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Strike law reforms mooted
Topic Started: Jan 10 2015, 07:47 PM (488 Views)
Alberich
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Alberich
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This from the Telegraph.....

"The Conservatives provoked a major row with the trade unions over sweeping plans to ban them from taking strike action without the support of at least 40 per cent of their members. In an article for The Telegraph, Patrick McLoughlin, announced the proposed crackdown on industrial action, which will be included in the Tory election manifesto, in order to stop union bosses holding Britain “to ransom”. He said that of the 102 strike ballots held since 2010, nearly two-thirds failed to attract even half of the workforce. In some cases, strikes have gone ahead with the support of as few as one in 10 workers.
The CBI business organisation welcomed the proposed reforms. But the Trade Unions Congress denounced the plan as a “democratic outrage” while the GMB union said the Conservatives formed a government with less than 40 per cent of the vote at the last election. "

This could be a vote winner, as well as being a reform long overdue. While strike action remains a legitimate method for employees to combat what they perceive as a grievance that cannot be resolved by any other means, the fact remains that strike action generally affects, and seriously inconveniences, the general public. That being so, it seems only fair that if an industry decides on strike action, a majority of their membership should express firm support before the union leaders march their troops out on strike. The days when the unions call their people out on strike after being mandated by only a tiny proportion of their membership is way past its sell-by date, surely?
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somersetli
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somersetli
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Having been an avid trade unionist, and at one time employed by the old TGWU, I can tell you that the most destructive tool against trade union membership was the abolition of the closed shop.
Strangely enough, this was greeted with open arms by large numbers of ordinary workers.
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Deleted User
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As said, trade unions rarely strike nowadays and when they do, they are aware of the social consequences.
I suspect that the Tories are preparing the ground for rather extreme measures toward the great unwashed if they get in next GE .
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krugerman
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Or how about the much trumpeted Crime Commissioners ?

What was the turnout ?

Oh yes, I remember now, it was a staggering 15%, meaning of course that 85% of the electorate were not interested, but non the less, I still have a Tory Crime Commissioner.
Do you think that because of the overwhelming lack of interest, the idea should just have been ditched, or do you feel this is somehow different in some way to the Tory proposals for the unions. ?
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Tigger
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Rich
Jan 11 2015, 12:41 AM

So, your answer to something that you do not agree with is to threaten?
Get off your knees man.

You defend your legitimate interests in the face clearly exploitative behaviour, unlike you many of us do not roll over and piss in the air like frightened puppies.
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Tigger
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Steve K
Jan 11 2015, 10:59 AM
Alberich
Jan 11 2015, 10:52 AM
Apart from a visceral hatred of ANYTHING the Tories do, I have yet to see any argument to counter in a sensible manner their proposals. If an industrial dispute is deadlocked, and the members feel so unjustly treated that strike action is the only option, then surely they will always be able to achieve the percentage of votes favouring a strike as required by the new law?? Or should the tail continue to wag the dog?. In any case, 40% support from the workforce involved is rather generous in my view. 51% would be my starting point.
But it embodies pure hypocrisy

A Prime Minister can commit the country to all sorts of things including war when only backed by a minority of the electorate but wants to ban a Trade Union from calling a strike (note that does not compel anyone to actually strike) when backed by a majority of members that voted on the issue

The system we have now works well, the evils of the closed shop and strikes called with no proper vote have gone. With so many companies as effective monopoly employers then an effective Trade Union counter balance is a necessity.

Agreed, not much to add except that if you are prevented by law from withdrawing you labour you become little more than an indentured servant.

You can see why the present Tory wankers find this appealing.
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Tigger
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RJD
Jan 11 2015, 01:54 PM
Affa
Jan 11 2015, 01:44 PM
High unemployment, job insecurity, have given the employer the upper-hand, and it is exploited. Trade Union powers to curb management excesses are weakened, but the most troubling consequence of this climate of fear (of losing one's job) is that membership of the Unions has fallen, and even those that are members have little faith that the Union can secure their livelihood.
People will not strike (vote for) even if they are being exploited, are justified, because of the fear of the dole queue.

Oh; and it wasn't true that it was a war. Unions v Government, "who governs Britain", in the eighties, and there's certainly no truth in it now.
Another false Tory soundbite.


Why is it impossible for anyone on the left to define what fairness means in such a ballot. All I see is obfuscation. The left always seeks to avoid difficult questions, well difficult for them anyway.

;D

False modesty becomes you!
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Tigger
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krugerman
Jan 11 2015, 05:21 PM
Or how about the much trumpeted Crime Commissioners ?

What was the turnout ?

Oh yes, I remember now, it was a staggering 15%, meaning of course that 85% of the electorate were not interested, but non the less, I still have a Tory Crime Commissioner.
Do you think that because of the overwhelming lack of interest, the idea should just have been ditched, or do you feel this is somehow different in some way to the Tory proposals for the unions. ?
Or our local Tory run council, elected on a turnout of less than 40% and despite the wishes of just about the entire district it turned a local authority school into an academy, sadly the resultant backlash meant two Tories were replaced with swivel eyed loons.
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Lewis
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RJD
Jan 11 2015, 01:54 PM
Affa
Jan 11 2015, 01:44 PM
High unemployment, job insecurity, have given the employer the upper-hand, and it is exploited. Trade Union powers to curb management excesses are weakened, but the most troubling consequence of this climate of fear (of losing one's job) is that membership of the Unions has fallen, and even those that are members have little faith that the Union can secure their livelihood.
People will not strike (vote for) even if they are being exploited, are justified, because of the fear of the dole queue.

Oh; and it wasn't true that it was a war. Unions v Government, "who governs Britain", in the eighties, and there's certainly no truth in it now.
Another false Tory soundbite.


Why is it impossible for anyone on the left to define what fairness means in such a ballot. All I see is obfuscation. The left always seeks to avoid difficult questions, well difficult for them anyway.

The right wing extremists like this incompetent government don't even know the meaning of the word fairness. It is not in their vocabulary.
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Lewis
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Tigger
Jan 11 2015, 05:46 PM
krugerman
Jan 11 2015, 05:21 PM
Or how about the much trumpeted Crime Commissioners ?

What was the turnout ?

Oh yes, I remember now, it was a staggering 15%, meaning of course that 85% of the electorate were not interested, but non the less, I still have a Tory Crime Commissioner.
Do you think that because of the overwhelming lack of interest, the idea should just have been ditched, or do you feel this is somehow different in some way to the Tory proposals for the unions. ?
Or our local Tory run council, elected on a turnout of less than 40% and despite the wishes of just about the entire district it turned a local authority school into an academy, sadly the resultant backlash meant two Tories were replaced with swivel eyed loons.
There's me thinking that all Tory incompetents were swivel eyed loons.
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Lewis
Jan 11 2015, 07:16 PM
RJD
Jan 11 2015, 01:54 PM
Affa
Jan 11 2015, 01:44 PM
High unemployment, job insecurity, have given the employer the upper-hand, and it is exploited. Trade Union powers to curb management excesses are weakened, but the most troubling consequence of this climate of fear (of losing one's job) is that membership of the Unions has fallen, and even those that are members have little faith that the Union can secure their livelihood.
People will not strike (vote for) even if they are being exploited, are justified, because of the fear of the dole queue.

Oh; and it wasn't true that it was a war. Unions v Government, "who governs Britain", in the eighties, and there's certainly no truth in it now.
Another false Tory soundbite.


Why is it impossible for anyone on the left to define what fairness means in such a ballot. All I see is obfuscation. The left always seeks to avoid difficult questions, well difficult for them anyway.

The right wing extremists like this incompetent government don't even know the meaning of the word fairness. It is not in their vocabulary.


I agree with everything except ' incompetent'. I think they have done a great job in making us hate each other and think the country's ills lie with anyone but us personally. They have us frightened about the future and hateful about the past.
They have many of us celebrating the fact that there are many more jobs about that will keep us alive yet poor , without a hope of owning a home and fearful about how meagre our pension will be when we finally retire at...70, 75?
They have common folk despising institutions that provide services for the common folk and fearful of social societies that seek to defend them.
Full marks in my opinion.
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