Page 7 | Strikes strikes strikes

Rainyrunway · 2023-04-27T05:55:08+00:00

So many people are striking at the moment. We're personally affected and having to change plans or appointments by 3 over the next few days (nurses, teachers and engineers at a theme park!) I'm not making a judgement call here btw just putting a personal perspective. Anyone have any idea how or when they'll all end? Obviously they can't go on forever but it feels like if one group reaches a settlement, another group starts.

LyndaLaHughes · 27/04/2023 19:35

Parents should be very worried about this- latest data on recruitment.

Thatladdo · 28/04/2023 10:48

SisterWivesNo · 27/04/2023 11:37

Yes. That's the Tory rhetoric that is being widely disseminated. That striking public sector workers have been radicalised by Unions and used as political tools by a 'leftist' socialist agenda.

Which a) ignores the fact many workers in the public sector are highly educated, intelligent professionals who deeply understand what is at play here and not getting whipped up into hysteria that they'll get epic pay rises.

B) the Unions in the nurses strike for instance were manipulated by the government into agreeing that pay talks would have a prerequisite that any offer by the government would be presented to it's members for vote. Otherwise the government would not get around the table.

And those Unions then called off planned strikes in March to talk to the government, hoping for a decent offer. And then presented a desirory offer to their members while heavily leaning on their members to accept the offer.

The RCN went on a campaign to urge their members to accept the deal as a final offer. Unite said don't accept, this is bollocks basically. Unison actually informed their members to accept or receive no other offer and be worse off in the long run.

So Unison members shat themselves and voted to accept as advised by their union. RCN members were also scared and a small minority voted to take their chances and reject.

Now.. the RCN is coming out in full force in regards to strikes with no derogations etc. Massive contrast to the pressure they put on their members before and during the vote to accept or reject.

And Steve Barclay and the lying, gaslighting Tory government say Unison accepted the pay offer as it was 'fair and reasonable' when Unison members were explicitly told accept this or nothing. In wanting to make RCN members look like greedy assholes.

And RCN members were also being 'urged' to accept this 'final offer'. Then when a small majority of RCN members refused to be inintimidated and voted reject so further strike action is planned, Steve Barclay sought to take the RCN to court.

Initially hoping to stop the entire strike this weekend, and directly intimated, bullied and threatened every nurse planning to strike by telling them their nursing registration could be at risk if they strike. More recently hoping to stop the strike on Tuesday.

Lying, gaslighting, bullying Tory bastards.

And in the meantime whipping up all the narrative in the Tory media that nurses/Dr's are greedy when there is just no money to pay them sob and if HCPs go on strike, they have blood on their hands and don't care about their patients but just care about money.

I am f-ing enraged by it. And if anything, Steve Barclay and this government in their behavior around NHS strikes have probably 'radicalised' more workers into striking.

Show quote history

Thats exactly what someone who had been radicalised by their unions might say 😉
For clarity im not a Tory boy and never have been, Ive simply commented on what I see.
Im a member of the 2nd biggest union in the country and have striked myself over conditions and pay, the unions have become more and more political over id say the past 10 years, now lean heavily to the left.
I will stand by my comment that this is politically motivated under the guise of increasing workers pay.

stunning71 · 13/06/2023 12:00

Just had announced a week long unite strike for school transport /support workers in NI . My DS cannot go to his SEN school for a week because we literally have no way to get him there . My husband cannot take time off at the drop of a hat and I don’t drive so he has to stay at home !

i get why they want to strike but they also don’t think about how it impacts these kids ! Parents have to either take unpaid leave if they have no spare holiday or pay for their own transportation , which as EVERYONE is struggling atm is not always feasible!
So frustrating.

Sherrystrull · 13/06/2023 20:34

Disruption is the point of strikes. Why don't you drive?

stunning71 · 13/06/2023 21:11

@Sherrystrull is that any
of your business? And yes we know the point of strikes are to cause disruption! The point is they are disrupting the wrong people!

Sherrystrull · 13/06/2023 21:12

stunning71 · 13/06/2023 21:11

@Sherrystrull is that any
of your business? And yes we know the point of strikes are to cause disruption! The point is they are disrupting the wrong people!

You seem to think striking is your business to comment on so why shouldn't I ask why you don't drive?

stunning71 · 13/06/2023 21:23

@Sherrystrull because that is a personal matter . It has nothing to do with why people strike !

Sherrystrull · 13/06/2023 21:25

stunning71 · 13/06/2023 21:23

@Sherrystrull because that is a personal matter . It has nothing to do with why people strike !

Why people strike is a personal matter.

Look, I'm not trying to get at you. Your child clearly deserves and needs to go to school as all children do.

But people striking are trying to raise awareness for their pay and conditions which will help the quality of education children receive in the future.

It's the only impact we can have.

Blame the government.

stunning71 · 13/06/2023 21:37

@Sherrystrull it’s a personal matter to
you ! It’s not personal to other people who rely on services like school transport. And I do blame the government but so should you ! You should take your grievances out at voting time and not on people who are just trying to get on with their lives .
Most people are struggling at the moment and they just want to be able to go to work or go to school .
You say it’s the only impact you have but just make sure it’s impacting the right people!
I also don’t agree that school transport services striking will help the quality of my children’s education.
i wish you well in your strike but try not to forget the average Joe who just want to go about their lives .

Sherrystrull · 13/06/2023 21:40

stunning71 · 13/06/2023 21:37

@Sherrystrull it’s a personal matter to
you ! It’s not personal to other people who rely on services like school transport. And I do blame the government but so should you ! You should take your grievances out at voting time and not on people who are just trying to get on with their lives .
Most people are struggling at the moment and they just want to be able to go to work or go to school .
You say it’s the only impact you have but just make sure it’s impacting the right people!
I also don’t agree that school transport services striking will help the quality of my children’s education.
i wish you well in your strike but try not to forget the average Joe who just want to go about their lives .

I want to go about my life. Bus drivers want to go about their lives. If they don't get paid a decent wage. They can't. I think you need to look at the bigger picture.

Having no bus drivers to take children to school will absolutely affect your child's education. You've said yourself they can't get to school if they aren't working. But what if pay and conditions are so bad they can't get anyone to do the job?

I absolutely do blame the government.

stunning71 · 13/06/2023 21:52

@Sherrystrull as I said I hope you get what you feel you need .

Sherrystrull · 13/06/2023 21:57

stunning71 · 13/06/2023 21:52

@Sherrystrull as I said I hope you get what you feel you need .

What I feel I need? Surely everyone needs a living wage? I support anyone striking for pay and conditions. It's disruptive and annoying but ultimately money is important to living.

Original poster

Rainyrunway · 14/06/2023 06:38

Actually I can see both sides here. Sure the bus strikers want to receive a decent wage, obviously I support that, but if you are affected by their strike, and for example can't go to work because you need to stay at home and look after your child then YOU are also losing money. For their benefit and on their choice of day. Maybe you are already more low payed than they are in the first place? It's easy to say you support all strikers when their striking doesn't affect you personally. Also I read an article on the BBC yesterday which said wage inflation was higher than expected at over 7% which now means the BOE is going to have to raise interest rates even further meaning we'll all be poorer anyway. (Except I guess if you don't need to pay rent or a mortgage - then you'll be laughing!)

OP posts:

noblegiraffe · 14/06/2023 07:24

"In February to April 2023, average regular pay growth for the private sector was 7.6%, this is the largest growth rate seen outside of the pandemic period; for the public sector this was 5.6%, a larger growth rate was last seen in August to October 2003 (5.7%).

Says the ONS.

stunning71 · 14/06/2023 08:59

Rainyrunway · 14/06/2023 06:38

Actually I can see both sides here. Sure the bus strikers want to receive a decent wage, obviously I support that, but if you are affected by their strike, and for example can't go to work because you need to stay at home and look after your child then YOU are also losing money. For their benefit and on their choice of day. Maybe you are already more low payed than they are in the first place? It's easy to say you support all strikers when their striking doesn't affect you personally. Also I read an article on the BBC yesterday which said wage inflation was higher than expected at over 7% which now means the BOE is going to have to raise interest rates even further meaning we'll all be poorer anyway. (Except I guess if you don't need to pay rent or a mortgage - then you'll be laughing!)

👏

Sherrystrull · 15/06/2023 06:31

Rainyrunway · 14/06/2023 06:38

Actually I can see both sides here. Sure the bus strikers want to receive a decent wage, obviously I support that, but if you are affected by their strike, and for example can't go to work because you need to stay at home and look after your child then YOU are also losing money. For their benefit and on their choice of day. Maybe you are already more low payed than they are in the first place? It's easy to say you support all strikers when their striking doesn't affect you personally. Also I read an article on the BBC yesterday which said wage inflation was higher than expected at over 7% which now means the BOE is going to have to raise interest rates even further meaning we'll all be poorer anyway. (Except I guess if you don't need to pay rent or a mortgage - then you'll be laughing!)

Strikes do affect me personally but I am not a self absorbed person. I can see the bigger picture.

Beezknees · 15/06/2023 06:59

Rainyrunway · 14/06/2023 06:38

Actually I can see both sides here. Sure the bus strikers want to receive a decent wage, obviously I support that, but if you are affected by their strike, and for example can't go to work because you need to stay at home and look after your child then YOU are also losing money. For their benefit and on their choice of day. Maybe you are already more low payed than they are in the first place? It's easy to say you support all strikers when their striking doesn't affect you personally. Also I read an article on the BBC yesterday which said wage inflation was higher than expected at over 7% which now means the BOE is going to have to raise interest rates even further meaning we'll all be poorer anyway. (Except I guess if you don't need to pay rent or a mortgage - then you'll be laughing!)

Non driver here so I rely on buses and trains to get to places, also I am low paid, I still support the strikes because it's about more than just me.