h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi brolean - interesting post. It varies from context to context of course, but I don't think it's fair to characterise unions as being always opposed to *any* kind of change or reduction in pay and conditions. In the current UK public sector dispute, for example, unions are not adopting a hard line 'no changes whatsoever' policy - they're willing to negotiate and accept changes where they're actually required. In a commercial setting it's the same - unions are willing to accept changes where necessary. A union's role in a situation where redundancies are announced, for example, will typically be to try to minimise these, and to insist on fair play and transparent processes.

The problem with the "we must tighten our belts to compete with China" argument is that what we're seeing in the UK is that the "we" means "you" - means the workers, not the bosses or shareholders. It seems as if the richer get richer regardless of the economy, and inequality gets worse and worse.

I know, off the top of my head, 12 teachers and probably a couple more if I really thought about it. None of them have loads of holidays. Yes, they do go on holiday and attend parties and stuff but not much more than the rest of us, other time is taken up with marking, lesson plans and in the summer preparing for the next academic year. If your teacher friend is using up all his 'holidays' living life to the full he's either a very poor teacher or knows something the others don't.

i think all his lesson plans are laminated

##If your teacher friend is using up all his 'holidays' living life to the full he's either a very poor teacher or knows something the others don't.##

he has a few graphs to knock up when he gets back in september

he has just been promoted and his kids average a 2 point rise every year, where the uk standard is 2 points every 18 months


so it does look like he knows something the others don't?????

also the school he is at have an extra week summer holiday in september, while all the teachers have a week of inset training as a "ease into the academic year" that way there are no odd inset days here and there in the middle of terms

Taff, you know as well as I do that being promoted isn't necessarily an indication of ability!

Hi Otto

It does vary from context to context, and I didn't intend to paint all union activities with the same brush. Part of the idea of unions is that they have the concerns of their individual membership within their particular industy at the core of their motives.

And probably I didn't quite get across that it was my personal experience with one union during one strike that provoked my ideas. Not that I think they're invalid, because I really do think it's a trend that will be on the downswing before it really comes back and makes a significant difference again, and that the trend will take many years to be fully realized.

I don't really have much knowledge or experience with civil service unions, although I do feel that there are certain workers who should not be able to strike. Doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to bargain collectively, but some services are too vital to be interrupted.

According to the IMF, unions are good for the economy.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/27/aditya-chakrabortty-bob-crow-economy?INTCMP=SRCH

Makes sense to anyone whos ever heard of The Crisis of Capitalism and knows that if workers are screwed too much theyre unable to buy the all stuff they make on their employers behalf.

I only ever met one picket line, and was actually invited across it by the strikers.
I was delivering to the Vauxhall car plant at Luton in the 80's and was stopped at the gate, and asked quite politely not to cross the line, and the worker's case was explained to me.
I agreed, and was about to depart , when one chap asked me which department I was delivering to.
Canteen, i replied, i've got all the paper cups for the tea machines.

When I say I was invited across the line..........more like urged really

##According to the IMF, unions are good for the economy.##

but are the IMF good for the economy????

look at greece for example!!!