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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Really want to strike but really cannot afford to.

165 replies

toptramp · 28/11/2011 22:34

Anyone else in a similar position? I am a trained teacher but woprk as support staff atm so really on peanuts as it is. Plus I am a single mum who is mindful that Christmas and subsequent expense is looming.

School isn't open to students on Wednesday. If I sign in and out I get paid; if I don't sign in and out I don't. I agree with the strike but I'm skint. WWYD? Am I letting the side down if I go in? I know some staff who are turning up. OOOOOOOO moral dilemma.

OP posts:
OldMacEIEIO · 28/11/2011 23:33

i dont drink wine.

I am prepared to accept that when the OP said 'afford', and you said afford, she was talking immediate , and you were talking long term

FontSnob · 28/11/2011 23:33

We are expecting picket lines at our School too as the head is trying to undermine the strike.

FontSnob · 28/11/2011 23:34

Why would we need another day for xmas shopping? We get so much holiday and such short working hours as it is.

AnyFucker · 28/11/2011 23:36

HC, I utterly sympathise with you (you know I do, from another thread)

but if your fella is already struggling with his T+C of employment, can you imagine that if all public sector workers just olled over and took the punishment, just how many more bites out of your employers rights they will feel able to start making ....

already, in recent weeks, they have started to erode the right to appeal against unfair dismissal and nobody is listening

nobody is listening because the govt, fuelled by the media, are pitting ordinary people against each other

why don't we all realise this ???????

I make a simple comment on the nth thread about public sector pensions and I get an immediate "bollocks" and an attempt to shut me down...case in point

it's bloody scary Sad

montysma1 · 28/11/2011 23:36

""""Why should someone who doesn;t belive in strike action be denied union support if they;ve paid into said union for years? """""""

Because any strength the union has lies in collective action. Members who choose to undermine that, do the union no favours at all and should just keep their dues money. They are only members to cover their own arse in the event that they need help and dont give a shit about the work force as a whole.

The weaker the unions the more the government, any government rubs its hand in glee. Keep your days pay by all means, but kiss your conditions of service, maternity rights, holiday rights goodbye as the years pass, because if they get away with this, they will start eroding every kind of hard won employment right they can.

The country is in crisis dont you know, its all justified for the greater good. (unless you have an MPs pension of course)_

AnyFucker · 28/11/2011 23:36

*rolled over, of course

LemonDifficult · 28/11/2011 23:37

^'Well, not if the OP pays her dues, it's not.'

The strength of the union's bargaining position does not come from how many people pay their subs, it is how many people are prepared to act.

That is surely obvious.^

That's not obvious at all. It could mean that a reasonably minded large group of people could be hijacked by a small 'prepared to act' minority, which would be a weakness. Actually, well stated aims, signed up to by many people (i.e. paying their dues is - or should be - the strength of the bargaining position.

noblegiraffe · 28/11/2011 23:40

" It could mean that a reasonably minded large group of people could be hijacked by a small 'prepared to act' minority, which would be a weakness."

Eh? They all got a chance to vote, did they not?

LemonDifficult · 28/11/2011 23:40

Yeah, and most of them didn't vote to strike.

fit2drop · 28/11/2011 23:41

exactly what LemonDifficult says in her23:28 post.

I am a member of UNISON , does not mean I have to strike, I am not a sheep. If I felt the strike would achieve anything I would be out there , but it won't, other than hardship for those like OP and thousands of others who cannot afford to loose a days pay and then have to make up any pension payment missed too.

I pay the union to work for me. I do not work for them

AnyFucker · 28/11/2011 23:41

OldMac, of course I am talking long term

and I apologise for inferring you are pissed Smile

I too will struggle financially this week, as I have already said

due to the recession, my family is being crippled from every single angle

I will not roll over and accept this chip, chip, chip away at workers rights though...I believe this is just the start of it, particularly if we let it go (again...we already let a massive re-negotiation of pensions go in 2007/2008... but everybody has forgotten about that haven't they ? )

FontSnob · 28/11/2011 23:41

Anyfucker, you are absolutely correct, it is scary. Does anyone think that the govt expected the heavily unionised public sector to react in any way other than the way it has to their proposed changes? No, they know EXACTLY what they are doing and the tension that they are causing, and they are going to use it to deflect all sorts of crap.

fit2drop · 28/11/2011 23:41

arghhh lose

OldMacEIEIO · 28/11/2011 23:42

i am pissed

i just dont drink wine

noblegiraffe · 28/11/2011 23:43

Lemon, I think you meant that a majority of them didn't vote. Whether they were for or against the strike cannot be ascertained merely from their lack of completing a ballot paper.

Of those who did complete a ballot paper, the overwhelming majority voted to strike.

Original poster
toptramp · 28/11/2011 23:44

I don't think I will go in on Wednesday. I just can't.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 28/11/2011 23:44

LD in my union, there was an unprecented 66% of ballot papers returned

of which 86% voted for strike action

the first one in 31 years

AnyFucker · 28/11/2011 23:46

ok, OldMac, I was right the first time then Smile

and I am stone cold sober (and very very angry)

FontSnob · 28/11/2011 23:46

If those who didn't vote were strongly opposed then they would/should vote No. You can't assume a No vote from an absent vote.

ilovesooty · 28/11/2011 23:48

I'm wondering how many of those passionately opposed to striking actually bothered to return their ballot papers.

uniCorny · 28/11/2011 23:48

AF are you a teacher?

OldMacEIEIO · 28/11/2011 23:48

af - brilliant
loads of people said they didnt want to lose money - and you seem to find that suprising and a source of strength

my questions is why the heck wasnt it 100% of 100%

AnyFucker · 28/11/2011 23:49

TT I really, really do sympathise

it is awful

the Govt know exactly what they are doing, though, like FS said

which is why my union hasn't voted for strike action in 31 years

NHS workers do not want to strike

but most of them feel they have no choice this time

and we argue amongst ourselves, while the fat cats gamble away all our money

how stupid we all are

AnyFucker · 28/11/2011 23:50

uniCorny...no, I am not a teacher

LemonDifficult · 28/11/2011 23:50

AF - I can tell that you are galvanised, and obviously you aren't alone.

However, it's also clear from events in the UK and elsewhere that your demands won't be met. They can't be. And it wouldn't be fair to saddle the next generation with the expectations of retirement that this generation have.

When it's this obvious that the strike cannot be successful, it seems irresponsible to encourage people who are already struggling to strike and lose a day's pay. I know, I know, it's about money in the future, etc, but it isn't going to happen.

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