to think that yesterday's strikes were a bit of a non-event?

[grovel]

Whether you supported them or not?

Unfortunately, I think you might be right.

I was wondering if a work to rule might have a more useful effect.

I'm sure the people involved feel that they made a statement. In a way that might ease the progress of what comes next i.e. that a very similar deal gets accepted. The union leaders will be able to say...'we made a stand and got a few more concessions'... as they accept the inevitable, and then get back to the really serious business of pursuing Jeremy Clarkson.

I feel a work to ruke would achieve far more - esecially in helping the likes of Jeremy Clarkson to realise just how valuable his bin men etc are.

My DD went to watch her teachers rally and march, and said they were jeered by members of the public. Sad.

So yet again, it's all about Clarkson.

I saw the same at a rally/picket near us.

Seems that yesterday the unions lost some public support but gained Miliband's. The wrong way round I'd suggest.

I think a lot of people went shopping. Was probably good for the economy.

Sadly it would probably need to stretch to a week or too to make the powers that be take notice.

*two

Well where we live there was a huge rally and a town march with the protesters shouting and rallying.
OTOH we heard a lot of people say it gave them a chance to do some christmas shopping early for a change.

Strikes would need to be over a longer period to make a difference but when they are really key jobs that are essential I don't think they want to disrupt things so much. The worst thing that can happen is to get the public riled up and against the strikers, which is exactly what Cameron is hoping for

I think it was a non event because unless people want the UK to be the next Greece we have to find some way to fund public sector pensions. We can't magic the money out of thin air. Striking is not going to change the amount of money in the pot so it is not going to achieve anything. It was a pointless way to inconvenience a lot of people.

Yup, i also think it was a bit of a non-event but I guess it's not the done thing to say. Ie. to try and say anything negative against our lovely public sector workers.

A lesson Clarkson should learn!

In pursuing Clarkson though, Unison are losing control of the PR aspect that's vital to articulate their message and continue what, if any momentum, the strike generated.

This talk of police action etc is drowning their message, and i worry they are risking losing the public interest in their cause by sweating small stuff.

EnjoyResponsibly, I agree.

I also think that the more this is debated the more private sector employees are saying "Wow" when they hear what the proposed pensions are still going to be under the government's proposals.

I think the strikers are very lucky to have work when there are so many who are unemployed at present and who have no pension scheme, no regular salary, no hope, no future, little joy at Christmas time and who are looking forward to seeing their children go without yet again. Yep, the teachers really care about the children they teach and their families who may also be working 60 hour weeks on minimum wage, with 28 days holiday, reliant on SSP, possibly working in sewers, kitchens, cleaning, etc.. Not sure how this is going to help them glow in a warm and positive light in the longer term.

They were a non-event, everything was functioning as normal here, although I will admit that we are not heavy public-service users.

grovel I think you are right about it simply drawing more attention to the still very generous pension terms.
My DH earns a very good salary, but my Dad's final salary NHS pension is higher. He is essentially still on the payrole, and that cannot be sustainable when we are now looking at people having 30 year retirements.

The only thing noticeable round here was the bins were not emptied. They were done today though... all the kids in our area were at school.

Nobody is forced to work in the public sector, and from my time doing public sector payroll, I dont recall the pay being that bad either, and the sickness pay was extremely generous in many jobs. All the loopholes were well known and well abused.

I didn't strike, and certainly in my workplace, if we worked to rule, the place would be on its knees inside a week. My workplace has survived on goodwill for years, but we've been wrung dry now.
I've been a union member since the days of NALGO, and I'm seriously considering going to another union, Unison (in my area anyway) have been pitiful

Was there a strike? lol

I thought it was a national Christmas shopping day.

See I have such an issue with that swc.

Strike by all means, but actually strike rather than just taking a day's unpaid leave which is what everyone who went shopping or whatever did.

There was no suggestion that any of the pickets or demonstrations were going to be violent or that there would be any unrest so people could easily have taken children along.

We were on holiday in York, and saw the gatherings at the Minster and the Museum. There were a fair few on the marches. What I really noticed was that the shopping streets were nigh on impassable they were rammed with shoppers, didn't have that problem this morn, or on Monday and Tuesday come to think of it .....