What do people think about rail strikes?

[ITUnurse]

I cannot find any threads on the rail strikes / opinion of them.

I personally do support the strikes. We in the NHS will face a similar struggle shortly. I support the rights of workers to strike. Conditions at the moment are dire.

However, if England is so right wing and strikes aren't supported and the Tories continue to be voted in. I've not seen much public support online except from a few and I'm at risk of being in an echo chamber.

Ultimately if England is so under the thumb of the tories, I'm not sure what the long term solution is. The rest of the UK doesn't return the Tories in such numbers.

If you don't support strike action, what do you think the rail workers, NHS workers etc should do? We've already got people leaving enmasse. It's difficult to comment on the conditions of a job you don't work in and nurses regularly get gaslighted on here I am genuinely concerned as to what is going to happen to the public sector of the UK with this right wing stranglehold.

Thanks

Should we just be grateful not to starve and doff our hats?

the tragic thing is millions do think this, it's so weird. Where does the deference come from?

I'd be more supportive of care workers striking.

They have much worse pay and conditions. And certainly don't get overtime pay.

But they are female dominated professions and unions don't give a shit about them.

@AndreaC74

Obviously in an ideal world this would happen.

The unions and many of the PPs seem to be living in that ideal world. But meanwhile, that’s not how things are. Shop workers get paid £10 an hour. They can’t strike because they don’t have the force of a strong union behind them.

The reality is that the unions are taking advantage of the cost of living crisis and inflation to cause maximum chaos. They couldn’t give a shit about workers.

This.

People quitting already fucks over people who are reliant on their services. More people quitting (because wages and working conditions are crap) means fewer staff, meaning fewer services.
They're striking so they can afford to live and so they can provide a better service. Isn't that obvious?

Why should Tesco not pay their staff more, when they made 2 billion profit last year? instead, the tax payer subsidises their wages through the benefits systems.

Exactly this is always overlooked. How much tax is spend subsiding wages & housing so that others can make millions. I'd prefer more of my tax to go to the NHS or childcare settings.

@goshy Basically I agree. We should all be raised up not just the lucky few who have a strong union behind them.

People only strike as a last resort, particularly in uncertain times.
If its come to that then the working man and woman should show solidarity.

I support the right to strike but it sounds like the rmt are trying to hold the government, national rail and the general public hostage by not putting the recent offer to their workers.

Makes them look out dated selfish and like the utter wankers I always thought rmt were.

I think the railways (along with many other companies) should be privatised. That way you cut out paying shareholders. Cheaper fares, better wages no extra cost to anyone as the lower fares and better wages are paid for by the reduction of paying shareholders.
Ditto utility companies.

@Penguinsaregreat do you mean nationalised?

Well shop workers used to a strong union and we voted to take away the unions power.

the RMT represent their workers not shop or care workers.

But why shouldn't people aim for a better (ideal) world? might not ever achieve it but atm the only people getting an "ideal world" are the directors of companies and utilities.

As a country, we seem fixated on someone on £12 ph and wanting £13ph instead of the bosses of various companies who have made themselves multi millionaires at our expense.

Sorry I meant nationalised.

Wages need to be kept low....except for the fat cats getting massive bonuses that have over the decades created the societal inequality that cannot continue any longer.

i say long term we should re-nationalise the essential services like transport, utilities, and give the big bosses new more appropriate targets that speak to benefitting the wider societal needs in our country, not the profit of the few (often overseas) bosses and investors.

The original theory around privatisation encouraging competition has been continually proven to be a bad move. There are no proven benefit other than if you're a fat at or a shareholder, 'the few' raking in profit at the expense of 'the many'.

@EtnaVesuvius so you’re on a low wage and want others kept on a low wage? Why? Why do you want others to suffer the indignities of low wage? Utterly bizarre attitude.

I completely support public working essential services striking, for example nurses, doctors, teachers, legal aid barristers. We need these jobs to be well staffed with capable people in order for society to work well.

I don't support the rail strikes at all! If you work at a rail ticket office and don't like your pay/conditions then go and get another job! If they can't get staff they will eventually raise pay, as all private businesses do. Less people use the trains now, plus automation of ticketing means either redundancies or stagnant pay. Industries rise and fall all the time, if you're in a falling one (e.g. train travel), then you should be looking for ways to do something else!

Shop workers get paid £10 an hour. They can’t strike because they don’t have the force of a strong union behind them.

it shouldn't be a race to the bottom!

There is union representation for shop workers, do some research - www.usdaw.org.uk/ USDAW is joining forces with other related unions, to get better rights for their members.

@Konstantine8364 why do you think rails are a “falling” industry and it should be ticket office workers shouldering this?

I support them. I will support the post office, nurses and teachers when they strike too.

This "get another job" argument is ridiculous. If everyone did that then who would do those jobs? There would be no cleaners, care workers, people in hospitality, nurses, dock workers, train staff, teachers, bin men, bus drivers, tube staff etc

Also, why so many women on here think it’s a great idea to travel into empty stations, just a ticket machine and some barriers? Do things never fail? Do you never need help? How about if it’s your teenager or your elderly parent? Do we really not want any humans?

All down to privatisation,same as the energy supply industry which instead of being owned by the state i.e us is now in the hands of foreign governments.The present inflation has been generated by forces entirely outside the control of government (whoever was in power) but has been exacerbated by the "dash for gas" and wrecking of the coal industry by the miners and the Thatcher government and the closing of virtually every coal fired power station.We are being crucified in the ridiculous quest for "zero carbon" in a country which contributes 1% of greenhouse gases anyway.Asking for wage rises that match inflation will only fuel the fire,we just have to accept that owing to the incompetence of those in charge,we are going to have to suffer.Borrowing money is not the answer (Labour's answer) as we now spend £64 billion per annum on interest etc and it is the 4th largest item of government expenditure.
Before anyone accuses me of being a tory lover,I do not vote,because voting would say I agree with what they do,and they are all as bad and incompetent as each other.As a retired train driver,I think the drivers are just being greedy,regarding other grades,both management and unions are equally to blame."A plague on all their houses".

@DesertOrchi wow, what a world you inhabit in your head. Must be quite depressing to see no hope and have no compassion.

I know they have a union - it’s just not traditionally been as powerful as some others.

Be more polite!

It’s probably a good thing to be intrigued about someone’s situation and political views, especially if they seem opposed. It makes you more open minded. It also makes you realise how many assumptions you make and that, actually for most people, life is complicated.