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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To really have no respect for people who strike..

140 replies

stealthpony · 12/08/2010 22:29

...when it has the potential to cause so much public disruption?

I don't give a bollock what they're striking about. I've had a weekend away planned for months. Imagine if it's your wedding abroad or a funeral or a holiday you'd worked fucking hard at on minimum wage all year to get? It could be for any reason but striking airport staff will stop all of your plans and you go nowhere.

AIBU to think that THEY are the unreasonable ones or can someone please explain to me why I should be on their side?

OP posts:
Kaloki · 13/08/2010 00:35

The last time I checked the airlines were struggling, I can't help feeling that the strikes aren't just making a point but potentially putting their jobs at risk due to public not trusting the service to be there. Which seems a little counter productive.

mumof2children · 13/08/2010 00:36

well i had to work 2 floors where my nan body was (she passed away when in hospital) either that or the weeks she was there not have any pay due to working in the same hospital she passed, it was on my ward she passed so my friends shared in my grieve

i had no tax credit help, so had to work due to my son needed me to provide basic things as he was only 5 months when i went back to work .

i still feel sick that the fact i was laughing and joking away while my nan laid cold.

so tell me why should i feel even 1% guilt for them.

they did not have to deal what i did.

KerryMumbles · 13/08/2010 00:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Valpollicella · 13/08/2010 00:43

HMC, the only reason I defend the £450 x yr x employee is that surely that counts as a cost of living increase, and really shouldn't have anything to do with a bonus.

Mumof2, I'm sorry to hear about your nan. That does seem v Sad

"i still feel sick that the fact i was laughing and joking away while my nan laid cold.

so tell me why should i feel even 1% guilt for them.

they did not have to deal what i did."

So why where you laughing an joking? Your argument here isn't really sequiteur

hmc · 13/08/2010 00:44

Polemics apart - I'd be interested to hear the views of anyone who has more of a grasp on the matter than me (or indeed any of the other posters on this thread - no offence intended)...facts rather than opinions. I have googled something which tells me that BAA have good profit forecasts for this year....

Going back to stealthpony she asks "can someone please explain to me why I should be on their side" - I don't think anyone has come up with anything convincing yet, she isn't asking for vague ideological arguments about worker representation (all very important I'm sure) - but concrete reasons about why they are determined to strike

Valpollicella · 13/08/2010 00:48

I have a contact or two at BA. Will see if they are prepared to voice an opinion HMC...

mumof2children · 13/08/2010 00:49

i was laughing and joking, because why should a patient have to deal or know my life.

they are not in hospital for a hoilday, they have there own problems so it not my job to add to the problems

daftpunk · 13/08/2010 00:49

Brilliant KM, if workers can get better pay and conditions then fine. look at France, nearly every year their air traffic controllers go on strike....infact half of France is always on strike, because their country isn't full of wimps.

StudiousSal · 13/08/2010 00:50

I can see both sides, however I may be going on strike soon myself, due to the fact our bosses want to cut our wages by £5000 a year.

I work in the public sector, and we provide care to elderly clients in their own homes, whilst none of us want to strike, as we know it will affect our clients,we feel we have no choice, we are on minimum wage as it is, and I know as a lone parent that £5000 wage cut is my rent for the year a roof over my DC's heads , so what am I supposed to do, we provide a service 7 days a week from 6.00am till midnight, 365 days a year, but we are the ones that are facing the biggest losses, funny that our managers all had pay rises 2 years ago and are not affected by the latest cuts!!

As I have said don't think we take going on strike lightly, we don't, however sometimes we have to make a stand, especially when you are forced into a corner.

daftpunk · 13/08/2010 00:51

Mumof2

I haven't got a clue what you're going on about

mumof2children · 13/08/2010 00:57

i work in an hospital, my nan died on the ward i work on.

after she died ( about 4-5 hours after) i still had to work, i could not afford not to my son needed nappies and formula ect

so what ever ba staff face it can not be worse than that

Valpollicella · 13/08/2010 00:57

No me neither DP (apols - I read your post wrong earlier)

I'm really sorry you had to do your job while you were experiencing personal and familial problems Mumof2, but its not really the same as tens/hinderds/thousands of you all facing a pay cut/reduction of benefits/loss of overtime/whetever

You had a horrible thing going on, and for that, for you I'm really sorry.

But I don't understand why you can't understand why other would strike for their collective rights..

mumof2children · 13/08/2010 01:00

if it is that bad, why not quit.

Silver1 · 13/08/2010 01:01

This is BAA (British Airports Authority) not BA British Airways.

Unions are outdated, a lot has been achieved in Social Reform, achieved somewhat by Trade Union action- but their day is done.

UNITE are determined to regain lost prestige, and they are attacking BAA, and BA before they take on the government.
No one is taking away holiday, or sick pay, maternity pay, or anything else from these staff at BAA, but it is about a 1.5% pay increase and slight changes to how long term sick leave is calculated.

How many people on here are families like ours that took a 10% pay cut how many face job losses? And there are people telling us people should be able to strike over a payrise FFS!

StudiousSal · 13/08/2010 01:07

Mumof2children, I could quit if I wanted to, but then I would have to claim benefits and that is not something I want to do.

I work bloody hard at my job, I'm very highly trained as all the staff are and I have been doing it for 15years, and yes I've got some bloody pride, I want to work, but we also want some recognition for the excellent service we provide.

Valpollicella · 13/08/2010 01:08

Quit a perfectly good job?

Yep, that'll go down well at the Job Centre....

Silver I do see what you're saying...DP has been made redundant twice over the last 2 years, so your 10% cut argument is really striking a chord with me when now we are experiencing a 100% cut Grin (I only Grin so I don't cry)

because he can't find work, and is unlikely to due to health restrictions and what he can do (loooong story)

daftpunk · 13/08/2010 01:08

No worries val, Smile

Mumof2:
That's why we have unions, to make life better for people like you, a union would fight for better pay and conditions so workers don't feel like you do. And you must understand, that just because you're job is shite, doesn't mean everyone elses has to be.

( off to bed )

Kaloki · 13/08/2010 01:12

Having been made redundant from one of the airlines in the not too distant past and knowing more redundancies are still being talked about. Plus I believe a few airlines have actually gone bust.

BAA striking will mean less work to be done for the airline staff during the strike. I know in the area I worked in, this will mean no pay for some staff. It could also mean less people booking flights, lots of flights having already been cancelled - this could mean even less flights running.

This means less staff are needed, which is more redundancies. Although in the short term striking may work to the BAA staff's advantage, by making things harder for the airlines aren't they potentially putting their own jobs at risk (let alone other peoples)

If they close down the airports with the strikes that is going to do huge damage to an industry which has already been struggling. It's not just an inconvenience.

mumof2children · 13/08/2010 01:13

but is it a perfect job if people have to strike.

whatkatydidathome · 13/08/2010 01:16

YANBU

Monty100 · 13/08/2010 01:16

I think its unreasonable for employers to be such assholes to piss their employees off so much that they decide to strike.

Employers should look after and respect their employees, not treat them like second class citizens.

Have read op and not thread but that is my opinion.

Valpollicella · 13/08/2010 01:17

I don;t know Mumof2? What do you think?

Kaloki, sorry to hear about your redundancy Sad

'Good' (you know what I mean) to hear of an insiders experience

StudiousSal · 13/08/2010 01:20

No job is perfect, however I happen to really love what I do, I'm lucky in the current climate to have a job, but it should not mean that bosses can just wipe out a third of your pay, especially when they don't have to work the hours we do! yes I have just finished a shift at work hence I'm on MN, and they will have been tucked up ages ago.

mumof2children · 13/08/2010 01:20

y money, it always about money.

money does not = happiness

Kaloki · 13/08/2010 01:23

Val Don't worry, it's in the past for me (hit me hard at the time though), at the moment I'm more worried for my friends and my cousin who are still working there, just waiting for the axe to fall again. I'm hoping that flights pick up again for them.