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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be seriously irratated by the remarks of this colleague regarding strike action?

31 replies

lecce · 24/05/2011 06:39

I work in a sector in which there are several trade unions. The one I belong to is balloting members for strike action and this seems likely to go ahead.

Last week I attended a meeting and the possible strike was mentined because it affects the dates on which we can plan certain activities (obviously). When it was mentioned a colleague shreiked (and I mean shrieked) "Great, I love it when X union strike, means I don't have to work but still get paid!" She was giggling and jigging about in her seat like an over-excited toddler. Another colleague, also in non-striking union, said "Well of course, you could donate a day's wages to charity but that's between you and your conscience." (She seemed to be serious, I've never heard of anyone doing that, though I don't have much experience of strikes.) The first woman replied "No way, it's going in my "New Car Fund"! Ha ha! he he!" and so on.

AIBU to have wanted to slap her and tell her how stupid and shallow she is being? Of course, if people do not agree with strikes then that is their right (though not sure they should belong to a union if they know they will not ever strike.) That isn't the issue here, she is happy for other people to lose a day's (maybe more in long-run) pay for her. She will happily accept any concessions the action wins though, won't she. She knew that people in the room were losing money for her and she made these crass comments.

Aside from her insensitivity, I am angered by her ignorance and apathy. She seems unaware of the impact government proposals will have on her. If what they want goes through, she can probably forget her new car, yet she seems utterly unaware. Not once did she ask what the strike was for.

Sorry, it's a bit of a rant but she has seriously riled me!

OP posts:

Numberfour · 24/05/2011 06:51

She sounds like an ignorant twit. I would say twat, but I have not had breakfast yet.

EdithWeston · 24/05/2011 06:57

Everyone has the right to choose whether or not to strike.

You can be a union member and not remotely support strike action or vote for it (unions membership is about far more than just industrial action).

I don't see why non-strikers should lose pay (I agree her comments about the car fund were irritating), but there are some who simply cannot afford interruptions to their income.

If she'd said "great! I get an extra day visiting my aged/sick parent and can still afford to pay my share of her care fees", would you still have the sane issues with it.

So YABU on the strike issues, but NU at having a tactless colleague.

Bogeyface · 24/05/2011 07:01

I have to admit that I dont know a hell of alot about stiking, never being in a situation where it has happened. I assumed that if you strike, you dont get paid tbh. And also, I have never understood what striking achieves, it just seems to stir up bad feeling towards the strikers especially in the public sector, but as I say, thats because I have no real knowledge or experience of it.

But I dont think YABU based on what you have posted here. Her attitude would piss me off if she has no idea what is going on but is happy to get a paid day off and then reap the rewards of others sacrifices. She sounds as thick as a plank to be perfectly honest, and that alone is enough to say YANBU!

Birdsgottafly · 24/05/2011 07:02

Perhaps you need to redirect your anger, she isn't actually doing anything wrong. People who buy new cars are kepping other industries going and who doesn't enjoy an unexpected bonus day off work? Are the rest of you sharing your wages with those that won't get paid? Her crime was to vocalise it.

However, some people just carn't or won't see the bigger picture about what is happening, so its a waste of time trying to educate them.

How people can come across isn't always how they are deep down. Also is she young, i know i didn't care about politics or know anything about disabilities/public services (or the lack of them) and could have been described as a bit of an idiot until my middle twenties.

SandStorm · 24/05/2011 07:22

But if she's not striking shouldn't she be in work as usual or do you work somewhere where that's not an option if x amount of people are on strike?

EndoplasmicReticulum · 24/05/2011 07:30

I'm guessing teacher. So if the NUT go on strike, the school will probably have to close, members of ATL or NASUWT probably won't be able to teach if there are not enough staff members to keep the place running.

Shakirasma · 24/05/2011 07:39

Well YANU for thinking her silly and immature. But I don't think non strikers should have to sacrifice a days pay.

She is BU to be so happy to have a day off work for such a reason.

And the whole NUT is being unreasonable for striking at all (if that's who it is!) cos I hate teachers striking with a passion.

Feenie · 24/05/2011 08:00

ATL are also balloting, and so are the NAHT. University and college unions have already been on strike - don't blame it all on NUT.

stuffthenonsense · 24/05/2011 08:45

YANBU to be irritated, but maybe she is very irritated that striking is even being discussed (after all it IS going to impact her) and is demonstrating to you how irritated SHE is by TRYING to piss YOU off.

LaurieFairyCake · 24/05/2011 08:53

DH is in NASUWT (a union that isn't balloting for striking) and this week his most needy member of staff (literally takes up 12 hours a week managing her/her moods/her poor teaching) tried to talk to him about striking in a meeting where he was helping her plan lessons.

He got relatively forceful with her and told her to stop focusing on her days 'off' and try to improve her teaching instead - she started flouncing and crying and saying she was likely not even to be teaching those lessons!

I have no idea where he gets his patience from.

yanbu - the odd, slightly useless member of staff (there's always one or two in every organisation) will use it to get out of work.

Some people are idiots what you gonna do.

LookToWindward · 24/05/2011 09:02

"Last week I attended a meeting and the possible strike was mentined because it affects the dates on which we can plan certain activities (obviously). When it was mentioned a colleague shreiked (and I mean shrieked) "Great, I love it when X union strike, means I don't have to work but still get paid!" She was giggling and jigging about in her seat like an over-excited toddler. Another colleague, also in non-striking union, said "Well of course, you could donate a day's wages to charity but that's between you and your conscience." (She seemed to be serious, I've never heard of anyone doing that, though I don't have much experience of strikes.) The first woman replied "No way, it's going in my "New Car Fund"! Ha ha! he he!" and so on."

I assume your colleague is not a member of the (a) union looking to strike and will therefore be unable to work if a strike does go ahead, thus still being available but not actually being able to work? If that is true, why on earth is it any of your business what someone who doesn't support the strike action and is not a member of your union does with her salary?

If someone ever suggested that I give up a days pay because of the action of a union that I wasn't a member of or didn't support my reply wouldn't be anywhere near as polite...

wikolite · 24/05/2011 09:05

YABU its up to her and her alone if she wants to strike and she's well within her rights to cross the picket if she doesn't agree with it.

RobF · 24/05/2011 09:29

Is this woman a teacher?

Feenie · 24/05/2011 09:31

DH is in NASUWT (a union that isn't balloting for striking)

As I understand it, they are waiting for some questions to be answered by the government, but if they don't like the answers, the intention is very much to ballot on a strike.

unclefester77 · 24/05/2011 09:35

I fail to see how, if she isn't striking, she doesn't have to work. She can be a union member and vote against strike action, perfectly reasonable, but if she DOES then she should go to work even if NO ONE ELSE IS.
YANBU, from the information you have given.

LaurieFairyCake · 24/05/2011 09:38

Dh got a letter this week explaining why they weren't, it didn't mention they wouldnt in the future.

unclefester77 · 24/05/2011 09:40

and if as some have hypothesised she is a teacher, she should spend the day at home planning and doing records if the school is shut, not having a day off.

NorfolkNChance · 24/05/2011 09:46

NASUWT are waiting for consultation first which could be as late as April. NUT, ALT and NAHT are balloting for strike action now.

If schools do go out on strike and the school closes as a NASUWT member I have two choices.

Cross the picket line and get my days pay
Refuse to cross the picket and lose out in a days pay and pension contribution.

I will choose 2 because I cannot gain the benefits for doing deck all myself.

NorfolkNChance · 24/05/2011 09:47

Deck = feck, stupid iPhone autocorrect

niceguy2 · 24/05/2011 09:59

I think the woman described by the OP is insensitive but at the same time I think the strikers are BU.

Any sane person knows the land of free money for all is over and we've still got a crippling budget deficit which our children and grandchildren will be saddled with.

There is NO other choice but to cut government spending and take the pain associated with it. Frankly the last govt should not have been spending money we didn't have in the first place.

So in that context in my opinion, both the lady and the striker's are all being unreasonable.

nijinsky · 24/05/2011 10:03

Not everyone can take unions and strike action as seriously as others. Some people might be even a bit flippant about it because they find the whole issue deeply annoying. Perhaps she was being ironic.

I personally find strike action deeply irritating when it is for not being awarded large enough pay rises when most of us in the private sector have had no pay rises for years. It affects the viability and reputation of the whole country adversely and is often more about promoting the political careers and networks of the union leaders.

maddy68 · 24/05/2011 10:20

YOU DONT GET PAID WHEN ON STRIKE!

MrSpoc · 24/05/2011 11:00

I dont agree with striking.

What i do understand about strikes is that the union take it as a chance to hold them employer ransom until their demands are met. Sometimes the demands are ludicrous (such as B.A Strikes) and the people who are striking have no thoughts for everyone else who is going to be impacted by it.

The employers should have the ability to sack people who go on strike for flimsy reasons.

MrSpoc · 24/05/2011 11:01

Also ha to anyone who said to me "are you going to give your wage to charity" feck off who are you to tell me. HA HA HA

GwendolineMaryLacey · 24/05/2011 11:30

I don't understand why she made a big deal of it going in her car fund. If it's her salary then it's her salary. It's not extra money. But hey, I'm quibbling.

And if she isn't striking but can't work then why should she give her salary to charity?

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