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[Misc] Will the Unions bring everyone to their knees?

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nicko31

Well-known member
Jan 7, 2010
18,570
Gods country fortnightly
12 years of the Tories, high inflation on helped along by a weak currency.

This is their mess
 




D

Deleted member 2719

Guest
By not even attempting to negotiate or attend talks.

Network Rail made £500M pre tax profits last year, with its CEO earning £600k. Yet there has been very minimal pay increases, entering into redundancy consultation period and looking to generalise maintenance roles - where as you have specialised engineers at the moment, they want people to multi skill to be able to do more where there are genuine safety concerns over this.

In terms of the rail companies, there are some roles not even paying living wage for things like cleaners. While the private companies pay out huge profits (taken off shore) and pay out shareholder dividends while freezing pay.

Why would you be against someone on £18,000 a year wanting to be paid for ?

But they did, offer 3%?

I think every business worldwide could say corners have been and are being cut and safety is a risk.
But in tough times things need to give, the cash has been splashed like no other Tory government in recent times.
I would have thought the left would recognise this and understand it's time to keep that wallet sealed up.

Sorry, I don't get your point on the last sentence?
 


DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 3, 2012
17,346
Why do you feel the government are treating them with disdain? I clearly with you on the second part.

The government have put pressure on the employers not to make better offers.
The Government have refused to participate in any talks.
The Government have been suggesting agency staff could be brought in to run the trains…… so what does that say about their attitude to health and safety and the part rail workers play in it.

And I’ve seen it reported that decent numbers of commuters have actually expressed sympathy and support for the strikers.

The Government is DELIBERATELY trying to provoke a fight……… but you’re too daft to see it.
 


studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
30,225
On the Border
I may be a cynic but I believe that Johnson and his Government have effectively encouraged the strike by failing to negotiate seriously to resolve the issues. This is because Johnson sees this as his Thatcher moment, having basked in the spotlight of the war in Ukraine, he now sees this as his break the unions moment, copying Thatcher's on the Miners.

It also suits Johnson as the strike will hog the headlines and keep out his failings, and plays to his party and right wing supporters.

While there is no way that the Union will get anything near an inflation pay increase, their concerns on track safety should be listened to with assurances and solutions agreed.
 


Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
24,779
GOSBTS
The Government have been suggesting agency staff could be brought in to run the trains…… so what does that say about their attitude to health and safety and the part rail workers play in it.

Speaking of which, given the government were so up in arms about P&O what have they done to fix that ? Been a while now hasn’t it
 






nicko31

Well-known member
Jan 7, 2010
18,570
Gods country fortnightly
I may be a cynic but I believe that Johnson and his Government have effectively encouraged the strike by failing to negotiate seriously to resolve the issues. This is because Johnson sees this as his Thatcher moment, having basked in the spotlight of the war in Ukraine, he now sees this as his break the unions moment, copying Thatcher's on the Miners.

It also suits Johnson as the strike will hog the headlines and keep out his failings, and plays to his party and right wing supporters.

While there is no way that the Union will get anything near an inflation pay increase, their concerns on track safety should be listened to with assurances and solutions agreed.

Yes they want the strike and they want don't it resolved. Create a wedge issue that's their game on everything...
 


DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 3, 2012
17,346
But they did, offer 3%?

I think every business worldwide could say corners have been and are being cut and safety is a risk.
But in tough times things need to give, the cash has been splashed like no other Tory government in recent times.
I would have thought the left would recognise this and understand it's time to keep that wallet sealed up.

Sorry, I don't get your point on the last sentence?

It seems to have passed you by that people can’t afford to eat…… while today I heard that the Government is suggesting that any cap on increases in earnings for those in the financial sector should be lifted.

And you want safety concerns to be put to one side? On the railways? Really?
 




A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 1, 2017
20,521
Deepest, darkest Sussex
Damn right they will. Filthy unwashed lowlife plebs should shut up and be grateful to their social betters and rich masters (after all we all know the more money you have, the better people you really are), how dare they have the temerity, the sheer bare-faced cheek to stand up for themselves.

Am I doing it right with that, Mouldy? That where you’re at?
 


Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,063
Faversham
Well, I am surprised to see no thread regarding the RMT screwing up the country when everyone is trying hard to work a plan going forward.

Just because they feel hard done by.

Does anyone feel sorry for these guys who appear to be playing politics because they smell blood?

How many people who have been on the edge of bankruptcy because of covid, will now topple off the cliff because of more loss of income?

Just what the country didn't want.

How many other vulture Unions will follow this country destroying route?

Is it time for the worker to make a stand against their union?

I consider this a reasonable question.

The answer is no.

The sad things are these:

1. The workers have some cause for grievance, but not much
2. The union leadership see striking as a tool for facilitatiing confrontation (and The Revolution)
3. The Johnson government see this as an opportunity to justify upscaling anti union laws.

In an idea world, a key sector union would cede the right to strike for some benefits, like favourable pay incrementation compared with other sectors and perhaps more employment protection. This would be sensible because in key industries this would preclude irksome strikes like this one.

The RMT do not appear to want such an arrangement, because it would take away their 'freedom' to strike.
The Johnson government certainly don't, for much the same reason (it benefits tories when nominally publicly owned industry strikes because it justifies in the minds of some (you, perhaps) the idea of privatization and new laws on strikes).
Incidentally, this also means that Johnson does not care about the inconvenience of the strike as it provides him with a law changing opportunity, and the more disruption the better.
 


Comrade Sam

Comrade Sam
Jan 31, 2013
1,920
Walthamstow
I think it's fantastic someone is fighting against the decline of our standard of living. Inflation has been caused by corporate greed, war, rising fuel costs, a drive to keep profits up and city pay rises. I hope my union and every other union joins the fight. I'm sick of just being a bystander as Boris and his chums feed at the trough and slash their own tax bills. Good luck to all those on strike this week!
 




Lever

Well-known member
Feb 6, 2019
5,443
Well, I am surprised to see no thread regarding the RMT screwing up the country when everyone is trying hard to work a plan going forward.

Just because they feel hard done by.

Does anyone feel sorry for these guys who appear to be playing politics because they smell blood?

How many people who have been on the edge of bankruptcy because of covid, will now topple off the cliff because of more loss of income?

Just what the country didn't want.

How many other vulture Unions will follow this country destroying route?

Is it time for the worker to make a stand against their union?

Your divisive right wing rhetoric is fooling no one. The strike suits the tories politically... otherwise it would have been avoided.
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,013
By not even attempting to negotiate or attend talks.

Network Rail made £500M pre tax profits last year, with its CEO earning £600k. Yet there has been very minimal pay increases, entering into redundancy consultation period and looking to generalise maintenance roles - where as you have specialised engineers at the moment, they want people to multi skill to be able to do more where there are genuine safety concerns over this.

In terms of the rail companies, there are some roles not even paying living wage for things like cleaners. While the private companies pay out huge profits (taken off shore) and pay out shareholder dividends while freezing pay.

Why would you be against someone on £18,000 a year wanting to be paid for ?

fair enough, if Network rail has seen a profit, lets pay the staff more even if that means less investment back into infrastucture. will make the other unions want more, be diffcult to play on profit arguement there.
however. what exactly is the problem with engineers, intelligent, adaptable people by definition, being asked to multi-skill? such an archaic idea. its condescending really, George can only do this job, cant possibly do that job safely? and we can stop dragging this nonsense in to a pay dispute, just be more honest about it.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,677
The Fatherland
I think it's fantastic someone is fighting against the decline of our standard of living. Inflation has been caused by corporate greed, war, rising fuel costs, a drive to keep profits up and city pay rises. I hope my union and every other union joins the fight. I'm sick of just being a bystander as Boris and his chums feed at the trough and slash their own tax bills. Good luck to all those on strike this week!

My feelings as well.
 




Is it PotG?

Thrifty non-licker
Feb 20, 2017
25,452
Sussex by the Sea
Screenshot_20220621-210458~2.png

 




Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
24,779
GOSBTS
fair enough, if Network rail has seen a profit, lets pay the staff more even if that means less investment back into infrastucture. however. what exactly is the problem with engineers, intelligent adaptable people by definition, being asked to multi-skill? its condescending really, George can only do this job, cant possibly do that job safely, wtf? and stop dragging this nonsense in to a pay dispute, just be more honest about it.

In the same report - network rail boasted record levels of investments including major station works at places like Gatwick, Victoria etc. Imagine reading that , working throughout the pandemic with no furlough etc, not having pay rises then perhaps being offered 3%. While the CEO sits there on £600k.

The thing about change of roles came from someone who works on the railway. If he’s not happy with roles merging and 2000 job losses and are concerned then we should probably listen ? Unless you know what the jobs entail and why it’s a non issue. I’ve heard the workers side but the government haven’t said why they think it’s ok ?
 


A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 1, 2017
20,521
Deepest, darkest Sussex






Cheshire Cat

The most curious thing..
Well, I am surprised to see no thread regarding the RMT screwing up the country when everyone is trying hard to work a plan going forward.

Just because they feel hard done by.

Does anyone feel sorry for these guys who appear to be playing politics because they smell blood?

How many people who have been on the edge of bankruptcy because of covid, will now topple off the cliff because of more loss of income?

Just what the country didn't want.

How many other vulture Unions will follow this country destroying route?

Is it time for the worker to make a stand against their union?
No.
 


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