Strikes

[Sly]

I’m losing track of what’s occurring now. 
 

So we’re now had (I think):

 

Trains

Buses

Royal Mail

Ambulance

Bus

Nurses and Junior doctors

Teachers

 

Fire service - potentially 

 

With the impending vote on reforms with strike action from the government, are we on the verge of severe civil unrest? 
 

What are peoples opinions on strike action? 

 

 

[grobyfox1990]

Driving instructors, border security. Imo get em all striking! Anyone knocking the strikers is probably a Rodgers IN, testing for covid twice a week type person 

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

Everyone should be striking. Minimum wage should be 16 quid an hour, people like teachers, nurses, police etc should be on base 40k a year, this government are disgusting, capitalism has failed. Its disgusting. **** them all. Its time we stood up for ourselves. 

[walkerleeds]

21 minutes ago, Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot said:

Everyone should be striking. Minimum wage should be 16 quid an hour, people like teachers, nurses, police etc should be on base 40k a year, this government are disgusting, capitalism has failed. Its disgusting. **** them all. Its time we stood up for ourselves. 

 

If minimum wage was 16 quid an hour, wouldn't that drive prices up further by virtue of people spending more?

[Trav Le Bleu]

For me it's no surprise it's largely people who worked without break through the pandemic, working harder than usual, willing to do so to do what needed to be done.

 

It doesn't need to be done any more and yet they're still expected to work harder for the same money. In some cases the businesses made a lot of money out of the pandemic, in others they have seen their staffing levels reduced and yet they're expected to keep the same standards as penny-pinchers don't want to fork out.

 

The average person wants services but they're not prepared to pay for them. The wealthy don't particularly use those services, so they're not prepared to fund them.

 

It's going to be a grim year.

[yorkie1999]

Wonder if the teachers will get a score for  absent without permission report.

[TJQuik]

1 hour ago, walkerleeds said:

 

If minimum wage was 16 quid an hour, wouldn't that drive prices up further by virtue of people spending more?

Keep things as they are and guarantee a recession. Of course they couldn't give a monkey's about that though, more leeway to carve up the country and destroy our social services.

Edited 16 January 2023 by TJQuik

[Apollo]

9 hours ago, Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot said:

Everyone should be striking. Minimum wage should be 16 quid an hour, people like teachers, nurses, police etc should be on base 40k a year, this government are disgusting, capitalism has failed. Its disgusting. **** them all. Its time we stood up for ourselves. 

£16 quid an hour minimum wage  inflation would sky rocket, things would be massively more expensive than they are now and businesses would start going bust. You could strike all you want, most people wouldn’t have a job to strike from!

 

I fundamentally disagree with strike action, so don’t support any of it. Not a popular opinion on here, but hey ho.

Edited 17 January 2023 by Apollo

[ozleicester]

8 hours ago, walkerleeds said:

 

If minimum wage was 16 quid an hour, wouldn't that drive prices up further by virtue of people spending more?

 

9 minutes ago, Apollo said:

£16 quid an hour minimum wage  inflation would sky rocket, things would be massively more expensive than they are now and businesses would start going bust. You could strike all you want, most people wouldn’t have a job to strike from!
 

What a fantastic idea, keep them coming.

[foxes1988]

11 hours ago, Sly said:

I’m losing track of what’s occurring now. 
 

So we’re now had (I think):

 

Trains

Buses

Royal Mail

Ambulance

Bus

Nurses and Junior doctors

Teachers

 

Fire service - potentially 

 

With the impending vote on reforms with strike action from the government, are we on the verge of severe civil unrest? 
 

What are peoples opinions on strike action? 

 

 

You cannot blame them really.  Years of poor wage growth not keeping up with inflation and then when a cost of living crisis happens right after working through Covid you get told (eat the inflation we can't do anything about it).

 

Its not a surprise this is largely public sector workers. The wage growth they are seeing is much below private sector workers let alone inflation. 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63949151

 

 

2 hours ago, Apollo said:

£16 quid an hour minimum wage  inflation would sky rocket, things would be massively more expensive than they are now and businesses would start going bust. You could strike all you want, most people wouldn’t have a job to strike from!

 

I fundamentally disagree with strike action, so don’t support any of it. Not a popular opinion on here, but hey ho.

Wage price spiral is a myth.  Its purely primary school economics.  If a company gives out a 7% pay rise it doesn't mean they are going to rise prices by 7%.

Sure it does affect it but the whole notion that private sector workers (27million workers around 80% of total UK workforce) can get 7% rises and it be ok but giving public sector workers that same pay rise will create a wage price spiral makes no sense.  Inflation has largely been driven by Ukraine/Russian War/ Energy prices and Covid not wage rises.

Edited 17 January 2023 by foxes1988

[NAKC20]

Was on the radio yesterday about teachers kicking up a stink when schools were shut during Covid about education is paramount etc etc. Here we are now a couple of years later schools are shut because teachers are striking. Obviously more concerned about their own situation now that the education of children.

[lcfc278]

17 minutes ago, NAKC20 said:

Was on the radio yesterday about teachers kicking up a stink when schools were shut during Covid about education is paramount etc etc. Here we are now a couple of years later schools are shut because teachers are striking. Obviously more concerned about their own situation now that the education of children.

I think it was more the general public and the government 'kicking up a stink' about schools being closed during Covid and I think the general underlying reason was the average working parent wouldn't have childcare if they weren't in school.

Teachers will be striking as in real terms their earnings haven't raised in line with inflation for years. It's either strike or do nothing - in which case teachers will be leaving state schools to go to private schools (bye bye state schools) or they'll be leaving the profession for other jobs in the private sector. 

 

I'm fully behind them - maybe educate yourself a little before throwing out silly statements. 

[Fox92]

12 hours ago, Sly said:

 

What are peoples opinions on strike action? 

 

 

I back them. All of them.

[Crinklyfox]

Strikes have brought issues into the public eye that must be resolved for the good of the nation - these needed attention, particularly in the NHS and social care sector long before the strikes and successive governments failed to address them.

 

There is a competitive market for labour, and particularly talent.  Failure to pay an individual a wage that keeps them at the very least comfortable in their profession runs the risk of losing that person, together with all the investment in their training, to another industry or market sector.

 

If we want the public services we expect then we have to fund them appropriately, and if this means raised taxes then so be it.

 

There is already a thriving private healthcare sector which the wealthy, comfortably off and desperate use.  For example if I want a NHS GP appointment then depending upon my condition it could take me over a month to get one; however if I register with a private healthcare provider I can get a ten minute same day internet appointment for around £70.  A prescription would cost another £30 and the medicine could cost anything dependant upon the drug price (my usual heart drug would be around £100).  So if I'm willing to spend £200 I can get assessed and sorted today.  That must be awfully tempting for those who have the money.  There is also a growing industry in travel healthcare - I can go to another country in Europe to get the procedure I'm currently waiting for through the NHS if I so desire.

 

These facilities take the strain off the NHS but have created a two-tier health system, as there was before the NHS was founded.  We must, in my view, not only satisfactorily settle the NHS dispute but urgently go beyond that to save the service - and we need that now.  I hope that the strikes are successful in bringing that issue to the fore.  I have seen the decline for too long - my wife, now retired, was a nurse in the NHS for 40 years.

 

[EnderbyFox]

Society is broken, the rich have never been richer whilst the working class are told we have to take what we are given with shrinking wages & poorer working conditions. 

 

Behind the strikers 100%.

[NAKC20]

26 minutes ago, lcfc278 said:

I think it was more the general public and the government 'kicking up a stink' about schools being closed during Covid and I think the general underlying reason was the average working parent wouldn't have childcare if they weren't in school.

Teachers will be striking as in real terms their earnings haven't raised in line with inflation for years. It's either strike or do nothing - in which case teachers will be leaving state schools to go to private schools (bye bye state schools) or they'll be leaving the profession for other jobs in the private sector. 

 

I'm fully behind them - maybe educate yourself a little before throwing out silly statements. 

Why would the goverment kick up a stink when it was their decision to close the schools? My daughters both work in schools ,not as teachers but in other roles within the classroom, and at both their schools most teachers are very young therefore recently qualified. Its not difficult to look at potential earnings before wanting to follow that career path so if your not happy with the salary you will get then follow another route. I take my hat off to teachers as it is not something i could do but it is their choice. Yes they should get a cost of living increase but anything else will have to wait.

[foxes1988]

1 hour ago, NAKC20 said:

Why would the government kick up a stink when it was their decision to close the schools? My daughters both work in schools ,not as teachers but in other roles within the classroom, and at both their schools most teachers are very young therefore recently qualified. Its not difficult to look at potential earnings before wanting to follow that career path so if your not happy with the salary you will get then follow another route. I take my hat off to teachers as it is not something i could do but it is their choice. Yes they should get a cost of living increase but anything else will have to wait.

You do accept that we want Teachers, Doctors, Nurses Ambulance workers etc?  If we pay people more in the private sector they will just go work there.  Capitalism is screaming that these workers should be earning more to make these roles attractive enough to fill all the vacancies.

 

Just retorting you signed up for low wages is the strangest argument 

Edited 17 January 2023 by foxes1988

[foxile5]

2 hours ago, NAKC20 said:

Was on the radio yesterday about teachers kicking up a stink when schools were shut during Covid about education is paramount etc etc. Here we are now a couple of years later schools are shut because teachers are striking. Obviously more concerned about their own situation now that the education of children.

Firstly - it was the public and government that were 'kicking up a stink' during the pandemic. Not teachers.

 

Secondly - the schools didn't close but they operated on a reduced cohort of students who were vulnerable or needy.

 

Thirdly - the schools AREN'T shut. The strikes start February the 1st AND there will be efforts made to keep them open.

 

Fourthly - there is a recruitment and recidivism crisis in teaching. And this isn't sensationalism. This is an honest crisis. Nobody wants to do the job because of the PAY and CONDITIONS that the strike is seeking to address. One or two days off school timetable with access to online resources won't impact the education of children (and I speak from a position of experience and qualification that you, likely, do not). Decades of underfunding and poorly trained/motivated teachers will have a meaningful and lasting impact. By opposing the strikes and the development of the working conditions to reflect a better deal for teachers you are actively campaigning for a poorer education system for the subsequent generations of students.

 

 

EDIT - if the deal is SO good or you're keen to improve the state of education then here: Inspire the next generation | Get Into Teaching GOV.UK (education.gov.uk) I will offer to mentor and support you in whatever capacity I can.

Edited 17 January 2023 by foxile5

[grobyfox1990]

Covid - OMG home schooling is soooooooo hard imagine how teachers do this with a full classroom EVERY DAY omg my life is sooooo hard ahhhhhhh

2023 - Nah f4ck em mate don't need paying properly how much holiday do they get as well its a shambles mate i've not had a pay rise why should they my life is soooooooo hard ahhhhhhhh

[Tommy G]

Bit of a dangerous topic to have an opinion on, it will get you banned from general chat.

[yorkie1999]

Personally i think the government has made a rod for it's own back and ultimatly left itself wide open due to complacency. Being reactive instead of proactive never works in leadership. 

[yorkie1999]

2 hours ago, Crinklyfox said:

Strikes have brought issues into the public eye that must be resolved for the good of the nation - these needed attention, particularly in the NHS and social care sector long before the strikes and successive governments failed to address them.

 

There is a competitive market for labour, and particularly talent.  Failure to pay an individual a wage that keeps them at the very least comfortable in their profession runs the risk of losing that person, together with all the investment in their training, to another industry or market sector.

 

If we want the public services we expect then we have to fund them appropriately, and if this means raised taxes then so be it.

 

There is already a thriving private healthcare sector which the wealthy, comfortably off and desperate use.  For example if I want a NHS GP appointment then depending upon my condition it could take me over a month to get one; however if I register with a private healthcare provider I can get a ten minute same day internet appointment for around £70.  A prescription would cost another £30 and the medicine could cost anything dependant upon the drug price (my usual heart drug would be around £100).  So if I'm willing to spend £200 I can get assessed and sorted today.  That must be awfully tempting for those who have the money.  There is also a growing industry in travel healthcare - I can go to another country in Europe to get the procedure I'm currently waiting for through the NHS if I so desire.

 

These facilities take the strain off the NHS but have created a two-tier health system, as there was before the NHS was founded.  We must, in my view, not only satisfactorily settle the NHS dispute but urgently go beyond that to save the service - and we need that now.  I hope that the strikes are successful in bringing that issue to the fore.  I have seen the decline for too long - my wife, now retired, was a nurse in the NHS for 40 years.

 

Half the problem is that the funding isn't going to where it's supposed to be going. 37 billion on a track and trace system that wasn't fit for purpose could have solved the issue of nhs wages. Councils building plush new office buildings is all very well and good, but where's the money come from to build them?

[HighPeakFox]

3 hours ago, NAKC20 said:

Was on the radio yesterday about teachers kicking up a stink when schools were shut during Covid about education is paramount etc etc. Here we are now a couple of years later schools are shut because teachers are striking. Obviously more concerned about their own situation now that the education of children.

Respectfully, Sir, go and boil your head. 

[RoboFox]

I've never known such widespread public support for strike action. 

 

Over a decade of Tory austerity has decimated public services and the repercussions from the pandemic has pushed them over the edge, whilst privatised - and usually subsidised - sectors are left free to rinse us, earning insurmountable profits whilst providing third-world services in return. 

 

The country is broken and now that they're directly being affected, people have finally woken up to the Conservative way. They've had enough. 

[RobHawk]

Whatever disruption it causes to my life, whilst frustrating, is small fry compared to what they are sticking up for. 

 

I fully support all the strikes and think the government are disgusting with their propaganda and the way they are treating our essential workers.