworthy and open. Surely the UK needs more people like this in power?

He worked tirelessly to build and strengthen his union, his members were a secondary concern and rail service and safety a distant third when it suited his aims. sure, that's what he was voted for, but lets not saint him. he backed drivers who were caught drinking on duty and obstructed modernisation of the tube, with a view that the rail network is there to provide employment not to provide a service. his beliefs where old school socialist/communist that we certainly don't need (other than maybe a few educational examples of what they would be like, if anyone's tempted to revisit that failed system)

 

[The Large One]

"People sign up to a union for one thing and one thing only...

• Job security
• Being safe
• Best possible pay
• Best possible conditions
• Decent pensions
• A world that lives in peace

Maths was a bit iffy, I'd suggest.

 

[vegster]

"People sign up to a union for one thing and one thing only...

• Job security
• Being safe
• Best possible pay
• Best possible conditions
•*Decent pensions
• A world that lives in peace

Maths was a bit iffy, I'd suggest.

I work in a business where joining a union is rare, not encouraged and possibly frowned upon but the owner expects, and usually gets,an annual increase in takings each year. However, there is never any mention of any of this increase in takings filtering in to an annual pay award or review. I would have loved Bob to have had a look at the situation and give his opinion.

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

Well that's not going to sit well with right wingers is it.

Don't worry. They'll be on the bench this evening!!

 

[The Large One]

I work in a business where joining a union is rare, not encouraged and possibly frowned upon but the owner expects, and usually gets,an annual increase in takings each year. However, there is never any mention of any of this increase in takings filtering in to an annual pay award or review. I would have loved Bob to have had a look at the situation and give his opinion.

Even though I'm a (passive) NUJ member, our publishing house doesn't recognise trade unions.

As for pay rises here, none for five years.

 

[grubbyhands]

Oh dear the grammar police have arrived.

How funny would it have been if you had put grandma instead of grammar, keep it going like? See what I did there?

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Will there be a minutes applause tonight.

No bit there will be a minutes walk out

 

[BN9 BHA]

RIP Bob Crow.
I'm not a union man and have never been in a union but respect should be shown for someone so young that has passed away.

So what if he lived in a council house, he was working and I bet he PAID his rent unlike plenty of other spongers in this country.

 

[smeg]

That'll free up the council house for someone who actually need it.

Spot on

 

[soistes]

RIP
I can't think of a bad word to say about him (except, possibly for the fact that he supported Millwall...).
It's a great shame that he died so young but, as others on here have said, he made a real and positive difference to his members and, I believe, to the broader cause of trade unionism at a time when it continues to be under threat. It's a shame there aren't more in his mould to step into his shoes.

I'm not the least bit bothered about those on here making jokes about him or denigrating him, not least because I don't think he would have been offended if he could have seen it. That's what he would have expected; he was the sort of bloke who gave as good as he got. Having said that, a quick look at the news sites suggests that many of his political opponents had a real respect for him.

 

[Simster]

He worked tirelessly to build and strengthen his union, his members were a secondary concern and rail service and safety a distant third when it suited his aims. sure, that's what he was voted for, but lets not saint him. he backed drivers who were caught drinking on duty and obstructed modernisation of the tube, with a view that the rail network is there to provide employment not to provide a service. his beliefs where old school socialist/communist that we certainly don't need (other than maybe a few educational examples of what they would be like, if anyone's tempted to revisit that failed system)

This is utter rubbish. He worked tirelessly for his members first and foremost - that's why he was democratically elected over and over again. It's just that his union wouldn't have been strong had he not done so. Compare and contrast to the f*ckwits who run the fire service union - a union who allowed the government to pretty much freeze pay for a decade before they complained about it and rather stupidly demanded back pay, as if any government budget was going to allow for that.

Where I do agree with you is Crow's obstruction of tube modernisation. But the TFL can take part of the blame for their lack of pragmatism, IMO.

 

[albion534]

Eh?

Before your time? Were you born this morning then?

No i wasnt born this morning, thanks for asking

what i meant was, i know briefly what he stood for etc, but it has never effected me, so i cant comment

obviously i was foolish to expect a normal response from some of the cretins on here