Going on strike is definitely a public sector activity. In 2006, public sector strike activity was seven times higher than the private sector.During the last decade, there were only three years when the public sector lost few days due to industrial action compared to the private sector. It was back in 1997, when New Labour was elected. The honeymoon lasted until 1999 when it was business as usual.
With all this foolish talk of pay restraint, perhaps industrial action in the private sector will make a comeback. The drivers at Shell gave a couple of lessons on how to beat inflation. All the conditions are now in place for an upswing of industrial action; inflation is rising, real wages are falling, the bank of england are ready to accomodate and a weak and unpopular government is in office.
12 comments:
There is power in a union
The FSA will stay as long as Brown as PM. As soon as he goes, it goes.
Unions are largely ineffective in the private sector.
With such a generous welfare system expect to see more people copping out altogether rather than striking.
Copping out onto welfare is an attractive option for people with children whose 'day job' pays around the below national average wage, or single people earning minimum wage.
For single people earning more than the national average, or households with children used to the lifestyle provided by middle-class income around twice the national average or upwards, it's not nearly as attractive.
Shameful. As the government was throwing fistfulls of cash at these workshy losers in the public sector they still had the temerity to stay out on strike.
And a graph you did a few weeks back showed that the public sector outperformed the private on annual wage increases over this time, so they didn't have te slightest excuse.
Shameful
Nick
I always snigger when I hear a 'high minded public servant' talk about the dangers of 'the profit motive', as if they themselves didn't possess one.
I snigger when I see "servant" after "public". Like they understand the concept of service. Perhaps if they added "self-" in between....
Nick
Annual leave ??? Whassat ? (Private sector employer)
Sick leave ??? Whassat ? (Private sector employer)
"I've done forty years committed service to the community ... blah de blah..." (PUBLIC employee)
Honestly ! Paid holidays, bank holidays, sick leave, full pension entitlement ... (TAXPAYER)
Who the shit do you think you're kidding ?
Sorry to be so ambivilant with my preceeding post about strike action. Interesting times and suchlike ...
(Four deletions above are mine)
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