Strike Action

[Kevin D]

https://www.thesocialreview.co.uk/2023/01/08/how-important-is-public-opinion-to-national-strikes/
 

Much of the recent coverage of the national industrial disputes has referred to public opinion being important for conditioning their outcomes, with the most extreme examples implying that it is the most important factor in creating a resolution.

 

This casts the industrial disputes as mere protest movements and does not engage with the physical reality of the impact of workers withdrawing their labour. Perhaps one of the reasons for the current national disputes being viewed through the prism of protest is because of the current trend of unions favouring short strategic action over prolonged or indefinite stoppages. 

 

 

However, what actually determines the outcome of industrial outcome is whether it is disruptive enough or not or if organised labour can find some other form of leverage, as Unite has recently done with the ‘strikes plus’ approach. Either way, material disruption is key. In the last year there have been literally hundreds of local strikes that have received minimal media attention and, therefore, limited engagement from the public.

 

This has not prevented trade unions from achieving successful outcomes in these disputes.

Industrial action is supposed to be disruptive to the employer and, unfortunately, the public are sometimes necessary collateral (a view the government seems to have adopted with the current crisis in the NHS). In a standard profit-making enterprise, the logic of industrial action is to make it more expensive for the employer to endure industrial action than to settle with the workers. This becomes more complicated in disputes where workers cannot affect revenues.

 

For instance, the current rail disputes are complicated by train operating companies receiving their money from the government upfront. 

 

This is especially the case with the NHS disputes, as it is free at the point of delivery. Therefore, industrial action works by making the situation bad enough that the government has to intervene. Non-striking members of the public of course have a right to feel aggrieved at this situation, and it could be argued that if they do not then the strikes are not disruptive enough. Ideally, this frustration would translate to a proper appraisal of the situation and apportion appropriate blame on the employer or government (which it appears may currently be the case), but if the public decide to blame the workers it should not affect the immediate outcome of the dispute.

 

Despite its secondary role, public opinion is not irrelevant. In the short-term it can help strikers not to feel hated (most people, reasonably, do not want to feel despised). This in turn can affect workers’ commitment to, and general enthusiasm for, a strike and this directly impacts upon its prospects of success. In an ideal world, for striking unions at least, workers would almost revel in being hated. However, most people are not Millwall supporters. In the long term, public opinion can inform how far a government will go to break a strike or how much it will, or will not, intervene in a private dispute. 

Though it should be noted that the extent of this is not clear. For instance, even with the public supporting nurses(and not feeling too aggrieved at other workers striking) the government, which currently struggles to legislate itself out of a paper bag, is still pushing ahead with new anti-strike legislation. It could be argued that governments, both local and national, are dependent on getting elected, and a sufficiently negative public reaction to their response to an industrial dispute could result in them being voted out of office. However, industrial disputes rarely neatly coincide with electoral cycles, and, even then, it is possible that voters may not decide based on a single issue.

Thus, the importance of favourable public opinion in determining the immediate outcome of a given dispute is limited. What conditions the outcome of the current national disputes will not be public support, but whether the disruption caused by industrial action is sufficient. This is not to say that organised labour can win every dispute with a simple equation of maximum disruption means maximum success, some battles are destined to end in defeat, but if it loses it will be because of material forces, not a lack of public support.

[Preston Red]

On 16/01/2023 at 21:49, Paulie Dangerously said:

NEU members out over February and March. 

 

Remember how much you wished we were there during lockdown, how hard teaching your own child was? All day every day and some without a pay rise in a decade.

 

Back the teachers. 

110% behind you all, mate.

 

Our place are doing whip rounds to support striking workers from other sectors. First thing I did when I got in was sign up for the Union and the full package. When these cunts are coming for the unions, they must be backed fully by every worker in the country. Bootlickers and fucking scabs should be left to rot. 

[Arniepie]

looks like almost a national day of action on the 1st

[Paulie Dangerously]

Our place sent an email round pretty much demanding to know if we were in the striking union and if we planned to strike and what days. 

 

Some brave, handsome, bald lothario forwarded it to the union who reminded the school of their employee's rights and a grovelling retraction was issued asking nicely what we planned to do. 

 

What is stark is that our management clearly have no idea what they can and can't be asking employees. 

[sir roger]

Expecting competence from ones superiors almost invariably disappoints.

[TheHowieLama]

13 hours ago, Kevin D said:

 

Much of the recent coverage of the national industrial disputes has referred to public opinion being important for conditioning their outcomes, with the most extreme examples implying that it is the most important factor in creating a resolution.

 

Majority of Britons oppose workers earning over £50,000 going on strike

New polling reveals public sympathy for industrial action is influenced by salary levels.

 

https://www.newstatesman.com/economy/2023/01/exclusive-poll-britons-opinion-workers-strike-salary

[Section_31]

ITN then saying Americans have a disposable income 64% higher than the British. Holy shit.

[Poor Scouser T]

17 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

ITN then saying Americans have a disposable income 64% higher than the British. Holy shit.

They work like fuck though.

[TheHowieLama]

38 minutes ago, Poor Scouser T said:

They work like fuck though.

You should see the Mexicans. 

[Colonel Bumcunt]

3 hours ago, TheHowieLama said:

Majority of Britons oppose workers earning over £50,000 going on strike

New polling reveals public sympathy for industrial action is influenced by salary levels.

 

https://www.newstatesman.com/economy/2023/01/exclusive-poll-britons-opinion-workers-strike-salary

I didn't get the poll, must be a mistake, unless everyone else did? 

Thought not. 

Shite. 

[Baresi]

Get in 

 

https://www.pcs.org.uk/contact-us/press-media-contacts/pcs-strikers-liverpool-win-pay-rise-over-10?s=08

 

[littletedwest]

Is that 10% over 2 years though? 

[Baresi]

5% backdated to last July and another 5% in July making 10% or just below inflation. Took them a lot of strike action to get it though.

[Paulie Dangerously]

Just days to go before the first NEU strike and the gloves are coming off. Head teachers issued with misleading "non statutory guidance" stating none NEU members must report to work or face disciplinary action when their own guidance states. 

 

"If non-union members go on strike, they are protected from dismissal and have the same rights as union members, as long as the industrial action is lawful."

 

Misinformation flying about, schools breaking GDPR telling parents which classes will be closed (revealing teachers Union affiliation). 

 

20,000 people joining the NEU from other unions in the last few weeks. 

 

Could be an interesting few weeks. 

[Paulie Dangerously]

Teachers out tomorrow. Education is on it's arse with funding. We buy stuff to teach your kids from our own pockets because our schools run out of money. 

 

Support your kid's teachers. Honk, cheer, take them brews or toast tomorrow morning. 

 

We'd rather be teaching. 

 

Also fuck scabs 

 

 

[Creator Supreme]

27 minutes ago, Paulie Dangerously said:

Teachers out tomorrow. Education is on it's arse with funding. We buy stuff to teach your kids from our own pockets because our schools run out of money. 

 

Support your kid's teachers. Honk, cheer, take them brews or toast tomorrow morning. 

 

We'd rather be teaching. 

 

Also fuck scabs 

 

 

Well fucking said!

[VladimirIlyich]

36 minutes ago, Paulie Dangerously said:

Teachers out tomorrow. Education is on it's arse with funding. We buy stuff to teach your kids from our own pockets because our schools run out of money. 

 

Support your kid's teachers. Honk, cheer, take them brews or toast tomorrow morning. 

 

We'd rather be teaching. 

 

Also fuck scabs 

 

 

While I support your cause I almost despised it due to those beans. Wont you please think of those poor kids.

[Gnasher]

 

 

 

[Carvalho Diablo]

PCS picketer, and in our place at least, there seemed to be more people than usual staying out.

 

Still far too many shithouse fucking scabs though. Shameful.

[Section_31]

Took the Mrs down there before, organisers said they were overwhelmed, they'd expected 800 to 1600 people but got about 3,000. Mrs said lots of support about, cars beeping, people banging on windows etc. Starmer's name was booed when it was mentioned too which should make Gnasher happy. 

[Strontium]

I'm still in bed.

[Paulie Dangerously]

Really good day. We got to school an hour earlier than usual and management and most of the staff crossing were already there. Clearly some words in ears about avoiding the picket line. 

 

Parents absolutely behind us. Not one negative comment. Went to the march with MrsD which was a gold laugh and great atmosphere. 

 

 

[Moo]

I think the strikes are, in some form, going to go on for another year or so.  The Tory Govt are dragging it out, preparing it as a battleground for the next GE (along with transgender and women's rights).

[AngryOfTuebrook]

On 18/01/2023 at 19:30, Paulie Dangerously said:

Some brave, handsome, bald lothario forwarded it to the union who reminded the school of their employee's rights and a grovelling retraction was issued asking nicely what we planned to do. 

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I dropped in on the UCU LJMU picket line this morning (with some choccies from our Branch). I could have gone to any picket, really, but this one was on my bus route.