Poor, poor strikers go shopping

[d000hg]

Public sector workers use pensions strike to go Christmas shopping - Telegraph

Don't we all feel sorry for them?

Why shouldn't they? They are sacrificing a day's wages which is a significant thing.

Apparently there were protests here and the local council building was picketed, but I didn't see any of it.

I do think if they're going to strike, they should do it properly, rather than 1-day token strikes.

[northernladuk]

But that's difficult for someone who, as DA points out, works for a monopolistic organisation. What are they going to do? Work for another council in the same area or a different department of education?

We ask for a rate rise or walk. Is that not protesting in our way? It is just we do it as single entities. If we were part of a huge organisation that would come out with us would we not use that leverage to get a rate rise? Same for all the guys in the bank, if they were ALL going to down tools to resist the 10% cuts do you not think they would use it?

Am not for or against the reason for the strikes but to blame them for using a power they have isn't really fair.

[DodgyAgent]

In fact, you could argue that by shopping they ARE contributing to the economy.

Good point. I was myself thinking of opening a shop and borrowing money in order to buy from it. Anyone else for this amazing "plan B"?

Lets say we tax 100% of the profits of Tesco and then employ people on the proceeds and they then spend their money at Tesco then we have the answer to everyone's problems.

[northernladuk]

I do think if they're going to strike, they should do it properly, rather than 1-day token strikes.

I think in theory you are right here. The odd thing is that most of the people I know that went on strike care so much about what they do they may not be able to stomach more. My other half is a teacher and they have taken this decision to close a school very seriously indeed, in fighting between teachers etc, politics etc. The one dayer really tested their commitment to the kids so god knows what would happen if they put forward more days.

It is that element most people don't see. They just think it is lazy people taking a day off and in the area I see this isn't the case.

[DodgyAgent]

Why shouldn't they? They are sacrificing a day's wages which is a significant thing.

Apparently there were protests here and the local council building was picketed, but I didn't see any of it.

I do think if they're going to strike, they should do it properly, rather than 1-day token strikes.

They can sacrifice what they like as long as we can go somewhere else to acquire the services that they are supposed to be providing. If a contractor goes on strike then the employer can simply find another contractor. If the client annoys a contractor he/she is free to go elsewhere for their work - it works because this arrangement keeps both the employer and the contractor on their toes.

[doodab]

It is called "entitlement" and most of those on strike yesterday are part of this culture that has corroded the work ethic of huge parts of the working population of Europe. These people patently feel that they are owed a living, and the great thing about this economic crisis is that these people are being found out.

It's not mob rule, it's progress, stupid. Some people see that the world can be made better and they strive to make it so, whether by building better houses or inventing washing machines or trying to reduce the suffering of their fellow humans. To simply accept things as they are without questioning them is both anti progress and profoundly misanthropic.

Why is it entitlement when people want a decent standard of living but "life" when companies want more profits? Why are companies automatically entitled to maximise profits and minimize what they give to workers? And why shouldn't workers be allowed to use what little bargaining power they have during asymmetric negotiations? This veneration of the body corporate as a supreme being whose needs override that of human beings is the tail wagging the dog.

[Mich the Tester]

They can sacrifice what they like as long as we can go somewhere else to acquire the services that they are supposed to be providing. If a contractor goes on strike then the employer can simply find another contractor. If the client annoys a contractor he/she is free to go elsewhere for their work - it works because this arrangement keeps both the employer and the contractor on their toes.

Personally I think everyone should be free to go on strike whenever they like and over whatever issue they like, on the condition that they can't assume there'll still be a job for them the next day.

I can also withdraw my labour, refuse to work, go on strike, whatever you call it, but if clientco then finds someone else to do my job and tells me where to shove it then I think he's absolutely right to do so. Same goes for strikers; the fact that there are lots of them, and only one of me, makes no difference in my mind.

[doodab]

We ask for a rate rise or walk. Is that not protesting in our way? It is just we do it as single entities. If we were part of a huge organisation that would come out with us would we not use that leverage to get a rate rise? Same for all the guys in the bank, if they were ALL going to down tools to resist the 10% cuts do you not think they would use it?

Am not for or against the reason for the strikes but to blame them for using a power they have isn't really fair.

I'm not blaming them. I'm pointing out that "getting another job" isn't an option when you work for the only game in town, which leaves striking as the most practical option.

[DodgyAgent]

I think in theory you are right here. The odd thing is that most of the people I know that went on strike care so much about what they do they may not be able to stomach more. My other half is a teacher and they have taken this decision to close a school very seriously indeed, in fighting between teachers etc, politics etc. The one dayer really tested their commitment to the kids so god knows what would happen if they put forward more days.

It is that element most people don't see. They just think it is lazy people taking a day off and in the area I see this isn't the case.

I am not interested in politics nor am I interested in whether the teacher is happy with her pension, I simply want what I paid for which is to have my child educated. If a teacher does'nt like the job then she can go and get another one and if I do not like the school I should be free to do likewise. These public sector workers are part of a socialist run monopoly where the workers jobs or "entitlement" are more important than the educational needs of the kids. These people are exploiting their privileged positions by aggregating the power of their monopoly to force the rest of us to feed their entitlement.

[TestMangler]

We ask for a rate rise or walk. Is that not protesting in our way? It is just we do it as single entities. If we were part of a huge organisation that would come out with us would we not use that leverage to get a rate rise? Same for all the guys in the bank, if they were ALL going to down tools to resist the 10% cuts do you not think they would use it?

Am not for or against the reason for the strikes but to blame them for using a power they have isn't really fair.

We need a Contractors Union then !!

I suggest calling it The Contractors Union of New Technology Specialists