Tube drivers get £50k+ a year, 38 days annual leave and work 36 hours a week?!?!!

Advocating near free market capitalism is exactly the reason why this isn't acceptable. Near free market capitalism accepts that when one party in a transaction becomes too powerful, the market, from a utilitarian standpoint, loses allocative efficiency. For this reason, most capitalist economists (as well as, of course, socialist ones) are against monopolies, as a monopoly uses its market power to shaft the workforce and shaft the consumers. But this is exactly what's happening here. One party in the transaction between the employer and employee (here, the tube workers) has grouped together and used their huge market power to force the other party's (the tube company) hand into doing what they want. If we don't accept companies building market power to exploit, why allow employees to do the same?

Except work from home in comfort and enjoy being considerably better off than the union members.

The Queen can?
Government ministers can?

Fair enough. I don't see a solution though, unless a company separate from TFL is allowed to be formed and compete with them. Or forcing unions to break up...

Not really problem that needs solving though to be honest, trains are set to be further automated...

Anyway, if you were told that you'd have to work nights with no rise in pay and when you complained you were thrown a pathetic pay rise I'm pretty sure you'd be quite angry about it.

And since you moaned about socialism, I'm guessing you're a hardcore advocate for free market (or near free market) capitalism... in which case, these people are free to tell their employer to **** off and if they don't like it they should either give them a raise or hire someone else. I don't see how you can be moaning at the tube drivers themselves?

If Harrods staff would ever strike, they would probably be given the "But we have many applicants who would do your job for a lower wage than you're asking!" card by their employers.

No more unions. No more strikes. No more workers.

Just what matters. Me.

Me and now.

If I one day decide that I don't like the conditions I'm working my job, I live in a free country and I am well within my rights to tell my employer to go **** himself. My friends/colleagues are then free on their own accord to decide whether or not they want to join me. A union is just a slightly more organised version of this. I don't see how someone can be "against" unions, it's like being "against" my right to walk out of a park.

Would you mind explaining your position? I'd be curious to hear from anyone else who is "against" unions here too!

No problem you going on strike, so long as you agree to be sacked for doing so. Gross misconduct is a sackable offence, yes?

Sure.

I am curious though, when your entire workforce walks out on you and you sack them, do you really think said business is going to get enough new employees quickly enough to survive?

But the entire workforce won't walk out. They can't afford to......

So TfL would have some drivers available, could immediately start recruiting for new ones. Running a tube train isn't exactly rocket science, doubt there's more than five buttons to be pressed.

Oh and the Army could be called in to help if it really came to it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/politics-blog/11725850/How-well-off-are-Londons-tube-drivers-and-why-are-they-striking.html

Disgusting greedy socialist bastards!

But the entire workforce won't walk out. They can't afford to......

So TfL would have some drivers available, could immediately start recruiting for new ones. Running a tube train isn't exactly rocket science, doubt there's more than five buttons to be pressed.

Oh and the Army could be called in to help if it really came to it.

Would be funny seeing an ex-tube driver trying to find a job paying more than £20k, after leaving his cushty public sector gig for being a greedy ******.

No, its called traffic you tit and parking alone costs £15+ a day.

No unions = no workers? What ****ing planet are you on?