If the water is the same across the whole public sector than I came face-to-face with the problem yesterday and have to acknowledge that when dialogue fails, all that remains it to make the point by removing one's labour. After all, doesn't the Bible tell us that the, "Worker is worthy of his (and her) wage?"
Elsewhere someone was saying thus: "The strike is a total disgrace. The fact that the public sector workers are allowed to disrupt the lives of ordinary folk, regardless of the reason, is wrong. How dare they disrupt the lives of ordinary people? Bloody strikers!" Surely unless the strike disrupts the lives of 'ordinary people' it is but a worthless toe-pointing exercise?
A Mum told me how it had spoilt her day because she was having to take a day off to babysit her children!!! (How do you babysit your own children - surely it was 'spending a day with her children, a joy?).
Seems to me that we aren't finished with the wonderful world of industrial action and as pressures begin to tell I assume that those who were taking philosophical points of view and proclaiming that they wouldn't strike (like Millband's striking head teacher) will be changing their tune and throwing their all in with the masses, and what will we have?
A Cameron who apparently relishes taking on the unions (not that he should merely roll over)
A Milliband who stuffs brothers (fraternal and union) who has realised that popularity lies in supporting the union (whilst it suits him of course)
A nation who will see more on the poverty line and more injustice apparent.
Where is the Church? Who is making a stand?
A comment from a picket member yesterday: "Hello Vicar, don't suppose people like you are that bothered by all this?"
How wrong can you be?
Won't get better unless you picket?
5 comments:
As a life-long trades union member and the daughter of a full-time Trade Union Officer (NEC Bakers' Union), my sympathies are with those unfortunate individuals hit by this latest Govt. scam.
Let's not forget, that many, not all, of those on strike are among the most poorly paid anyway, and additionally have some of the least pleasant jobs in our one-sided society.
"ordinary people" someone said to you yesterday. Who could be more 'ordinary' than the lucky individual who empties other people's bins for a living.?
As for the woman who complained about having to "baby-sit" her own children, I'm speechless.
No-one chooses to strike if there is any other way.
Yes I have been on strike. Yes I have had to lose a day's money (on one occasion 3 days). in order to demonstrate my support for an unfair system, but would have far preferred to sit back and let everyone else do the protesting.
Have just re-read my comment, Whoops!
I meant to say in the last paragraph, "in order to demonstrate against an unfair system".
Sorry!
Indeed Ray, all those I encountered on picket duty were the poorest paid staff and they have beed stretched to their limit whilst working and were facing more of the same when retirement beckoned (if they liv that long with the way things are shaping up).
Knew what you meant regarding the unfair system but thanks for the clarification (always handy),
Vic
So much truth in your post.
My spouse is a low-paid civil servant, who is also a Union Member. She voted for strike, but only about 36% of her fellow union members actually took the time to vote. So the majority for a strike was from just over 1/3rd of the total membership. I'm not sure how democratic that decision is?
I support the aspirations of the low paid public service workers who are struggling to survive on frozen pay packets and now face an increase in their pension contributions (effectively another pay cut) and who can see that the proposal for a 'career average' pension will leave them even worse off, not matter what the government mis-information machine spews out.
I resent the media portrayal of public service workers, particularly 'gold plated pensions', which public servants pay for, just as those in the private sector do. Certainly there is a scandal in some of the higher paid local government schemes, where high paid executives can take a huge redundancy payout and than be re-employed by another authority or even by their previous employer. The government proposes legislation to curb this - about time to.
What I find difficult, is the Union's taking industrial action, when the negotiations are incomplete. It seems to me to be a form of blackmail, which is politically based, rather than in the interests of their members, who they represent.
It seems to me that the Union's are actually playing right into the Government's hands. The more militant and undemocratic they are portrayed, the more ammunition the government has to reform employment law. They have already announced proposals to degrade the whole process of unfair dismissal, the powers of employment tribunals and to generally give the employers the whip hand in any dispute. There has also been threats to make the unions have a majority vote of ALL members before being able to call a legal strike. The employers must be laughing up their sleeves.
I suspect that if I was employed in the private sector, I might listen to the stories about public service pay and pensions and feel a grievance, but many low paid public servants look at the salaries available to the private sector with envy.
There used to be an agreement, public servants accepted that their income would be slightly lower than available in the private sector. The compensating factor was an element of job security and a reasonable pension at the end of it. To my mind, its the breaking of that bargain that is causing the current situation. People have lost trust in the government to keep to their side of the bargain, so, are trying to protect their living and security for their old age.
One aspect of all of this that is not highlighted is that the Armed Forces pensions are equally under threat as those of other public services. They can't go on strike, they don't have any trade union's to speak up for them. They just have to get on with it. The only thing they can do is vote with their feet. No wonder the redundancy applications were oversubscribed so heavily!
As a member of Unison I took action yesterday and applaud those who are making a stand against the unfair treatment of the lower paid worker.
It's ok for those fat cat in the finance world and the politicians and others to point fingers at the poorest in our society when they have large salaries and equally large pensions.
As for the person who made the comment you quote, here's another quote, 'bloody moron'.
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