Strike law reforms

[Guinness Boy]

These are awful, spiteful laws by a Government whose attitude to public sector workers is disgraceful and vindictive. I've got nothing but contempt for those cheering the Government along on this - quasi-fascists the lot of them.

No fascism at all in the below behaviour then..............

Here's a scenario for you.

The FBU vote for strike action. I'm not in the FBU and furthermore I don't agree with their dispute, so I (along with many other firefighters) choose to continue to provide fire and rescue cover over the designated strike periods. During the strike periods appliances aren't mobilised from fire stations - as that is seen as potentially inflammatory - no pun intended. So instead we decamp to pretty basic facilities (industrial units and the like) which we use as our base for 12, 24, 48 hours - however long the action lasts.

The drill usually goes something like this. Within the first few minutes of the strike starting we get mobilised to a malicious false alarm - maybe a small bin fire in a car park or just a straight forward hoax call to a specific address. When we pitch up, FBU members are there - faces covered and filming us on their phones, shouting abuse and telling us they're going to work out who we are, where we live and hope that are families are safe whilst we're out working etc etc. Not nice. Then then follow us back to to our temporary turn-out location (the whole point of getting us out in the first place is to find out where we are based during the strike) and essentially just hang about trying to intimidate us. Films get posted on social media, hate mail has been sent to fire stations and they also do that childish 'turning their back' thing when back on Watch or on training courses etc.

Of course, this is by no means all of them. Probably a minority. But don't come on here saying "cue bleating about intimidation" as if it is insignificant - when some pretty nasty and committed people start making implied threats to you and your family, because you choose to go to work.

Keep up the limericks.

 

[Ernest]

Scabs have never been popular in the union disputes, they're happy to take what the union earn for them whether it is more pay or better conditions or even job security but won't do anything to help

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So the law should stay as it currently is ?

Yes.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I would have more sympathy with protecting essential public services, If those services were controlled in effect by the public. As they're not in many cases, and owned by companies that declare profits and shareholder return then I can't seek to support a distinction between them and other strikes.
II

Very good point.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Scabs have never been popular in the union disputes, they're happy to take what the union earn for them whether it is more pay or better conditions or even job security but won't do anything to help

I assume that is a comment directed at my post, so let me answer. The FBU, in my opinion, have done far more to stifle progress in the Fire and Rescue Service than anybody else. Thanks to the FBU, your Fire and Rescue service still operates a shift pattern and basic work methods that were a product of the Blitz attacks on cities in the 1940s. (Sleeping on night shifts, unwillingness to compromise on weight of response for certain incidents etc). I want a modern fire and rescue service that actually works to makes people safer - even bitter and vindictive people like you. Not one that is stuck in the last century because the union has its priorities all wrong. Still, keep calling me scab if it makes you happy in your retirement. If your house catches fire in the next strike and you can't get out you might be quite glad to see a scab pitching up and saving your neck.

 

[Bozza]

Scabs have never been popular in the union disputes, they're happy to take what the union earn for them whether it is more pay or better conditions or even job security but won't do anything to help

So an individual is not allowed to think "I don't believe cause X is of sufficient concern for me to want to strike, so I will not strike and I will look to carry on working if a strike does occur. I am, however, adult enough to respect those with differing views to mine and wish to strike on this cause."?

If this typifies the outlook of you and your dinosaur sorts, you should consider yourselves lucky that unions are permitted at all.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So an individual is not allowed to think "I don't believe cause X is of sufficient concern for me to want to strike, so I will not strike and I will look to carry on working if a strike does occur. I am, however, adult enough to respect those with differing views to mine and wish to strike on this cause."?

If this typifies the outlook of you and your dinosaur sorts, you should consider yourselves lucky that unions are permitted at all.

Extending your logic, why isn't David Cameron "adult enough" to respect us Labour voters and not let us be bound by his policies? Personally, I'm up for your thinking.

 

[Diablo]

Scabs have never been popular in the union disputes, they're happy to take what the union earn for them whether it is more pay or better conditions or even job security but won't do anything to help

Scabs are popular in union disputes with the majority of the population..most are either not union members or forced so to be.......They are the ones that stand up and speak for themselves...There are usually many more who have sympathy with scabs but will not stand up against bully boy tactics.

 

[Ernest]

Scabs are popular in union disputes with the majority of the population..most are either not union members or forced so to be.......They are the ones that stand up and speak for themselves...There are usually many more who have sympathy with scabs but will not stand up against bully boy tactics.

So why do they accept the pay rises won by their union brothers and not fight for their own ? Or fight for better working conditions instead of piggy backing on those won by the unions ?

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

Turnout would be 100% if the Tories hadn't banned work place ballots.

 

[Ernest]

Turnout would be 100% if the Tories hadn't banned work place ballots.

105% or more in a lot of places

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

105% or more in a lot of places

Haha,you devil Ernie!

 

[Diablo]

So why do they accept the pay rises won by their union brothers and not fight for their own ?

Wow ...Are you serious.....Scabs as you call them unlike many union members are not stupid...turning down a pay rise however won would be a trifle silly.......or don`t you think so....."Union Brother"

 

[Guinness Boy]

Scabs have never been popular in the union disputes, they're happy to take what the union earn for them whether it is more pay or better conditions or even job security but won't do anything to help

The 1970s called.. They want their rhetoric back.

 

[Bry Nylon]

105% or more in a lot of places

Genuine laugh out loud here.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Has any strike vote in recent years met the requirements now being adopted?

 

[nicko31]

Race to the bottom, more hours, less cash, productivity flat. A few get richer, well the country has spoken we have this lot till 2020

 

[Ernest]

Has any strike vote in recent years met the requirements now being adopted?

Yes the Network Rail one and the Southern Rail one too hence the Groovy Gang on here getting their knickers in a right old twist

 

[Ernest]

Wow ...Are you serious.....Scabs as you call them unlike many union members are not stupid...turning down a pay rise however won would be a trifle silly.......or don`t you think so....."Union Brother"

Just shows what a hypocrite you are, let others fight and you want what they win. Go out and fight for your own pay increases and better conditions if you hate unions so much not leech off others