Have you ever been on strike?

[raf_gti]

Over the years with the various strikes that have been going on I'm pretty sure I've never thought they were a particulary good idea, they always seem to consist of a mouthy bunch of unionists expecting far too much and giving nothing back in return.

In my old life of working in a factory the union there organised a strike, I can't remember what the hell it was for but I do remember looking forward to a day off work!

Have you or would you ever consider going on strike and do they have a place in modern Britain?

I look at the postal strike and can't help but think their apparent grievance is rather trivial, especially considering as so many are losing their jobs right now.

[jamoor]

I don't understand why they don't get different jobs???

Or are they that unskilled/unwanted that they would rather screw their employer for more money??

Surely it's easier to tell them to get fked and find someone who will work for those conditions (if they are that bad they won't and will make them better)

[DocJock]

Hmmm, left Uni, joined the Army, left and worked for myself ever since.

I haven't really had the chance

[TheCarpetCleaner]

jamoor said:

I don't understand why they don't get different jobs???

Or are they that unskilled/unwanted that they would rather screw their employer for more money??

I think that is the nail on the head right there.

You just have to hear some postal workers saying how "it is a difficult job, and nobody else could do it" to understand their mentality.

Nuclear Physicist - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Skyscraper architect - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Engine designer - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Oil rig architect - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Postman - That is a diffi... no sorry just can't bring myself to write it....!!!!

[jamoor]

TheCarpetCleaner said:

jamoor said:

I don't understand why they don't get different jobs???

Or are they that unskilled/unwanted that they would rather screw their employer for more money??

I think that is the nail on the head right there.

You just have to hear some postal workers saying how "it is a difficult job, and nobody else could do it" to understand their mentality.

Nuclear Physicist - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Skyscraper architect - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Engine designer - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Oil rig architect - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Postman - That is a diffi... no sorry just can't bring myself to write it....!!!!

If it's difficult, why don't they scre RM by leaving, if they are that valuable they will automatically imrprove conditions.

[grumbledoak]

The actual need for Unions, in the H&S sense, is long past. But, organisations take on a life of their own - people seldom choose to sack themselves. So, those at the 'top' tend to play to the choir, blackmailing the employer to reduce workload or raise wages because this keeps them in power and wages. Until the business goes tits up, as it is too uncompetitive. Mining, British Leyland, and next the Royal Mail; all the same.

The Mafia started as a (necessary at the time) peasants' protection organisation. Once that was no longer really needed, they didn't disband, they diversified...

Edited by grumbledoak on Sunday 1st November 18:14

[TheCarpetCleaner]

jamoor said:

TheCarpetCleaner said:

jamoor said:

I don't understand why they don't get different jobs???

Or are they that unskilled/unwanted that they would rather screw their employer for more money??

I think that is the nail on the head right there.

You just have to hear some postal workers saying how "it is a difficult job, and nobody else could do it" to understand their mentality.

Nuclear Physicist - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Skyscraper architect - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Engine designer - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Oil rig architect - That is a difficult job, not many people could do that

Postman - That is a diffi... no sorry just can't bring myself to write it....!!!!

If it's difficult, why don't they scre RM by leaving, if they are that valuable they will automatically imrprove conditions.

Because like you and I know, they know they have it too easy, and know they will actually have to work in another job.

[firman]

Had a nice full weekend off due to being too unskilled/unwanted that i have to screw my employers for more money!

[jamoor]

firman said:

Had a nice full weekend off due to being too unskilled/unwanted that i have to screw my employers for more money!

I don't actually understand that, or is that the standard of English from posties?

[firman]

jamoor said:

firman said:

Had a nice full weekend off due to being too unskilled/unwanted that i have to screw my employers for more money!

I don't actually understand that, or is that the standard of English from posties?

Whats not to understand? Normally work 6 days a week as a postie but due to being on strike got saturday off!

[bonsai]

firman said:

jamoor said:

firman said:

Had a nice full weekend off due to being too unskilled/unwanted that i have to screw my employers for more money!

I don't actually understand that, or is that the standard of English from posties?

Whats not to understand? Normally work 6 days a week as a postie but due to being on strike got saturday off!

Assuming you're in delivery, then aren't you just going to have heavier laods for the next few days/weeks?

[firman]

bonsai said:

firman said:

jamoor said:

firman said:

Had a nice full weekend off due to being too unskilled/unwanted that i have to screw my employers for more money!

I don't actually understand that, or is that the standard of English from posties?

Whats not to understand? Normally work 6 days a week as a postie but due to being on strike got saturday off!

Assuming you're in delivery, then aren't you just going to have heavier laods for the next few days/weeks?

Yeah but i would rather have a heavier delivery for the next few weeks and some job security.

[jamoor]

firman said:

bonsai said:

firman said:

jamoor said:

firman said:

Had a nice full weekend off due to being too unskilled/unwanted that i have to screw my employers for more money!

I don't actually understand that, or is that the standard of English from posties?

Whats not to understand? Normally work 6 days a week as a postie but due to being on strike got saturday off!

Assuming you're in delivery, then aren't you just going to have heavier laods for the next few days/weeks?

Yeah but i would rather have a heavier delivery for the next few weeks and some job security.

Why wasn't your job secure prior?

[siscar]

It's hard to see how there can ever be job security when you work in an industry that's dead. Who sends letters anymore? Parcel delivery has a future, letter delivery doesn't. Roya Mail is screwed by having to do letters when the competition can get on with the bit of the industry with a future

[Bing o]

firman said:

Yeah but i would rather have a heavier delivery for the next few weeks and some job security.

Until you ps off all of your customers and they switch to email/DHL et al...

[zollburgers]

firman said:

bonsai said:

firman said:

jamoor said:

firman said:

Had a nice full weekend off due to being too unskilled/unwanted that i have to screw my employers for more money!

I don't actually understand that, or is that the standard of English from posties?

Whats not to understand? Normally work 6 days a week as a postie but due to being on strike got saturday off!

Assuming you're in delivery, then aren't you just going to have heavier laods for the next few days/weeks?

Yeah but i would rather have a heavier delivery for the next few weeks and some job security.

The strikes have virtually guaranteed that heavy job losses will now result. Have you not seen the number of websites that now proudly say "we do not use Royal Mail and so are unnaffected by the strikes". Alos didn't the Union say that they accept job losses will have to occur but their issue was with the working conditions?

[elster]

firman said:

bonsai said:

firman said:

jamoor said:

firman said:

Had a nice full weekend off due to being too unskilled/unwanted that i have to screw my employers for more money!

I don't actually understand that, or is that the standard of English from posties?

Whats not to understand? Normally work 6 days a week as a postie but due to being on strike got saturday off!

Assuming you're in delivery, then aren't you just going to have heavier laods for the next few days/weeks?

Yeah but i would rather have a heavier delivery for the next few weeks and some job security.

Due to striking you have a lot less job security.

As RM now have to introduce the technology to replace the lazy posties, so they can still keep the service going.

[taldo]

im pleased to have a job in these difficult times. sure as hell i wont be going on strike, ill be keeping my head down and grafting hard just incase my boss has to let some people go, it hopefully wont be me!

[speedchick]

Nearly, used to work at Lucas Automotive, can't remember what the hoohah was about, but we were being shafted by the management, and it went to a vote and the vote was for strike. The management then started splitting us all into groups to talk to us about the gravity of the situation and that if we went on strike, other suppliers would pick up our work yada yada yada. It was pointed out the soppy management guy we had in our meeting that us lowly assembly workers would find easier to get work than the management would.

In the end it was the night shift that backed down and so we all went into work instead of striking.

• at the time they were doing stupid things like moving the annual holiday around, that year to fit in with the French summer holidays as Renault was at the time the biggest customer, didn't help that a lot of the mainly female workers had husbands that worked in other local factories that still did the wakes week shut down. Changing the pay system and all sorts of other things that were annoying the workforce.

[celticpilgrim]

Industrial relations in the Uk have alays been crap, ever since the unione were legal - it's alway's been a 'bosses v workers' class strugle with little common ground.

Take Germany as an example, bosses and unions have looked on it aas 2 haves of the same coin, and as a result, have been far less disruptive than in the uk

The unions always get the blame, anbd while this is often true, they have been responsible for getting decent standards for the working man (when we had a manufacturing industry worth fighting for)