Apparently Unision are contacting their members to make sure their contact details are up to date, and asking people to vote for or against strike action. Other unions (RCN,NASUWT, PCS) are doing the same. I’m trying to find out more information to back this up, but it looks ominous doesn’t it…
@PixieKnuckles , Yes it does look ominous, it looks like UK is in for
a perfect storm this winter !!
Perhaps l should say " the world is in for a perfect storm this winter"
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Well I hope the “storm” blows over pretty darn quickly because I am so tired of all this worrying 
Popped up in my News App a hour ago that the Posties are starting strikes later this month. Blooming Bin Men as well. 
Posties I can cope with, but bin men? Well you know what’s going to happen…folk will be burning their rubbish. Probably not a bad idea actually…keep warm round the fire and cook your dinner on it too because it’s too expensive to have the oven on!
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Strikes are the weapon of the inarticulate - and are mostly pointless - because they antagonise the very people they look to for support.
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Tabby…we don’t have any support though. We don’t even have a government! That’s why (in my opinion) people are taking matters into their own hands. I support strikes because nobody is listening, and people are suffering. If a strike is what it takes to make people who can do something about it, sit up and listen, then yeah strike on.
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Any strike, in the current climate, is going to hurt the less well off more than anyone.
I believe that the growing number of planned strikes are down to Political Manipulation. The far left are quite happy for the working man to starve, but they know that the government will back down, eventually.
If there was any compassion, in the Unions, they wouldn’t take the food off the plates of their members or other non members.
Strikes need to be made illegal, or we’ll go under.
Even Starmer seems to know that!
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Ted, we are going under anyway 
Striking makes people feel like they have some control, regardless of whether they actually have or not. Currently this country (if not the world) is spiralling down under the weight of cost of living, energy prices, effects of covid, and war. People are suffering like most have never experienced before, and nobody is helping them. So if they think a strike will make the changes they need, let them do it. Whats the worst that can happen when the country is in this state?
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If the all Posties, Bin Men, Train Drivers, Bus Drivers, Hospital Staff etc., etc., go on strike who does it hurt the most? The Politicians? No - they couldn’t care less. It is Joe Public who will be kicked in the teeth every which way - again!
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These people haven’t had a pay rise in years. On top of already poor wages, and cost of living rises, staff cutbacks…how much longer can these people be expected to carry the country as well as feed their families and pay their bills? They are Joe Public, and will suffer like everyone else, but they won’t stand back and be told they just have to get on with it, while the politicians go on their merry way.
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It’s a shame it isn’t as simple as the Poll Tax … people refused to pay it in vast numbers and it was scrapped.
But this isn’t the same. I’m inclined to agree with Tabby. Politicians don’t especially care about the working man and a pay raise will just help raise inflation.
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If the people who are supposed to care, don’t…then what are we supposed to do? Just meekly accept our fate and work ourselves to death, while our families suffer? No. This isn’t the Victorian era.
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Well they can strike … but I doubt that will have much impact. they likely just lose their jobs.
The last time bus drivers striked in my area they were all eventually replaced with Polish bus drivers.
I read today that the hospitality industry is expecting a 25% closure rate because restaurants, pubs, takeaways won’t be able to afford to keep the heating on for customers, assuming customers can afford to go out for a meal now.
It’s a Catch 22 too … anyone who opts to strike now when mortgages and rents are also rocketing is playing a dangerous game.
Then again … I haven’t a very high regard for Trade Unionists either who foment rebellion and encourage workers to strike … they seem to be fat cats themselves ( no disrespect to the lovely fluffy and intelligent cat species whom I adore).
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Hi
A General Strike will be an absolute gift to the Government and as many have said, will affect the lower.paid more than higher earners.
It is still possible to take effective action by targeting those in power without affecting the majority of people.
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Explain how, Swimmy? I believe we have no power anymore, this is why we have to take this action. The government have even limited the conditions in which strikes can happen, so they virtually can’t happen!
If this government was confident in its ability to run this country, and was confident that the people trusted it to do its job…it wouldn’t feel so threatened into removing everything we have to protest with.
withdrawal of ones labor capacity has always been a tool of the ‘working classes’ - however I assume that sensible unions may approach the ’ management and owners’ to discuss grievances - that needs to be a first step imo - strike is usually seen as a last option? but nevertheless sometimes necessary.
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This is why we need to protest as well. How many other countries are being forced to have blackouts in the middle of wintertime? What are we…a third world country now?
now you realize where xxxxxx has gotten you all - understand your climate and plan to live around it!
Surely, we all understand the effect that strikes bring about?
You go on strike and you, but not everyone, gets to be paid more.
Then, to stay in business, the employer ups the price of the products to balance it out.
So, the strike has caused all of the non strikers to be worse off.
Then another trade goes on strike, to try to catch up.
Then another employer ups the prices, to balance the books.
Then some more, who don’t/can’t strike become even more worse off.
The people who don’t strike, like Firemen, Nurses, Police, etc., are amongst those you are hurting.
Strikes have be go, in my opinion, there has to be another way!
The only winners are the Trade Unions, as this all leads to the concept that there will be no pay rises, without strikes, and you need the Unions to get you there!