Doing the right thing: BA, QANTAS, Air France etc.. staff go on strike

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Striking for a Cause

To cause minimal disruption to the travelling public all the major airlines have voted to go on strike while the ash-cloud from Icelend keeps their fleets grounded.

"We have always stated that our industrial action is designed to minimise its effect on the travelling public as they are the ones paying our salaries due to their patronage. It is the last ting on our minds to inconvenience them in any way", said Jock MacLeish of the Transport Workers Union on behalf of all unions affected by the shutdown.

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In the next bulletin, all politicians worldwide agree to undergo lie detector tests

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While at University my second string subjects were all related to Industrial Relations and Industrial Law and I was a very strong Trades Union supporter . . . After about six months working part-time for credit with the painters and dockers I saw just what the union movement was all about, how it had been bastardised to take as much advantage of the public as possible by creating maximum discomfort, achieving exactly the opposite to what they claim to be doing.

It really pisses me off when I hear train and bus /transport unions calling for strikes during Easter, Christmas etc.... knowing full well that this causes maximum 'damage' to the consumer . . . the same goes for unions for BA, as an example.

So, why don't they go on strike now? WQhy don't the pollies say: right, let's chat.


I am still a supporter of trades unions, never been in one except for the Student Union . . . but it needs to have some semblance of reality

Unions are as unselfcentred as lawyers who only sue folk in possession of a large bank account.

Maggie had the right idea about trade unions; crush them until they cease to exist. They're a blight on the working man and the country.

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Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

They're a blight on the working man

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Well, No. They're not really are they?

In balance they protect the working man ..... having worked in organizations both with powerful unions and without union representation, the balance (and accompanying behaviour) tips toward unreasonable action from either side.

Labor unions were founded with the noble goal of protecting the working man, unfortunately, after 50 or so years of existence, most of them become more interested in self-protection.
I became aware of this while working inside a very large international labor union for 3 years.
Still, I must admit that they are better than nothing!!

When trades unions were all about helping the employee and working with the employer, then that's fine. But when they were infiltrated by the fucking communists and their "BLOCK" vote, they ceased to fight for the worker, they became a virtual terrorist organisation.

Cunts like Arthur Scargill destroyed the unions credibility and the miners and the mines, all for a personal Communist agenda aimed at hijacking a democratically elected government.

There were a lot of genuine trade unionists,(TGWU) (ELECTRICIANS) moderates that tried to get away from the likes of Scargill and his marxist cronies, and look at the bloodshed in Yorkshire, durham etc, whole communities destroyed because of that fucking low life!

Then you had the Unions of incompetent proffesions, the NUT - a body that defended teachers that were not capable or fit ti teach!

Like having a union that protects paedophiles rights to work in nurseries!

the pendulum has swung too far to the right currently , it was too far to the left :mid:

I have to say that the Northern Territory branch of the AEU did a fantastic job for me.

They were absolutely brilliant. The only Union I've ever really been part of and, when the shit hit the fan they came up trumps.

It's fair to say though that the secretary at the time, who took my case on board was an exceptionally dedicated bloke.

What the new one's like is anybodies guess.

We did beat the Government though. :)

To me, Unions should be there to protect workers, to ensure that emploers stick to the law, and not victimize or exploit workers. But when a union tries to hold the country to ransom, then that is a step too far in the wrong direction.

I don't really know much about the current state of British Trades Unions or the issues behind the current BA Strike to comment.

My experience was back with them when they were running the mines and the transport unions.

I was self employed for a while and contracted to British road Services, and the union there was a complete [at][at][at][at] outfit.

you can't blame the unions for trying to make their strike as effective as possible

otherwise the employer will just laugh at them and continue doing whatever the workers object to

unfortunately, many unions use the anger and distress of the public to make their point

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Originally Posted by jandajoy

I have to say that the Northern Territory branch of the AEU did a fantastic job for me.

They were absolutely brilliant. The only Union I've ever really been part of and, when the shit hit the fan they came up trumps.

It's fair to say though that the secretary at the time, who took my case on board was an exceptionally dedicated bloke.

What the new one's like is anybodies guess.

We did beat the Government though. :)

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Don't know what your circumstances were, but it is great if a union can help you fight a case, what is not great is where a union uses its members and political clout to undermine the elected government of the day, that was what was happening in the UK in the '70's and '80's.

I was never a fan of Thatcher, but I would say she was to be admired as she stuck to her principals and would not give in to intimidation or blackmail.

If people didn't like it - vote her out at the next election!

It was cunts like Harold Wilson that brought all of this shit on in the first place, him and that fucking idiot Willie Whitelaw.

One of the most misunderstood (by me) twats was Michael Foot - remember - looked like Worzel Gummidge with a hangover - I was probably too young at the time to appreciate him.

I was too busy going to London on Anti Thatcher marches courtesy of the biggest bunch of wankers I now clearly see - the Students Union!

They are not so fucking uppity these days when they have to pay to spend 4 years drinking beer squeezing their spots and looking like shit!

They probably feel hard done by that the taxpayer no longer funds them 100% to live and behave like PIGS whilst planning their communist overthrow / rebellion of the government that gave them their fucking free ride in the first place!

NEVER BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS!

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Originally Posted by jandajoy

They're not really are they?

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They were in 1960s & 70s Britain, yes. Very much so.