Bob Crow has died

[Beach Hut]

I wonder if our poet in residence will be penning a little ditty to celebrate this like he did when Thatcher died ?

 

[smeg]

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.

Did they have respect or is it just the done things those days to use your Twitter & Facebook account to raise your own profile by saying the right thing? It would actually be more refreshing if everyone was honest about what they thought rather than paying lip service to the media

 

[BN9 BHA]

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

Drug addict , illegal immigrant, dole scrounger etc etc?

Council houses don't seem to go to working people anymore.

 

[soistes]

Did they have respect or is it just the done things those days to use your Twitter & Facebook account to raise your own profile by saying the right thing? It would actually be more refreshing if everyone was honest about what they thought rather than paying lip service to the media

Well, who knows? On that basis (taking nothing anyone says at face value), perhaps all those who cheered Thatcher's death and bought 'ding dong the witch is dead', were really sad and upset at the great woman passing, but just wanted to jump on the lefty bandwagon?

 

[DIFFBROOK]

His members were a secondary concern?. I think you best ask the RMT members themselves. I suspect they might give a different answer

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)

 

[smeg]

Well, who knows? On that basis (taking nothing anyone says at face value), perhaps all those who cheered Thatcher's death and bought 'ding dong the witch is dead', were really sad and upset at the great woman passing, but just wanted to jump on the lefty bandwagon?

Yeah an interesting point but in my opinion it is a shame when anyone dies, regardless of their political beliefs. I'm not cheering Bob crows demise and neither did I when Margaret Thatcher died, after all they were human beings with families and friends who have been left behind.

 

[Baldseagull]

Phenomenal Trade Union Leader, I would love to have had him representing my interests with any employer.

A bit of a stretch to laud him for safety and keeping fares low though.
Safety measures that reduced staff would not have had his backing, and fares could be a lot lower if drivers did more than a 35 hour week for their £52,000 salary. He was very successful at maintaining and improving conditions for his members, and that was the whole of his job really.

Does anyone know where Boris was this morning when Bob died?

 

[Perry Milkins]

Oooh, Pringle, anyone?

I wouldn't have thought being an ex-England and Essex cricketer and now a sports journalist is ideal background to lead the RMT?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

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?

He was only leader of the RMT for 10 years. It will take a lot longer to unpick the utter mess the Tories have made of the privatising the railways. He was a union leader not a miracle worker. But he was moving in the right direction with worker's pay and I feel the railways are a lot safer now than when before he was elected; under his watch track maintenance was brought back in-house and the government took back one franchise. Small steps in the right direction IMHO.

 

[Kumquat]

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

OK so explain how "before my time" is the same as "it has never effected (should be affected) me"? Bob Crow was campaigning for workers rights up until the day he died. So saying he was "before your time" is a cretinous comment. If you can't explain yourself properly then don't blame others when they respond accordingly and go getting on your high horse.

 

[Titanic]

It is sad when anybody dies at that age,so RIP.
As several others have stated,didn't agree with his politics ,but he stood up for what he believed in.
A bit of a shame that some of those who were overjoyed about Margaret Thatcher's death and said so, are unable to take some welly when their working class hero dies.
But hey,that is NSC for you.
,

See bbc article for some more balanced views:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26527325

The BBC news dept is about as balanced as Winifred Zahaha.

 

[simmo]

I wouldn't have thought being an ex-England and Essex cricketer and now a sports journalist is ideal background to lead the RMT?

Good shout, however, don't rule it out. Derek, must know a thing or two about tracks.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

How come the title has changed back? Can we have Bob Crow RIP please?

 

[Man of Harveys]

At the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious, the better trade unionists make damn sure that arguably the most important component of an industry - the people that do most of the work on the ground - have their point of view represented when big decisions get taken. Personally I'd say it's important that that happens, and that someone like Bob Crow did that extremely well. The fact that management and in this case their politician overlords don't always like having to take their perspectives into account doesn't really come as a massive surprise.

 

[Castello]

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.

When Thatcher died then there was some really nasty things said on here and hardly anyone battered an eye lid, I mention council house and there's outrage.

Actually it won't. His partner will have her name on the tenancy, as is standard policy in Housing associations and council housing and will still be able to live there.

So all in all not only a crass comment but a rather badly informed crass comment.

As for the comments about Thatcher, she would have loved that people hated her for what she believed even after her death. I can assure Bob Crow will take great pleasure in the fact that all he achieved caused such hatred amongst people he would have despised. So laugh it up, I guessing that last laugh is on you.

RIP to a great class warrior, you are already missed.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

He was only leader of the RMT for 10 years. It will take a lot longer to unpick the utter mess the Tories have made of the privatising the railways. He was a union leader not a miracle worker. But he was moving in the right direction with worker's pay and I feel the railways are a lot safer now than when before he was elected; under his watch track maintenance was brought back in-house and the government took back one franchise. Small steps in the right direction IMHO.

Agreed (for once!). Up until his passing, he was fighting TFLs ridiculous plans to close every single ticket office which would cause huge job losses. Hopefully his replacement gives 110% to the job like Crow did and carries on moving in the right direction.

RE his council house for a couple of other posts, it might be a council (housing association) property, but at least he pays his rent/taxes for it which is more than can be said for a fair few council house tennants.

 

[pork pie]

Oh my word!

My word is GOOD! This country will be a far better place without him!

 

[cattlin'srockshop]

Top man, he will be greatly missed. RIP Bob and thanks, comrade.

 

[The Large One]

Oh my word!

My word is GOOD! This country will be a far better place without him!

Any chance of expanding on that? Without fabrication, fantasy and meaningless gibberish, that is...

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Top man, he will be greatly missed. RIP Bob and thanks, comrade.

Straight to the point. I second this.