3 day tube strike

[urbanrevolt]

Simply for wages? No I doubt it but if they were striking for revolutionising of the NHS, including just how much GP's salaries have increased compared to how their hours have shortened, absolutely.

I think strikes are very powerful when used properly, but the RMT is the union that strikes the most, by a LONG shot and frankly there are other people who have it way worse than tube drivers.

Yeah, Blagsta said it!

The thing is the bourgeois press (e.g. The Sun, London Evening Standard, Express etc.) like to encourage a division amongst workers on the basis that some of them have it really good- e.g. goldplated public sector pensions whilst the rest of us poor hard working Brits get treated badly as if that;s the fault of train drivers, teachers, nurses or whoever they're bashing (or may be it's the fault of illegal immigrants if they can't blame the goldplated public sector workers but that's an aside here)

Now firstly it's normally bullshit either completely or more usually massively exaggerated e.g. some RMT represented workers might be better paid than other workers (though don't forget RMT also represent some of the poorest people- at least among those entitled to legal work- in London the cleaners) but none of this is the point.

Of course Citizen 66 is right to point out that the lot of a train driver is pretty shit and we should use examples of how capitalism treats its workers- like disposable material- but even when workers do through organised industrial muscle get it relatively good then it is to the benefit of all of us anyway because one section of workers being organised is a good model for others, we face a common class enemy and RMT drivers winning better conditions doesn't make things worse for nurses and in the current dispute (not involving drivers) then the RMT winning puts us all in a better position.

Of course we should be for making strikes political to be wider than purely wages but our offer of support and solidarity should be unconditional.

The whole tabloid shit about some workers being better off than others and so therefore we shouldn't support them is bullshit- you seldom see the press bosses fighting for the poor though they may use ideological constructions of hard honest working class folk as a distraction and ruse.

As for nurses would you support them on strike in Manchester because they desperately need your solidarity- messages of support and cheques through the post
http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=220127

 

[Citizen66]

So? Why do you want to drag the tube drivers down to the nurses pay level? Why not drag the nurses up to the tubedrivers level?

The nurse loving anti-unionists never seem to want to help the nurses themselves yet they conveniently make a handy stick to beat others with

Nurses are stuck between a rock and a hard place really. They care for the sick so that'd be the stick that's used against them should they ever choose to take action.

I'd almost definitely support nurses more than any other profession, but I doubt they'd ever strike. And it would be nasty for the corporate crows to place the nurses in that position. But I wouldn't put it past them.

Fingers crossed the NHS is never fully privatised.

 

[Citizen66]

The thing is the bourgeois press (e.g. The Sun, London Evening Standard, Express etc.) like to encourage a division amongst workers on the basis that some of them have it really good- e.g. goldplated public sector pensions <snip>

Ok, we're getting to the crux.

For the record; the folk who are striking from 18:00 on monday are no longer in the public sector. Haven't been for the last five years. The marvelous private sector has now cut their losses (but kept their gains) and run. If the employees had been baking cakes for a living they now wouldn't have a job. Sold down the river. Ask yourself, has Bombardier, Balfour beatty and their fellow meddlers gone under?

No, of course they haven't. Their companies still thrive despite this failed project.

Hence, the strike

 

[urbanrevolt]

I'd almost definitely support nurses more than any other profession, but I doubt they'd ever strike. And it would be nasty for the corporate crows to place the nurses in that position. But I wouldn't put it past them.

Fingers crossed the NHS is never fully privatised.

But some of the nurses - and other health workers-are striking!
http://www.labournet.net/ukunion/0708/karen5.html

I guess you mean you doubt there'd be a national strike and indeed the RCN are a lot less likely to strike (though haven't they got rid of their no strike clause- may be mistaken here)- it's not the most likely national strike but I wouldn't rule it out.

The Manchester health workers are coming under a load of shit pressure and moral blackmail from managers as well so I think this week is the time to rush in messages of solidairty- even just from individuals- every reader of this should e-mail support and even better if you're working send them a fiver!

Send donations and messages of support to the Manchester community and mental health Unison branch at 70 Manchester Road, Manchester M21 9UN. You can also email messages of support to [email protected]

 

[Citizen66]

I was suggesting that a nurses strike would be met with greater difficulty from the scum-rags than this one happening next week.

Yet next weeks strikers are not nurses, train drivers, asking for more pay and nor are they in the private sector.

Seriously, I expect more from out adversaries on such issues

 

[Roadkill]

I long ago came to think that most people who moan about tube strikes are largely just jealous of the fact that tube staff have a decent trade union that actually does stand up for its members' interests.

 

[Citizen66]

I long ago came to think that most people who moan about tube strikes are largely just jealous of the fact that tube staff have a decent trade union that actually does stand up for its members' interests.

Or used to. The tube is split three ways now and each individual company is split in as many ways union-wise.

I hate union rivalry, it is so missing the point. But it happens.

Fortunately all the unions are out on this.

 

[Irenick]

How about umh nurses for example? They wort a shedload harder for WAY less money. Bob Crow is a dangerous madman who thinks that striking is the only answer to any issues.

And yes Tube drivers are laughing all the way - they get something like 36 days of leave a year as well!

I hope bob crowe is knocked down by a bus.

What about nurses? If they are so aggrieved; they should take industrial action. To follow your logic to its most illogical conclusions; cleaners work extremely hard unsociable hours for less money than nurses; so, they’re right to strike supersedes that of nurses – arrant bollocks.

Good for the tube drivers upping their wages and holiday entitlement. Would I be right in saying you don’t belong to a trade union Wookster?

Anyway; I’ll be supporting any tube strike that’s going; and, will not travel on lines that remain running on strike days.

 

[Irenick]

But the drivers aren't fucking striking so why do you keep bleating on about them?

Using nurses as a stick to beat RMT members with is also a tad lame as I doubt any RMT members would begrudge nurses anything. I also believe that nurses can now join Amicus (who have now amalgamated with unite) and they are also walking out on monday (Amicus).

Amicus has not amalgamated with Unite. The T&G and Amicus are forming a new union; which will probably to be known as ‘Unite the Union’. However, the two sections of Unite the Union still have a couple of hurdles to get over before they are officially one union.

 

[Athos]

It makes me laugh when people wonder why the Tube workers are so militant when they have such good pay and conditions. It's because they are willing to that they are a little better off than other workers.

 

[Irenick]

Stangely enough, there are subway systems that don't have train drivers. These also exist in the UK. (See the DLR for an example). And even more strangely enough, French subway train drivers don't have the benefits package the UK ones do, even though they work in a more socialist country.

So, we resort to the lowest common denominator; and, bring our standards down to achieve parity with our European counterparts?

How is France a more Socialist country, exactly?

 

[Irenick]

So? Why do you want to drag the tube drivers down to the nurses pay level? Why not drag the nurses up to the tubedrivers level?

Yep.

 

[Citizen66]

Amicus has not amalgamated with Unite.

Sorry, I just heard that in passing recently and with one of the earlier posts saying unite was striking (I've never heard of them) it sort of rang true in my head. I'll check my sources

 

[Wookster]

Anyway; I’ll be supporting any tube strike that’s going; and, will not travel on lines that remain running on strike days.

How will you get to the DSS office to collect your dole then?

 

[Roadkill]

Or used to. The tube is split three ways now and each individual company is split in as many ways union-wise.

I hate union rivalry, it is so missing the point. But it happens.

Fortunately all the unions are out on this.

True, but it doesn't alter the fact that tube staff are well represented, union-wise, in a way that all too many other people are not.

 

[urbanrevolt]

True, but it doesn't alter the fact that tube staff are well represented, union-wise, in a way that all too many other people are not.

Sure. Good point.

And I think this is something the righ wing play on.

It's not enough for the left to just say people should organise themselves then and that a victory for the tube staff is a victory for all of us.

The first part - peopl should organise themselves- is part of the answer of course. But it is pretty difficult and we need to acknowledge that.

The second is part of it as well. Strikes that succeed will in the long run improve public services and a strong union movement in one sector certainly doesn't make it harder for workers in another sector. But all too often the connections are not made explicit either in propaganda or actuality.

Still one group of workers fighting publicly, appeals for solidarity, public meetings, stalls, rallies by trade unionists/ the left begin part of that process.

 

[jæd]

Good for the tube drivers upping their wages and holiday entitlement. Would I be right in saying you don’t belong to a trade union Wookster?

Eh...? Tube drivers aren't going on strike. I was using that as an example of people getting fat on being able to hold a service to ransom.

Anyway; I’ll be supporting any tube strike that’s going; and, will not travel on lines that remain running on strike days.

Must be nice being a student...

 

[glenquagmire]

Ah, one of my favourite right-wing clichés: "you're all students and doleys".

Good luck to the tube workers.

 

[jæd]

Ah, one of my favourite right-wing clichés: "you're all students and doleys".

Hate to break it to you, but some of us have jobs and social lives that require transportation....

 

[jæd]

For people who don't have the luxury of bowing to Unions...

METRONET: We continue to work to avert the strike. If the strike goes ahead, it will affect services from this afternoon's peak period. Services will not return to normal until Friday morning. The Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines are scheduled to run as normal. We anticipate that they will be very crowded. No other lines are likely to be running. If possible, please complete your journey by 1700 this evening or use alternative routes including DLR, National Rail and bus services.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/tube/default.html

 

[Roadkill]

Hate to break it to you, but some of us have jobs and social lives that require transportation....

Oh be more original, FFS. There are plenty of us who are going to be inconvenienced by these strikes but who support them anyway - or, at least, don't condemn them.

The strike next week is going to bugger up a load of stuff I had planned to do, but I can live with that. It's not the end of the world, and better I lose a bit of working time than a load of people lose their jobs altogether.

 

[butchersapron]

Hate to break it to you, but some of us have jobs and social lives that require transportation....

I suggest that you find some alternative method of transport then you preening over-paid cokehead drama queen.

 

[butchersapron]

For people who don't have the luxury of bowing to Unions...

'bowing to unions' keep them cliches coming - 'they refused to bury the dead you know!'

 

[butchersapron]

You've changed your tune jade - regarding a potential tube strike year before last:

Yep... Fucking up someones work day is one thing. Fucking up nye is another... If they go ahead with this then I can see 2005 being the last time the public supports them...

I'd support this if it was any other time, but seeing as its a time of merriment/good-will-to-all then nope, not this time...

Sure you would Jade, sure you would.

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=3996453&postcount=7

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Never quite the right time for a strike, is it?

 

[jæd]

I suggest that you find some alternative method of transport then you preening over-paid cokehead drama queen.

Ho-hum...

 

[jæd]

You've changed your tune jade - regarding a potential tube strike year before last:

'Cos no-one can ever change their opinion on something, can they... Ho-hum-de-hoody-hum...

 

[butchersapron]

The suggestion isn't that you changed your opinion but that you lied about in the orignal post.

 

[jæd]

The suggestion isn't that you changed your opinion but that you lied about in the orignal post.

Yawn... First you resort to insults, and secondly you go and dig up posts from six months ago and start adding your own spin on them... Quite a debating style you've got there...!

ETA: I can't fit "over-paid" or "coke-head" in the title box. Dang...!

 

[glenquagmire]

Obviously, nobody who supports who the strike has a job or a social life. I for one never leave the house and am posting from my tinfoil-lined bunker at this moment.