Britain's Biggest Unions Back General Strike Plans

[Gone baby gone]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/britains-biggest-unions-put-weight-behind-plan-for-general-strike-8559027.html

Plans for the first general strike in modern British history have been backed by the country’s two biggest unions.

The proposed 24-hour walkout would be the first time since 1926 that private and public-sector workers have co-ordinated a nationwide mass action. The tactic, which would represent a significant escalation to the unions’ protests against the Coalition’s austerity measures, will be discussed at the meeting of the Trades Union Congress’s general council this month.

The proposals were initially drawn up by Unite, with 1.4 million members, which argues that “such action is desirable” as it would put the Government on the defensive and boost the status of trade unions. And Unison, the biggest public-sector trade union with 1.3 million members, announced it also backed the principle of a general strike, although it stressed the move should be the culmination of a campaign against austerity measures.

It's all starting to feel a bit 1930s.

As I said earlier this week, the government will be praying for a crap summer, otherwise there could be public disorder coming soon to a major city near you...

[EUBanana]

"against austerity measures", I read that and my brain automatically translates it to "out on the rob".

[Gone baby gone]

"against austerity measures", I read that and my brain automatically translates it to "out on the rob".

You should probably get that seen to.

[interestrateripoff]

Can we have a strike against the bubble bursting?

Life was so much better in the bubble with cash flowing around the system, this is what they should strike for.

Would a mass strike against the govt even be legal? I presume they would have to ballot members on the action first.

[Gone baby gone]

Can we have a strike against the bubble bursting?

We could, but you'd need to be in a union otherwise you actions would make you liable for dismissal.

Would a mass strike against the govt even be legal? I presume they would have to ballot members on the action first.

The article says there are "legal hurdles" to overcome. I think - a bit like the war with Iraq - that just means the right people have to have lunch and sufficient legal fees are paid to make everything ok.

[doomed]

That amny different people pulling in that many different directions. Going on strike to maintain unsustainable pensions and jobs will not change reality. In fact it might speed up the eventual collapse that is coming, so I hope they go on strike and cause as much trouble as possible.

Also this is just going to have employers queing up to hire people.

Edited April 4, 2013 by doomed

[Mixle]

Can we have a strike against the bubble bursting?

Should have gone to protectyourbubble.com

[Mr Jib Fingers]

The cuts have barely got started yet. I think I can see why no government ever manages to successfully shrink the state.

Interestingly it says that the private sector are part of the strike, but then it mentions Unite and Unison only. I can't imagine most people in the private sector wanting more taxes to pay for keeping the bloated public sector.

Edited April 4, 2013 by Mr Jib Fingers

[Gone baby gone]

I can't imagine most people in the private sector wanting more taxes to pay for keeping the bloated public sector.

Y'know, I don't think that is one of the options.

The options are:

Pay the same or more taxes for a smaller public sector.

Pay the same or more taxes for the same public sector.

Only the Labour party have been talking about tax cuts recently. That just shows you what a pickle we're in!

[Executive Sadman]

We could do with a general strike. Mainly to starve the parasitic govt and public sector of its life-force, rather than some 70s anti-democratic 'anything to get labour back in power' fascism, but a general strike is a good thing, not bad.

[scrappycocco]

They really don't give a f**k about anyone other than themselves.

If we keeping paying these stupid people more we will end up only being able to rent those single sleeper lockers like in japan.

[bomberbrown]

1365079875[/url]' post='909296664']

The cuts have barely got started yet. I think I can see why no government ever manages to successfully shrink the state.

Interestingly it says that the private sector are part of the strike, but then it mentions Unite and Unison only. I can't imagine most people in the private sector wanting more taxes to pay for keeping the bloated public sector.

Not sure Unite is solely Public Sector.

http://www.unitetheunion.org/how-we-help/list-of-sectors/

[Mr Jib Fingers]

Y'know, I don't think that is one of the options.

The options are:

Pay the same or more taxes for a smaller public sector.

Pay the same or more taxes for the same public sector.

Only the Labour party have been talking about tax cuts recently. That just shows you what a pickle we're in!

Well eventually government spending will need to be reduced at some point presumably. Although Labour seem to think the problem is too little government spending again now so perhaps it won't be for a few years.

It's possible the private sector could do their own kind of strike themselves by hiding money from the taxman. I expect there's a fair amount of that going on at the moment already.

[Gone baby gone]

Well eventually government spending will need to be reduced at some point presumably.

You presume too much. We're going to have more banks that need bailing out* soon.

* = indirectly via a government property slush fund.

It's possible the private sector could do their own kind of strike themselves by hiding money from the taxman. I expect there's a fair amount of that going on at the moment already.

Maybe Amazon, Starbucks and Microsoft could withold their Corporation Tax payments. Just a thought.

[cybernoid]

Do they still get paid when 'on strike'?

If they don't it's a great idea, lets have more of it. They should strike 10 months a year.

[EUBanana]

They really don't give a f**k about anyone other than themselves.

Pretty much how it seems to me.

You presume too much. We're going to have more banks that need bailing out* soon.

* = indirectly via a government property slush fund.

Yeah, but two wrongs don't make a right. £110 billion deficit isn't sustainable.

The problem is that socialists just don't want to accept this. It doesn't matter if it's spent on t'miners or on banksters, it's still unsustainable.

[Mr Jib Fingers]

You presume too much. We're going to have more banks that need bailing out* soon.

* = indirectly via a government property slush fund.

I realise the banks have had too much government money, but it shouldn't be the catch all counter argument to anyone pointing out that the government is spending too much. There's still a massive deficit when you remove any banking bailouts.

Maybe Amazon, Starbucks and Microsoft could withold their Corporation Tax payments. Just a thought.

I happily shop at these places, since the prices are lower so effectively I'm paying less tax when I buy from them. A win-win for both parties.

[Gone baby gone]

I happily shop at these places, since the prices are lower so effectively I'm paying less tax when I buy from them. A win-win for both parties.

Actually, I think you'll find that the prices aren't lower. In the case of Starbucks and Microsoft they are actually higher. Their profits are probably higher. Which is good for someone hopefully.

[Mr Jib Fingers]

Actually, I think you'll find that the prices aren't lower. In the case of Starbucks and Microsoft they are actually higher. Their profits are probably higher. Which is good for someone hopefully.

They're lower than they would have been if they paid more tax which is the point I was making. So yes it's good for me thanks.

[awaytogo]

The cuts have barely got started yet. I think I can see why no government ever manages to successfully shrink the state.

Interestingly it says that the private sector are part of the strike, but then it mentions Unite and Unison only. I can't imagine most people in the private sector wanting more taxes to pay for keeping the bloated public sector.

Yup

A lot of conflicting interests in the austerity measures and the strike against them. Cannot see many private sector workers wanting to support the public sectors having less pay constraints when most have had little pay rise at all themselves,Then i cannot see either the Public or the private sector wanting to have benefit cuts reversed when both groups have had cuts themselves and the benefit claimants would not be affected at all by any loss of earnings..

INTERESTING

[nmarks]

Words fail me.

[Greg Bowman]

Do they still get paid when 'on strike'?

If they don't it's a great idea, lets have more of it. They should strike 10 months a year.

They do just at their desks......and not Policeman, fireman et al your run of the mill civil servant. Just tried selling a comms line in to a NHS Trust - you wouldn't believe how scarily inept they are or maybe you would.

Another gem try and pay your VAT online today system upgrade from April 4th till the 6th yet the date for payments last working day is tomorrow....

We could lose hundreds of thousands of civil servants and no one would notice.

[Gone baby gone]

They're lower than they would have been if they paid more tax which is the point I was making. So yes it's good for me thanks.

But if they are higher than their competitors it surely proves that tax is irrelevant?

To wit, Costa Coffee can pay UK corporation tax and still deliver the same product for less than Starbucks, so either the more tax you pay the cheaper your product becomes (unlikely) or there is no direct relationship between tax and product retail prices for many products and services in the UK.

[Gone baby gone]

There's something else about general strikes.

They are usually an indicator the country is about to shake hands with someone from the IMF...

[TheBlueCat]

They do just at their desks......and not Policeman, fireman et al your run of the mill civil servant. Just tried selling a comms line in to a NHS Trust - you wouldn't believe how scarily inept they are or maybe you would.

Another gem try and pay your VAT online today system upgrade from April 4th till the 6th yet the date for payments last working day is tomorrow....

We could lose hundreds of thousands of civil servants and no one would notice.

It would be an interesting exercise to change the tax system (vat, income, paye etc) to an honesty based one and see if the amount of tax raised went down by less than the money saved in paying for civil servants.