Have You Ever Down Tools And Went On Strike?

[Sysman]

I put a customer "On stop" once, until they paid about 3 months' worth of dosh.

It sounded a lot better than "going on strike".

[MarillionFan]

Real jobs, you know with rights, holiday pay and performance reviews where you can join a union to protect those rights, holiday pay and performance reviews!

What you talkin' bout Willis?

[OwlHoot]

I was in the T&GW in the 70s - Had to be, or I wouldn't have been able to get a student job at British Leyland

And boy what a bolshie lot they were. One had to be careful not to sweep (for that was my awesome responsibility) over certain lines, as that would encroach on someone else's territory. I could easily have done the job of two or three of them.

[mudskipper]

Many, many moons ago I went to work for a county council at a hefty 50% payrise from my previous (first) job.
On arriving I discovered that my salary had already gone up by 7% from that promised because UNISON had been on strike for more money. So got the benefits without the hassle. Worked for me. Still got a few years banked in their final salary pension scheme too!

[minestrone]

Never have and never will, personally I have always advocated a "if you do not like the role do not sign the contract" attitude to work.

Make them work until 68 I say, my experience of public sector is hardly complimentary.

[Sysman]

I was in the T&GW in the 70s - Had to be, or I wouldn't have been able to get a student job at British Leyland

And boy what a bolshie lot they were. One had to be careful not to sweep (for that was my awesome responsibility) over certain lines, as that would encroach on someone else's territory. I could easily have done the job of two or three of them.

I had a taste of that when in one of my student jobs I went to pick up some gear from an engineering shop. Much awkwardness about who was to do the loading and that pushed me into lunchbreak. Factory gates slammed shut and I couldn't even escape somewhere scenic to eat my sarnies. Hit the canteen and I'd never seen or heard such a miserable lot. All the talk was about unions and management. 'Twas a complete contrast to the lunchtime atmosphere at my employers, where much yarn spinning, jesting and windups were par for the course.

Lunchbreak over I loaded up and went on my way vowing that I never wanted to work in a place as miserable as that.

Footnote: many years later I had a neighbour who had started out his career at British Leyland and he related much the same as yourself. When he enquired how he went about staff discount for buying a new headlight for his Morris Minor, he was simply told to nick one.

"Well, that headlight belongs to management, dunnit?"

[Cliphead]

Worked for a client in Belgium which was unionised although it didn't affect me.

Was amusing to watch three guys setup a new PC at my desk. One to carry all the kit, one to plug it all into power and another to switch it on to make sure it worked.

[doodab]

I joined a union, as a contractor, on my first contract. My then boss was on the committee so it kept him sweet and I got free legal advice and stuff. Apparently.

I think I'm still in it.

[Sysman]

Worked for a client in Belgium which was unionised although it didn't affect me.

Was amusing to watch three guys setup a new PC at my desk. One to carry all the kit, one to plug it all into power and another to switch it on to make sure it worked.

Now that you mention it, I used to have a mate who worked on commissioning power stations and had a stint in the US. Demarcation all the way - he wasn't allowed to use his own screwdriver - someone had to be sent for to do it for him and it drove him completely nuts.

Not what you expect to hear about the US...

[DodgyAgent]

I once had to cross a picket line at the BBC - the threatening comment was " we won't forget you" does that count?

Ho many times did you then cross it?