Civil Servants To Stage 48-Hour Walkout

[Right-Wing]

Civil Servants To Stage 48-Hour Walkout

 

I may be over simplifying here, but in a recession, a time of increased unemployment, isn't the simple answer to sack these people and give their jobs to people who want to work? Doesn't that kill multiple birds with one stone. The sacked people can stay at home and watch day time tv, and people who want to get back to work can have jobs. In addition if they only employ half the number of people that they sack, then the UK government save a barrow load of cash, and they can stop trying to squeeze money out of the Isle of Man.

 

Surely everyone is a winner?

[jimbms]

Who gives a shit, it's the UK.

[Alias]

It would be ironic.

 

Workers get made redundant for campaigning about changes to redundancy pay.

[manxy]

Civil Servants To Stage 48-Hour Walkout

 

I may be over simplifying here, but in a recession, a time of increased unemployment, isn't the simple answer to sack these people and give their jobs to people who want to work? Doesn't that kill multiple birds with one stone. The sacked people can stay at home and watch day time tv, and people who want to get back to work can have jobs. In addition if they only employ half the number of people that they sack, then the UK government save a barrow load of cash, and they can stop trying to squeeze money out of the Isle of Man.

 

Surely everyone is a winner?

It's only a matter of time before England becomes Poland 2 anyway.

[TurricanII]

Unions=blackmail surely? Why can't they individually go to an employment tribunal or sue for breach of contract if they think they have been wronged as is available to most of the working population?

[La_Dolce_Vita]

Right-Wing - Surely not, because the issue is not about those in the civil service who just don't want to work and there being unemployed who simply want to work. No, people want the same arrangements and conditions in their current jobs, and the unemployment just need more money (and a continuous work history). Nothing to do with whether people really want to go on the dole and others desperate to work hard.

 

Unions=blackmail surely? Why can't they individually go to an employment tribunal or sue for breach of contract if they think they have been wronged as is available to most of the working population?

Well duhhhh. The whole point of unions is pressure the employer so that he will/or wont make changes. That's the point. And people have power in numbers.

If you think you have been wronged then you find out. Often the employer has been given the right in law to make changes or do certain things. Still might mean the worker gets a rough deal.

[jimbms]

They have a simple choice, jobs are scarce and they have one, if they do not like the conditions they can go elsewhere and let someone who will be glad of the job have it, same as here, there are lots moaning about the payfreeze they have got, well we are in a recession and they have a secure job so just put up with it for a while it won't be forever.

[Albert Tatlock]

I suspect a 48 'work to rule' by civil servants here would actually be quite productive for us.

[When Skies Are Grey]

I suspect a 48 'work to rule' by civil servants here would actually be quite productive for us.

 

How many Civil Servants work over here anyway?

 

 

 

About 10% of them!

 

Badum tish....I am here all week.

[Cambon]

I guess you could say the Civil Servants truely are revolting!

[Right-Wing]

I don't understand what's going on here. I've been an avid reader of these forums for several months now, and I thought the usual protocol was

 

a) someone expresses an opinion

b) someone disagrees and calls them insulting names

c) it degrades into a mud slinging match

d) occasionally some critises grammer and spelling

 

Are you lot being easy on me because I'm new to the forums :-)

 

LDV, I'm right wing and I believe the concept of a union, looking after the rights of the masses, is largly a left wing thing, isn't it?

 

I remember quite a few years ago, the union had all the workers at a Timex factory out on strike, so the management locked the factory, sacked all the workers on the spot, and moved production abroad. I remember thinking at the time that that made sense to me, and that maybe that would teach people not to join unions. And that was before I became really right wing!

[manshimajin]

It's only a matter of time before England becomes Poland 2 anyway.

I recently read some economic forecasts which predict that the Polish economy will overtake the German one in about 2025. I have my doubts about this but undoubtedly Poland, with its strategic location in Central Europe, has been growing quickly even in the current economic downturn. The thoughts of the English learning Polish and relocating there for work is certainly one that has the mind boggling - I shudder to think of the impact on the coffee!

 

The public servants in Ireland are also kicking against the pay cut backs by holding work to rules and stoppages. No doubt little Ms Moffatt will be planning something similar here.

 

In the end the world keeps turning....

[Hugh Jampton]

I am certainly right wing in some of my thinking but have always joined a union at work. It is the protection a union can offer its members that is esstential.

Employers would prefer to meet a union to negoiate pay rather trhan interviewing every individual employee.

 

Without a union we would all be working 12hr shifts 6 days a week with no paid holiday. My Mum did that during WW2

[TurricanII]

LDV - Duhhh I know the point of Unions. Let me explain for you: "Unions=Blackmail?" means "Are not the Union tactics of threatening walkouts blackmail?" and in the context of what I wrote, why does the individual need more power than an employee-biased tribunal?

 

Hugh - Employers have to attract employees. They are not going to get or keep many good employees if all they can offer is 12 hour days 6 days a week and no paid leave. Most of the private sector does without unions and conditions are not bad.

[La_Dolce_Vita]

LDV, I'm right wing and I believe the concept of a union, looking after the rights of the masses, is largly a left wing thing, isn't it?

 

I remember quite a few years ago, the union had all the workers at a Timex factory out on strike, so the management locked the factory, sacked all the workers on the spot, and moved production abroad. I remember thinking at the time that that made sense to me, and that maybe that would teach people not to join unions.

Well...it's looking after the rights of the workers. Their role is supposedly about challenging unfair practices and decisions made by employers that affect the staff (the people who do the work). They are supposed to take up the workers perspective and arguments and advanced them, that is, by forming one voice on matters.

 

And that was before I became really right wing!

Oh dear.

 

If it made sense to you that is a reflection of where you allegiances lie in that (and probably others instances). Such actions as locking out the workers don't necessarily teach people not to use unions. They do teach people that it is and 'us and them(ownership class)' system and that your means to survive can be removed if you challenge an employer. I would advocate taking control of the workplace by the workers - but in our society the police would step in and place the employer back in power.

 

I don't know about it being right-wing or left-wing though. Unions are almost always affiliated with those who political groups who wish to improve the situation for workers, and they are usually left-wing groups. And those running them tend to be left-wing in their thinking.

LDV - Duhhh I know the point of Unions. Let me explain for you: "Unions=Blackmail?" means "Are not the Union tactics of threatening walkouts blackmail?" and in the context of what I wrote, why does the individual need more power than an employee-biased tribunal?

Do you mean blackmail? It's just a threat to the employer. Because the employer might be within their rights in terms of the law to do some actions, but that doesn't mean it's right. And more successful outcomes can come from clubbing together and using threats against the employer which actually affect their business if they don't comply.