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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Mick Lynch called for National Strike

164 replies

ivykaty44 · 01/02/2023 20:48

At a cost of living rally

are you for it YANBU
against it YABU

OP posts:
DoubleShotEspresso · 01/02/2023 23:19

I'm not wild about the fact this is looking even a necessity, but he's not wrong, what choice is there?

The Tories are so woefully detached from the reality of the majority, Rishi has failed to act, his ministers have failed to engage.

It's time.

Mammyloveswine · 01/02/2023 23:24

As a striking teacher today... absolutely yes!!

Also attached.. photos showing the pay increase for MPs since 2010 vs teachers... just in case anyone believes the tories saying teachers are Greedy...

Mick Lynch called for National Strike
Mick Lynch called for National Strike
Mick Lynch called for National Strike
AuntieEntity · 01/02/2023 23:29

I mentioned this in work today and am all for it; someone said a general strike had been made illegal under Thatcher. Is that true?

L1ttledrummergirl · 01/02/2023 23:32

I'm in. This fucking shit show of a cabal government aren't listening to the people. A general strike might get through to their tiny minds, although they seem very obtuse so I wouldn't be so sure.
I'd rather a strike than riots though.

Lapland123 · 01/02/2023 23:35

I’m all for it!!!!
Up the workers!
Enough is enough!!

ChungusBoi · 01/02/2023 23:38

I’m in. We need to demand a general election.

NearlyMidnight · 01/02/2023 23:43

No. Rubbish in the streets, people missing hospital appointments, kids, missing out on education, no transport. The poor and the self employed won't get paid. The cleaners and the temps and the plumbers and the childminders and the delivery drivers and the waiting staff and the tutors and the dog walkers... becuaue the economy will shrink. It'll be like lockdown again. The rich will sit in their houses and love it. The government workers will get paid so not care - smug.
And it will achieve nothing.
People still want their Amazon orders, (made in China and delivered by people on awful contracts), and their takeaways, and their NetFlix and their Tesco order. and the other jobs will move to countries that have more favourable labour laws.

It's a completely different world now

NearlyMidnight · 01/02/2023 23:45

PS - and the shit show of a government didn't take the country by force. WE - collectively - voted them in. And we can vote them out in a couple of years. So we'd do better to get ready for that.

maddy68 · 01/02/2023 23:49

Agreed this should happen. Can't vote as I am on my phone but 100% behind a national strike

NearlyMidnight · 01/02/2023 23:57

I'd like to know how many who support a national strike are:
on benefits - so would not lose money
employed by the state - so would get strike pay and have a secure job

How many are struggling to keep your own small business afloat? How many are self employed?

How many would vote for this knowing it would wreck their livelihood? Not me. am barely recovering from lockdown.

And how many would assume that their own mortgages would still be paid (the banks wouldn't strike), and their own sewage would still be flushed away. And their own lovely hot showers and lovely cold freezers still work and their mobiles still leave them able to send striking memes to all their friends.

I'm sorry but I think it's naive. (However the wrong thread to post this - and long past my bedtime. Have to go to work tomorrow!)

007DoubleOSeven · 02/02/2023 00:14

With bells on!

noblegiraffe · 02/02/2023 00:56

employed by the state - so would get strike pay

?? being employed by the state doesn’t get you strike pay. Public sector workers on strike for a day are losing a day’s pay.

batterseaparkfireworks · 02/02/2023 01:02

Yes!

Flapjacker48 · 02/02/2023 01:12

@NearlyMidnight Please don't push myths like "strike pay" and no, hearing that "my sister's friends partner" got strike pay doesn't mean it happens.

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 02/02/2023 06:10

My mum was getting fired up about strikes when I last visited her. Practically foaming at the mouth at nurses, teachers, paramedics etc striking for (in her words) inflation busting increases.

I reminded her that in April her pension will increase by 10.1%.
Tory’s get massive support from pensioners, so they want to keep them happy

OP posts:
Original poster
ivykaty44 · 02/02/2023 06:13

How many are struggling to keep your own small business afloat? How many are self employed?

self employed aren’t striking…

OP posts:
Harrysutton · 02/02/2023 06:16

its playing right into the hands of the tories. Country goes on strike, annoy the voters in the middle to right (and there are lots of them). Tories win the next election again. I might put a bet on the tories staying in power now.

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 02/02/2023 06:19

I agree the government are a shower of shite and would like to see wealth rebalanced towards the poorer in society but I would like to see that done via the normal democratic means of a general election than allowing people like Mick Lynch to press his own socialist aims on us

strikes have to be voted for, therefore it will be democratic if a national strike was voted for. Just like Mick Lynch was voted into his job and his salary was voted for. ML doesn’t get to call a general election that’s done when the unelected PM decides

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 02/02/2023 06:20

NearlyMidnight · 01/02/2023 23:43

No. Rubbish in the streets, people missing hospital appointments, kids, missing out on education, no transport. The poor and the self employed won't get paid. The cleaners and the temps and the plumbers and the childminders and the delivery drivers and the waiting staff and the tutors and the dog walkers... becuaue the economy will shrink. It'll be like lockdown again. The rich will sit in their houses and love it. The government workers will get paid so not care - smug.
And it will achieve nothing.
People still want their Amazon orders, (made in China and delivered by people on awful contracts), and their takeaways, and their NetFlix and their Tesco order. and the other jobs will move to countries that have more favourable labour laws.

It's a completely different world now

Basically this.
Also Mick Lynch is a cunt.

Beezknees · 02/02/2023 06:42

I wouldn't strike personally. I need my job and my work isn't in a great financial position, if everyone went on strike the business would probably go under and I'd have no job at all. Can't risk that. If other people want to, go for it.

Untitledsquatboulder · 02/02/2023 06:48

What would it actually achieve?

Would the government pass legislation to insist the world sells us food or fuel for a cheaper price - because I'm not sure that would work. Or are they going to cap the profit making abilities of big business?

Are they going to insist all private businesses give their employees a payrise of X percent ?

I can't help feeling a change of government would be better.

torquewench · 02/02/2023 06:50

noblegiraffe · 02/02/2023 00:56

employed by the state - so would get strike pay

?? being employed by the state doesn’t get you strike pay. Public sector workers on strike for a day are losing a day’s pay.

Unless they're in a union, such as Unite or Unison, which provide strike pay and state the level of such on their web pages

MushMonster · 02/02/2023 07:11

ChungusBoi · 01/02/2023 23:38

I’m in. We need to demand a general election.

This!
I would rather not strike as per the cost to all of us, but I firmly think we should not wait till the election date next year because this lot is stripping us off everything we have.
Is a general strike the only tool we have to force this lot out? Is there no any other way to bring the elections forward?
If there is no other way, I will strike and rally.

MarshaBradyo · 02/02/2023 07:12

NearlyMidnight · 01/02/2023 23:57

I'd like to know how many who support a national strike are:
on benefits - so would not lose money
employed by the state - so would get strike pay and have a secure job

How many are struggling to keep your own small business afloat? How many are self employed?

How many would vote for this knowing it would wreck their livelihood? Not me. am barely recovering from lockdown.

And how many would assume that their own mortgages would still be paid (the banks wouldn't strike), and their own sewage would still be flushed away. And their own lovely hot showers and lovely cold freezers still work and their mobiles still leave them able to send striking memes to all their friends.

I'm sorry but I think it's naive. (However the wrong thread to post this - and long past my bedtime. Have to go to work tomorrow!)

This and what Oyster said in response

LakieLady · 02/02/2023 07:26

NearlyMidnight · 01/02/2023 23:43

No. Rubbish in the streets, people missing hospital appointments, kids, missing out on education, no transport. The poor and the self employed won't get paid. The cleaners and the temps and the plumbers and the childminders and the delivery drivers and the waiting staff and the tutors and the dog walkers... becuaue the economy will shrink. It'll be like lockdown again. The rich will sit in their houses and love it. The government workers will get paid so not care - smug.
And it will achieve nothing.
People still want their Amazon orders, (made in China and delivered by people on awful contracts), and their takeaways, and their NetFlix and their Tesco order. and the other jobs will move to countries that have more favourable labour laws.

It's a completely different world now

I think it would be worth all that if it led to teaching and nursing becoming attractive professions again so that there weren't staff shortages and our public services, including transport (which is dire outside of urban areas) being functional again.

The people who provide our essential services deserve to be decently rewarded for what they do.

Being old, I remember the 3-day week of the early 70s and the "winter of discontent" a few years later. It was inconvenient, but people managed, and it didn't last long.

Mind you, when there was a rail strike, they used London parks as car parks so that people could get to work, so it was nowhere near as disruptive. I never missed a day at work because of the strike.

This government are nothing but a bunch of grifters more concerned with lining their own pockets than providing functional services, and they need a wake up call. Their bloody "austerity" and Brexit has nearly broken health, social care and education.