Do strikers deserve sympathy?
This thread is inspired by my anger at how, because of the tube strikes, I couldn't see my girlfriend. As I go back to Mallorca in a few days, this means I won't be able to see her until the 15th of January.
Hope the paid workers enjoyed the day of. Imo, they should be sacked.
Recently there was an organised mass strike of air traffic controllers all over Spain. The government had the right initiative, and warned them if they didn't go back to work they would arrest them and take their children into custody.
Hey presto, no problem. The organisers are getting prosecuted afaik.
Fair enough in older times, without fair wages and working conditions, striking was justifiable. But now it just a pain on the ordinary people who depend on these workers (and I know you liberal douches will probably say "well if you depend on them they deserve more money!". I'm sure a tube worker or air traffic controller can be very, very easily replaced).
So imo strikers in this day and age, in western society, are for the most part selfish, greedy pricks. Your views?
p.s. I'm sure this is gonna rile a load of you up, so please, instead of negging and feeling good about yourself, argue away.
Hope the paid workers enjoyed the day of. Imo, they should be sacked.
Recently there was an organised mass strike of air traffic controllers all over Spain. The government had the right initiative, and warned them if they didn't go back to work they would arrest them and take their children into custody.
Hey presto, no problem. The organisers are getting prosecuted afaik.
Fair enough in older times, without fair wages and working conditions, striking was justifiable. But now it just a pain on the ordinary people who depend on these workers (and I know you liberal douches will probably say "well if you depend on them they deserve more money!". I'm sure a tube worker or air traffic controller can be very, very easily replaced).
So imo strikers in this day and age, in western society, are for the most part selfish, greedy pricks. Your views?
p.s. I'm sure this is gonna rile a load of you up, so please, instead of negging and feeling good about yourself, argue away.
Scroll to see replies
Original post by James4d
So imo strikers in this day and age, in western society, are for the most part selfish, greedy pricks. Your views?
Or maybe the companies who employ them are the selfish and greedy ones?
Original post by loves2spooge
Or maybe the companies who employ them are the selfish and greedy ones?
I find that hard to believe. If the money paid does not justify the work + qualifications needed for the work, then they can move onto other work if they were skilled enough.
If they're not, then they don't deserve the extra wages.
At the moment people are lucky to even have a job, regardless of whether they earn masses from it or not.
totally agree with the OP. the unions are just too full of themselves to think of anyone but themselves. hopefully the government will introduce new legislation making it impossible to strike if less than say 50% fail to return their ballot.
Without taking industrial action, the voices of many workers would be completely ignored and they would be more open to exploitation. Business is not compassionate, it only cares about its own profits, so causing disruption is often the only realistic way of improving things. If strikes didn't occur, nothing would ever change and I think it is more important to try and improve working conditions than causing inconvenience to commuters.
Original post by James4d
I find that hard to believe. If the money paid does not justify the work + qualifications needed for the work, then they can move onto other work if they were skilled enough.
If they're not, then they don't deserve the extra wages.
At the moment people are lucky to even have a job, regardless of whether they earn masses from it or not.
If they're not, then they don't deserve the extra wages.
At the moment people are lucky to even have a job, regardless of whether they earn masses from it or not.
Tube drivers are already paid more than they could possibly deserve.
£40k+ BASIC salary, for operating a couple of levers all day.
They should all be sacked, we could then re-hire at half that rate.
Original post by iamyourspiritfrombeyondth
Without taking industrial action, the voices of many workers would be completely ignored and they would be more open to exploitation. Business is not compassionate, it only cares about its own profits, so causing disruption is often the only realistic way of improving things. If strikes didn't occur, nothing would ever change and I think it is more important to try and improve working conditions than causing inconvenience to commuters.
There is a thin line between asking for realistic, needed improvements to working conditions and wages, and being plain greedy.
If striking was effective, then all we'd get were strikes every time a group of the employees felt they could use a few more quid, and before you know it employees , at least in the public sector, would be receiving inconceivably high wages for the work they do.
Original post by James4d
There is a thin line between asking for realistic, needed improvements to working conditions and wages, and being plain greedy.
If striking was effective, then all we'd get were strikes every time a group of the employees felt they could use a few more quid, and before you know it employees , at least in the public sector, would be receiving inconceivably high wages for the work they do.
If striking was effective, then all we'd get were strikes every time a group of the employees felt they could use a few more quid, and before you know it employees , at least in the public sector, would be receiving inconceivably high wages for the work they do.
But... That HAS happened... It's part of the reason for the government's current perilous financial situation.
Original post by TShadow383
But... That HAS happened... It's part of the reason for the government's current perilous financial situation.
Exactly... but whens it going to end? The person I quoted is making it out like striking is the only way working conditions will improve. They don't need improving. Any striking now is for pure greed and cheek, and just scummy selfish workers trying to see what they can get away with.
Air-traffic controllers in Spain can earn up to one million euros a year with overtime... and yet they still went on strike. ****ing ridiculous.
I don't know about Spain, but the recent tube strikes have been due to:
a) They are cutting the amount of staff at stations, which will make stations more unsafe. This harms commuters as well as tube workers.
b) LU was forcing workers who had booked boxing day off to work and at the flat rate. Fair enough, I agree triple pay is a bit rich, but they have a right to be angry about agreements being reneged upon.
a) They are cutting the amount of staff at stations, which will make stations more unsafe. This harms commuters as well as tube workers.
b) LU was forcing workers who had booked boxing day off to work and at the flat rate. Fair enough, I agree triple pay is a bit rich, but they have a right to be angry about agreements being reneged upon.
Original post by James4d
p.s. I'm sure this is gonna rile a load of you up, so please, instead of negging and feeling good about yourself, argue away.
p.s. I'm sure this is gonna rile a load of you up, so please, instead of negging and feeling good about yourself, argue away.
This is perhaps off topic, but I find your repeated pleas for people not to neg you really quite pathetic.
Original post by Bobifier
This is perhaps off topic, but I find your repeated pleas for people not to neg you really quite pathetic.
I find the act of negging pathetic as well. Not because I adore the green pos rep but because I don't see the point of disagreeing with someone, and simply keeping quiet, feeling somehow superior by clicking on the downward facing hand. Much prefer someone voice their opinions.
Nice contribution to the thread though.
Original post by iamyourspiritfrombeyondth
Without taking industrial action, the voices of many workers would be completely ignored and they would be more open to exploitation. Business is not compassionate, it only cares about its own profits, so causing disruption is often the only realistic way of improving things. If strikes didn't occur, nothing would ever change and I think it is more important to try and improve working conditions than causing inconvenience to commuters.
So why are they arsking for their pay to be tripled?
Original post by iamyourspiritfrombeyondth
I don't know about Spain, but the recent tube strikes have been due to:
a) They are cutting the amount of staff at stations, which will make stations more unsafe. This harms commuters as well as tube workers.
b) LU was forcing workers who had booked boxing day off to work and at the flat rate. Fair enough, I agree triple pay is a bit rich, but they have a right to be angry about agreements being reneged upon.
a) They are cutting the amount of staff at stations, which will make stations more unsafe. This harms commuters as well as tube workers.
b) LU was forcing workers who had booked boxing day off to work and at the flat rate. Fair enough, I agree triple pay is a bit rich, but they have a right to be angry about agreements being reneged upon.
This - it's the actions of the employers that are wrong, not the strikers. Yes, when strikes inconvience the general public, it is annoying, but when their employment rights are being infringed upon, it is understandable. Strikes certainly shouldn't be made illegal, that would be ridiculous, as it would give employers a license to treat employees however they wanted.
And to whoever it was who said unions have too much power nowadays, excuse me? In the last few decades, particularly under Thatcher, the power of the unions has been gradually eroding away. Did you know, applicants to the X Factor cannot be union members? Not sure why anyone would want to apply for the X Factor, but it's just one example of how unions are perceived so negatively by the media etc. Unions are vital for employees safety and well-being.
Depends upon what they're striking over, can't call all strikes bad, nor all strikes good, it fully depends on the situation of each individual dispute.
Also, because I'm a huge pedant, a "liberal" in the classical sense would likely be against strike action, you can't place all liberals under one banner as it's such a wide ranging ideology, for example, Milton Friedman and Hayek are two people who are liberals, and they certainly wouldn't be in favour of strike action. Not having a go at you here by the way, it's just as I said, I can be a huge pedant :P
Also, because I'm a huge pedant, a "liberal" in the classical sense would likely be against strike action, you can't place all liberals under one banner as it's such a wide ranging ideology, for example, Milton Friedman and Hayek are two people who are liberals, and they certainly wouldn't be in favour of strike action. Not having a go at you here by the way, it's just as I said, I can be a huge pedant :P
Original post by TShadow383
Tube drivers are already paid more than they could possibly deserve.
£40k+ BASIC salary, for operating a couple of levers all day.
They should all be sacked, we could then re-hire at half that rate.
£40k+ BASIC salary, for operating a couple of levers all day.
They should all be sacked, we could then re-hire at half that rate.
Couldn't agree more, getting paid 40k is a joke and they want more pay?
I accept that they have the right to strike, and by all means do it, but they will not be getting support from anyone, as these strikes are very inconvenient, for commuters, shoppers and so on.
they could have at least put rail replacements buses ffs 
missed a £9 an hour shift today coz of that strike ¬___¬
missed a £9 an hour shift today coz of that strike ¬___¬
They've alienated themselves from the public, and their strikes are so frequent it's not even being publicised, so I fully agree that they're selfish, lazy people.
I mean, what winds me up is that, why does the world have to come to an end because of some jumped-up, low-brained dicks working on the underground decide to have an extra day off? I swear they think of themselves as God.
I mean, what winds me up is that, why does the world have to come to an end because of some jumped-up, low-brained dicks working on the underground decide to have an extra day off? I swear they think of themselves as God.
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