Today Programme Yesterday

So they've banned working to rule? That used to be the first step in
any wage negotiation and probably my favourite time of the year at
work.

Surely the sensible option is to resign from the union, go on strike
for a week and then re-apply to join the union? It's not the unions
fault if you're not a member and choose to stay at home for a few
days.

Threatening to walk out was always a good way to get management to
stop and think about what they were doing but that lever has been
removed and nothing has been done to replace it.

But the public love it.

 

On Sat, 3 Apr 2010 13:11:13 +0100, Wicked Uncle Nigel

snip>

It worked for thatcher.

 

I'm sure Simon will be very grateful for you so carefully spelling out
what a TOC is. He might be confused by NR though, maybe you could
patronise him with an explanation of that acronym?

And... as per your view that the strike is an action against 'you and
I', that argument can be made for any business- if a strike loads a
businesses costs then it needs to recoup these.

 

I'm constantly amazed by people's double standards. People I work with
wring their hands and express that 'something must be done' and mutter
darkly about joining a union... but do nothing. Then *almost in the
same fucking conversation* they complain about BA and Lufthansa
striking. Unbelieveable.

Not sure whether it was always this way with the majority of the 'middle
classes' and now that everyone's middle class the appeal of unions
withers? One thing that is clear to me is without unions some employers
are inclined to take the piss- which is fine for people with skills in
demand but not so hot for those without.

 

You should be on the stage with material like that.

 

Work to rules have actually been defined as industrial action since 1974
(ASLEF vs BRB)!

No, responsibility still lies with the union.

 

The RMT isn't affiliated to the Labour Party and BC is very highly
thought of by the vast majority of his rank and file members. He looks
like them, sounds like them and acts /for/ them.

The RMT's membership is actually growing, particularly in the more
vulnerable sectors. Less so in the skilled 'craft' areas.

 

squint?

 

Not usually - internal communication is much, much more important.

 

The one-eyed arsewipe currently "running" the country.

Into the ground.

 

It tends to be records that trip the unions up (although in our case
rarely but that's for different reasons).

Workforces tend to be fairly mobile and branch secretaries (who do it in
their spare time) may not keep things up to date. Also, they're not
professional administrators they will be lay members - that is to say
they may be platform staff, track workers, guards etc in the first
instance.

 

The RMT aren't a Labour affiliate.

 

Actually, I thought it was various elements of your mob that had fucked
things up. You know the finance sector...

 

Whenever a journo went fishing.

It's an old, old trick.

 

The attitude of member of the public is pretty shit when interviewed, they
would respond rather differently if it was their jobs and industry being
affected. Cunts.
All this "they shouldn't be allowed to strike" stuff rankles too. WTF are
the public service workers. Slave labour? Perhaps they should all resign
one night.

 

Cooo I'd forgotten about that. What happened eventually, given that ATC
didn't shut down US airspace.

 

You're sliding "off-message".

It's not the finance sector, it's the "bankers" - much more vague and
nebulous. And it all "started in America".

It wasn't the finance sector that borrowed during a boom, it wasn't
the finance sector that proposed PFI[1] to keep Govt liabilities off
the balance sheet, it's not the fault of the finance sector that we
have CCTV cameras on every street-corner, it's certainly not the
finance sector that can't tell the difference between "expenditure"
and "investment", it wasn't the finance sector that pre-announced the
sale of the nation's gold reserves, and it wasn't the finance sector
caught with its fingers in the public purse.

It was all fucked up before October '08.

[1] Though it knows better than to look a gift-horse in the mouth -

Yes please, Mr Chancellor - how many *temporary* hospitals and schools
would you like?

 

Wot Mr B. said.

 

GB.

 

I am sure that there are others reading who don't know, I was being
polite on that off-chance.

You can FRO on the other hand

Did I say it was unique?