The French Port Blockades
- Thread starter Timbo
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they have screwed us up and it will have a knock on effect for a good few weeks, half our trucks have been stuck on the foreign side and the other half were trying to get to get through to go to eastern europe. fuckers and they pissed everyone else off as well. oh well.
i thought they were only considering the offer though, nothing agreed yet i don't think.
i thought they were only considering the offer though, nothing agreed yet i don't think.
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pity the tossers werent so resolute at the belgian border in 1939 ! whats the french flag ? a white cross on a white background isnt it ?
Tooting Gull
Well-known member
- Jul 5, 2003
- 11,033
The thing is, the French know how to protest properly and its about solidarity. If you all stick together, they can't sack all of you and you can cause a lot of disruption whiloe you're negotiating.
Unfortunately over here everyone seems a bit more self-interested, they don't stick together as much, and you get more weak links who don't get the 'power in solidarity' thing and get all afraid about upsetting the bosses when they would achieve things by doing it like the French.
I mean, can you imagine if our air traffic controllers ever did what theirs are always doing? The whole of Europe's transatlantic flights would be affected.
Unfortunately over here everyone seems a bit more self-interested, they don't stick together as much, and you get more weak links who don't get the 'power in solidarity' thing and get all afraid about upsetting the bosses when they would achieve things by doing it like the French.
I mean, can you imagine if our air traffic controllers ever did what theirs are always doing? The whole of Europe's transatlantic flights would be affected.
- Thread starter
- #5
Spot on TG.
While the EU and various countries Governments cluelessly dispose of Europes fishing fleet, only the French have stood up to it. We got about 2 dozen boats together, tied some flags on them, sailed up the Thames, tooted the horns and went home again. Just like all out protests, it was crap.
And for anyone who says its only a few fishermen, so what? There are 10 jobs ashore for every fisherman at sea.
While the EU and various countries Governments cluelessly dispose of Europes fishing fleet, only the French have stood up to it. We got about 2 dozen boats together, tied some flags on them, sailed up the Thames, tooted the horns and went home again. Just like all out protests, it was crap.
And for anyone who says its only a few fishermen, so what? There are 10 jobs ashore for every fisherman at sea.
Alternatively, maybe it's because employees in this country are a little less like sheep and can think for themselves ? I would imagine that the French Unions do a fair bit of bullying to ensure good turnouts and that those that don't wish to follow the "suggested" course of action are sidelined and called scabs. I'd rather be able to think for myself than feel forced to participate for fear of being called a scab.
Tooting Gull
Well-known member
- Jul 5, 2003
- 11,033
I think we're probably not going to agree on that, so fair enough, I would say just doing what the employer says is 'acting like sheep'.
And with a union, as I'm sure you know, you choose whether or not to join in the first place, no one is forcing you. But if you do, and the vote goes a particular way, you are honour-bound to go with the majority decision as you knew when joining.
If you then don't, as a member, and undermine the negotiating position of your colleagues by crossing picket lines, you can expect to be unpopular.
On the other hand, you have people, maybe such as yourself, who would rather go and negotiate their own deal. Which is fair enough, but with most employers that is likely to improve pay/conditions for the few rather than the many.
And with a union, as I'm sure you know, you choose whether or not to join in the first place, no one is forcing you. But if you do, and the vote goes a particular way, you are honour-bound to go with the majority decision as you knew when joining.
If you then don't, as a member, and undermine the negotiating position of your colleagues by crossing picket lines, you can expect to be unpopular.
On the other hand, you have people, maybe such as yourself, who would rather go and negotiate their own deal. Which is fair enough, but with most employers that is likely to improve pay/conditions for the few rather than the many.
And ironically I agree on some of your points. The problem is that Unions are linked to a particular political party ( I know that's an historic thing ) when they should really be seen as independent. There are some Unions who are rather, shall we say overzealous, who give the moderate unions a bad image - they all get tarred with the same brush.
Don't get me wrong, unions have their place, but I think there needs to be some thought as to where that "place" is.
And, yes you're correct, I do negociate my own deals but I work in an industry that usually has companies that don't go in for collective bargining.
The French fisherman on the other hand need to look at the bigger picture - most the seas have been over fished for decades - the EU ( and heaven fobid - I'm one of, if not THE, most anti-EU poster on here ) are attempting to protect what little fish stocks are left. If all the fisherman went out and caught what they wanted they would all be out of a job very soon regardless !!!
Don't get me wrong, unions have their place, but I think there needs to be some thought as to where that "place" is.
And, yes you're correct, I do negociate my own deals but I work in an industry that usually has companies that don't go in for collective bargining.
The French fisherman on the other hand need to look at the bigger picture - most the seas have been over fished for decades - the EU ( and heaven fobid - I'm one of, if not THE, most anti-EU poster on here ) are attempting to protect what little fish stocks are left. If all the fisherman went out and caught what they wanted they would all be out of a job very soon regardless !!!
- Thread starter
- #9
I'll skip over the Unions bit because I think your both right in a way (although if just one boat owner had gone to see the French fisheries minister I doubt somehow he'd have come away with the extra 4m euros they've been offered!) This bit I'll pick up on though.
The seas are indeed overfished, however there hasn't been as may cod in the channel for a good 10 years as there is now and currently you can't catch any of it. De-commisioning and quotas don't work. For example, theres a boat in Eastbourne Marina thats getting over 50k to de-commision. It hasn't been to sea for 4 years and the boat is worth about 5k tops. Quota's don't allow a boat to make any money. The most realistic way of preserving is to close entire areas of the sea altogether and issue less licences.
pork pie
New member
They seem to have got their own way
A shame our Government would never listen to anyone who feels strongly enough about something to protest.
Bollocks! It is a disgrace the way the French Government allow the little leftie ***** to disrupt things so often.
pork pie
New member
pity the tossers werent so resolute at the belgian border in 1939 ! whats the french flag ? a white cross on a white background isnt it ?
I think you will find they were - together with our lads. Unfortunately they left the back door open and the Germans creeped in via the Arden.
Arthur
Well-known member
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The ardennes is in belgium, that was the germans last throw of the dice in 1944, the french built the maginot line all along the german border, which the germans bypassed by invading belgium and then into france.I think you will find they were - together with our lads. Unfortunately they left the back door open and the Germans creeped in via the Arden.
- Thread starter
- #14
The real disgrace is how the French Government (like ours) have shit on them for the last 20 years. A weekend of disruption is a fair price to pay.
public school boy
Banned
Any British subs in the area? Remember what happened to the Belgrano!!