UK Union barons warn national strike 'is coming'

[Eldorado]

Union barons today warned that a national strike to cripple Britain is 'coming' - and workers who ignore it will be pariah 'scabs' - as a 5% pay rise for rail workers earning more than more than £60,000 was set to be rejected as too low. 

Heads of the RMT and Aslef unions have called on workers 'across the economy' including NHS staff, postal workers and teachers to 'stand together' with rail workers for a summer of discontent.

UK Mail

BT has called on trade union bosses to spare disruption to 999 calls, as it braces for the first national strike in 35 years.

UK Telegraph via MSN

 

Stagnant growth and widening gaps between rich and poor mean British households are almost £9,000 poorer than their counterparts in similar countries, new research has revealed.

Tory leadership candidates were urged to present an economic strategy including more than just tax cuts as the Resolution Foundation found a chasm in incomes between households in the UK and developed rivals.

UK Telegraph

[Eldorado]

Railway workers are to stage a one-day strike on 27 July as part of an ongoing dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the RMT union says.

It comes after thousands of train operator and Network Rail workers walked out during national strike action in June.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62154070

[Eldorado]

Post Office workers are staging a 24-hour strike on Thursday in a dispute over pay.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) who deliver cash and supplies to sub-post offices, process finances and work in administration are involved in the row.

The CWU said the action was in protest at a 3 per cent pay offer for the 2022-23 financial year, alongside a one-off lump sum payment of £500, and no pay increase for the 2021-22 financial year.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/post-office-workers-to-strike-over-pay/ar-AAZxYUh?

[Eldorado]

Train drivers at eight rail companies will strike on Saturday, 30 July in a dispute over pay, union Aslef has said.

A total of 5,500 staff will walk out after talks broke down over pay, with the union seeking wages to keep pace with the rising cost of living.

It comes a day after the RMT union, which represents workers such as guards and signalling staff, said it would strike on Wednesday, 27 July.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62166276

[Eldorado]

Staff at the AQA exam board will strike for three days next week over pay, their union says.

Up to 180 Unison members are planning to walk out on 29, 30 and 31 July.

The union claims that pupils and students waiting for exam results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland could face delays as a result.

But AQA, which is responsible for around half of GCSE and A-level exams, says it has "robust plans" in place to ensure students get results on time.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-62270820

 

A planned strike of over 40,000 workers at Network Rail and more than a dozen train companies will go ahead next week, after the latest talks broke down.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at 14 train operating companies and Network Rail will go on strike on Wednesday 27 July in a dispute about pay, jobs and conditions.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/22/rail-strike-of-over-40000-workers-across-britain-to-go-ahead-on-27-july

 

Strike action by hundreds of British Airways workers at Heathrow has been called off, after staff accepted an 8% pay rise offer.

The GMB and Unite unions said more than 75% of members backed the pay deal.

A total of 700 workers - mostly check-in staff - had been set to strike during the summer over a 10% pay cut imposed during the pandemic.

Workers will also get a one-off bonus and the reinstatement of extra pay for irregular shifts.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62267324

[Eldorado]

Two towns set to become smelliest in UK when binmen go on 20-day strike next month

The summer of discontent is about to take a very smelly turn with a series of strikes by bin workers.

With temperatures continuing to be above average, residents in the affected towns can expect things to get worse between August 1 and August 19.

That is because members of the GMB Union have voted to stage a walk-out in a dispute over pay.

It means there will be no kerbside rubbish collections for nearly three weeks in Elmbridge and Surrey Heath.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/two-towns-set-to-become-smelliest-in-uk-when-binmen-go-on-20-day-strike-next-month/ar-AAZVU1c?

 

Workers at an aerospace firm are set to go on strike after claiming bosses offered them free cups of tea once a week as part of a proposed pay settlement.

Staff at Meggit PLC, in Loughborough, say they have rejected their employer's offer of a three per cent pay increase, along with the cups of tea.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/careersandeducation/furious-workers-set-to-strike-claim-bosses-offered-free-cups-of-tea-to-sweeten-pay-offer/ar-AAZWu39

Edited July 25, 2022 by Eldorado

[+ouija ouija]

1 hour ago, Eldorado said:

Two towns set to become smelliest in UK when binmen go on 20-day strike next month

 

Workers at an aerospace firm are set to go on strike after claiming bosses offered them free cups of tea once a week as part of a proposed pay settlement.

 

I'm right behind the refuse workers and their strike. Quite a way behind, to be honest . . . . . and definitely up-wind of them .

Seriously though, whoever offered the aerospace workers one free cup of tea per week should be sacked. That is taking the p*** big-style! I don't know how those bosses sleep at night .

[Eldorado]

Dockers at the UK’s largest container port have voted overwhelmingly to strike after they were offered a below inflation pay rise in the latest industrial dispute sparked by the cost of living crisis to bring national transport infrastructure to a halt.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/dockers-at-uk-s-largest-container-port-vote-to-strike-in-august/ar-AA1045KB?

[Eldorado]

Thousands of workers at telecoms giant BT will walk out on Friday in the first of two strikes in a row over pay.

Engineers and call centre staff voted in favour of industrial action after BT offered a £1,500 per year pay rise.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said the action will be the first national telecoms strike since 1987.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62338573

[ThereWeAreThen]

On 7/25/2022 at 2:32 PM, ouija ouija said:

I'm right behind the refuse workers and their strike. Quite a way behind, to be honest . . . . . and definitely up-wind of them .

Seriously though, whoever offered the aerospace workers one free cup of tea per week should be sacked. That is taking the p*** big-style! I don't know how those bosses sleep at night .

They sleep very well in their mansions I'd imagine.

[Eldorado]

Rail, Tube and bus passengers are set to face four days of travel misery as tens of thousands of workers stage another round of strikes.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/we-can-t-tolerate-being-bullied-or-hoodwinked-fresh-transport-strikes-set-to-cause-more-travel-chaos/ar-AA10M6pT?

 

Royal Mail workers have voted massively in favour of strikes in a dispute over pay and conditions, increasing the threat of disruption to postal deliveries.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) backed strikes by 98.7 per cent on a turnout of more than 72 per cent.

It was the second ballot of Royal Mail workers, who are already planning to strike on August 26 and 31 and September 8 and 9 in a separate row over pay.

https://www.irishnews.com/business/2022/08/18/news/royal_mail_workers_back_strike_action_in_row_over_terms_and_conditions-2802126/

 

Railway and postal staff, dockers too. Britain's workers are striking in vast numbers as decades-high inflation erodes the value of wages at a record pace.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/uk-workers-strike-inflation-crushes-060109804.html

[Eldorado]

More than three-quarters of doctors who took part in a recent survey have said they are prepared to strike in a pay dispute.

The study, undertaken by BMA Scotland, spoke to 3,100 medics north of the border between July 20 and August 5 after a 4.5% offer was rejected.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsscotland/some-78-25-of-doctors-willing-to-strike-over-pay-survey-suggests/ar-AA10PcnB

[Eldorado]

Rail unions are staging a series of train strikes targeting the Conservative Party Conference in October.

Union leaders have called off a truce with company bosses after cancelling industrial action during the period of national mourning after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT) will walk out on Oct 1 and Oct 8.

Aslef, which represents train drivers, will strike across 12 train operating companies on Oct 1 and Oct 5.

The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) is understood to have served notice that hundreds of members will also strike on Oct 1.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/train-strikes-new-date-added-for-october-rail-walkouts/ar-AA12f5kO?

[Eldorado]

A national strike ballot of tens of thousands of civil servants has been launched in the latest outbreak of industrial unrest sweeping the country.

More than 200,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) will vote in the coming weeks on whether to strike over pay, jobs and conditions.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said civil servants were facing job losses, pay cuts and increased pension contributions, leaving the union with no choice but to ballot for action.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/national-strike-ballot-of-tens-of-thousands-of-civil-servants-launched/ar-AA12fvb2?

[L.A.T.1961]

Kwasi Kwarteng announced on Friday that unions would be forced to put pay offers to members during negotiations. “We will legislate to require unions to put pay offers to a member vote, to ensure strikes can only be called once negotiations have genuinely broken down,” he said.

More democracy for union members.  But unions don't like it. 

I cannot see why asking members what their thoughts are on pay offers is a bad idea, except it makes the option of a union to do their own thing and use their position to disrupt a democratically elected government and economy more difficult. 

If members decide, on balance, to accept a pay offer and return to work what's the issue. 

Answers on a post card to Mick Lynch. 

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-tighten-strike-rules-kwarteng-2022-09-23/

Edited September 26, 2022 by L.A.T.1961
link

[Eldorado]

12 minutes ago, L.A.T.1961 said:

Kwasi Kwarteng announced on Friday that unions would be forced to put pay offers to members during negotiations. “We will legislate to require unions to put pay offers to a member vote, to ensure strikes can only be called once negotiations have genuinely broken down,” he said.

More democracy for union members.  But unions don't like it. 

I cannot see why asking members what their thoughts are on pay offers is a bad idea, except it makes the option of a union to do their own thing and use their position to disrupt a democratically elected government and economy more difficult. 

If members decide, on balance, to accept a pay offer and return to work what's the issue. 

Answers on a post card to Mick Lynch. 

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-tighten-strike-rules-kwarteng-2022-09-23/

Workers are already asked if they want to accept pay offers.  At least they have been anywhere I've worked.  A mass meeting and a show of hands.

Do you want to accept management's offer, keep begging or take industrial action?

[L.A.T.1961]

Just now, Eldorado said:

Workers are already asked if they want to accept pay offers.  At least they have been anywhere I've worked.  A mass meeting and a show of hands.

Do you want to accept management's offer, keep begging or take industrial action?

If a business is forced to pay more than it can afford, due to staff walking out, and then goes bust who benefits?

This happened all the time in the 70's but it's becoming a long time ago. 

A reasonable compromise should be the aim with one eye on keeping the employer solvent.  

[Eldorado]

2 minutes ago, L.A.T.1961 said:

If a business is forced to pay more than it can afford, due to staff walking out, and then goes bust who benefits?

This happened all the time in the 70's but it's becoming a long time ago. 

A reasonable compromise should be the aim with one eye on keeping the employer solvent.  

I agree but If there was no need for unions, LAT they wouldn't exist.  Management cannot be trusted to treat their workers fairly.

"UK trade union membership levels among employees have risen in each of the past four years (by 17,000 in 2017, 103,000 in 2018, 91,000 in 2019 and 118,000 in 2020) to reach 6.56 million in 2020."

UK Gov

[L.A.T.1961]

1 minute ago, Eldorado said:

I agree but If there was no need for unions, LAT they wouldn't exist.  Management cannot be trusted to treat their workers fairly.

"UK trade union membership levels among employees have risen in each of the past four years (by 17,000 in 2017, 103,000 in 2018, 91,000 in 2019 and 118,000 in 2020) to reach 6.56 million in 2020."

UK Gov

You have to look at the reasons for joining, if a new employee finds his work colleagues are mostly union members they might feel obliged to join to fit in, it happens.

I don't think unions are a bad idea but not when they are paid up supporters of a political party and then state the party is not radical enough and refuse to pay into it's coffers unless they change political tack. 

Unions have two agendas when they should only have one, the first is to discredit the Tories at every opportunity and only then look after members. 

When their members should be the only priority. 

[Duke Wellington]

The worse is yet to come.

The aim of a government is to regulate demand in the economy using fiscal policy. Even if that is unpopular. Yet this is not what Truss was doing in last week's budget (and I myself am a Tory).

Tax: Demand is reduced by raising taxes. The rise in NICs is small compared to how Truss is going to help the wealthy. Overall, it`s a large cut in tax. The large cut for the wealthy will significantly boost demand.

Cutting State Spending: The unions are going to prevent this happening. It will be a large increase in state spending. Also, Truss has implemented energy price caps and given many in fuel poverty a handout. All these things will significantly boost demand.

Reduce Supply of Money: Not touched.

So, demand is going to go very high, and the higher demand goes, the higher that inflation will too. My prediction is its going to hit somewhere between 15% and 20%. That will be some rise the interest rates as an alternative to bring it down, but the higher the interest goes the more the state pays on its debt.

Truss is obviously trying to save SMEs going belly up but is sacrificing low and middle Britain to do it. What needs to happen:

Raise Taxes: A significant increase in income tax is needed for the low earners to reduce consumption.

Cut State Spending: Let Mogg do his mass cull of the Civil Service, freeze the NHS budget, freeze the education budget. Stop the fuel poverty handouts, tell them to buy a few warm jumpers instead. Freeze benefits.

Reduce the Supply of Money: Reverse quantitative easing.

That will restore a lot of confidence in the UK economy with investors, the money will pour in. But in the mean-time Truss will have to manage a winter of discontent.

[L.A.T.1961]

On 9/26/2022 at 7:13 PM, Cookie Monster said:

 

Truss is obviously trying to save SMEs going belly up but is sacrificing low and middle Britain to do it. What needs to happen:

Raise Taxes: A significant increase in income tax is needed for the low earners to reduce consumption.

Cut State Spending: Let Mogg do his mass cull of the Civil Service, freeze the NHS budget, freeze the education budget. Stop the fuel poverty handouts, tell them to buy a few warm jumpers instead. Freeze benefits.

Reduce the Supply of Money: Reverse quantitative easing.

That will restore a lot of confidence in the UK economy with investors, the money will pour in. But in the mean-time Truss will have to manage a winter of discontent.

That would stifle domestic inflation but not imported inflation, the question is which is causing the biggest problem.

Most seem to think it is global energy prices not controllable by the UK pushing inflation up. 

So policy to constrict domestic growth would induce a recession while imported inflation stays above normal.

It could produce the worst of both worlds. 

Its probably easer to keep the economy running with tax cuts Ect while using interest rates to moderate excess, rather than restart an economy that has gone too far the wrong way. 

[Eldorado]

Royal Mail workers are to hold 19 days of strike action over terms and conditions during the peak postal build-up to Christmas.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said the strikes will cover Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

It said its "significant announcement" reflects the "level of anger" workers feel.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63055394

[Eldorado]

999 emergency call handlers are set to walk out for the first time this Thursday as the strike over pay for BT Group workers continues.

Members of the Communication Workers Union – the union for BT workers – will be walking out on Thursday 6 October, with further strikes planned for Monday 10 , Thursday 20  and Monday 24 October.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/999-call-handlers-to-strike-on-thursday-over-bt-pay-row/ar-AA12AnwF?

[OpenMindedSceptic]

Strikers are a nightmare, selfish and naive.

Whenever you hear the line, "what else can we do" in reference to strike action, I just think "brainwashed sheep".

There's lots that can be done if the unions didn't stifle growth and creativity.

[+ouija ouija]

7 minutes ago, OpenMindedSceptic said:

Strikers are a nightmare, selfish and naive.

Whenever you hear the line, "what else can we do" in reference to strike action, I just think "brainwashed sheep".

There's lots that can be done if the unions didn't stifle growth and creativity.

People who strike are just regular folk like you and I . . . they would like enough money to live on reasonably comfortably. That's live on, not survive on. Have enough for a 'rainy day' too.

What do you think they could do instead of striking?