yes i probably would. I’m with shrek on this one, if it meant the difference from paying the mortgage or not i would cross it and not bat an eye lid, if they didn’t want to talk to me afterwards then its up to them, i got to work to make money not friends.
for what it is worth i think they are being totally unreasonable, I’m in the forces and we average about 2-3% a year and have to put up with a hell of a lot more crap than these drivers do but we cant go on strike. i earn £28000 a year and in the last 18 years i have been in the navy i have roughly spent 8 months of every year away from home. i have been involved in fighting 2 major fires on board ships and have been a target for terrorists for all my working life, do i squinny on about 13%? no i don’t. i take the pay so i do the work they expect of me, if i was that unhappy i would leave. why cant they? they should try walking a mile in another mans shoes (and i don’t just mean mine, i mean some of you on here where the money isn’t very good and the job isn’t exactly the best in the world but it pays the bills) before they moan about their conditions!
It depends on the line. And people on both sides of it.
In the case of the tanker drivers on strike these days, I would cross it.
So would I last year when air traffic controllers in Slovakia wnet on strike over pay - though the earn as much as govt minsiters.
These are not strikes IMHO, it’s another form of greed, power demonstration, hostage taking, extortion or something.
I would not cross the line earlier his week in Spain - there’s no point in making someone to damage the truck you are in charge of or to fight with someone and injure him or be injured.
I also would not cross it couple of years ago when Slovak railwaman went on strike on government decision to close number of lines.
I have never agreed or will agree to any type of industrial action, still remember the miners holding us to ransom back in the 70’s and sitting in the lounge by candlelight. I wouldn’t have any problems crossing a picket line or be a member of any union.
limeyphil:
If you are a tanker driver or not. Would you cross one of the picket lines?
If i was given a job to deliver machinery etc to a refinery while the strikes are on. I wouldn’t try to enter the site.
Personally i wouldn’t (in the tanker driver scenario). But if anyone does their homework on what any strikes about it can help you to make an informed descision. Recently we had strikes at ASDA and ICELAND, i’d of gone through their picket lines any day. Reason? They where protesting over working conditions. The same people think nothing of leaving you sat for five hours without a bye or leave or explanation, they don’t (or didn’t) let you use their canteen and then they want support over their conditions? Nah. Always do your home work first, make an informed choice and tell then what you think. And, if you agree, don’t cross it !
Mike-C:
. Recently we had strikes at ASDA and ICELAND, i’d of gone through their picket lines any day. Reason? They where protesting over working conditions. The same people think nothing of leaving you sat for five hours without a bye or leave or explanation, they don’t (or didn’t) let you use their canteen and then they want support over their conditions
But it wasn’t Asda and Iceland’s drivers who denied you the canteen, it was the management. The same management the Shell drivers are protesting against. The deal would cost Shell £100,000 a month. Shell earns £1.3 billion a month
FFS Mike, you are a Scouser. Where has your sense of militarism gone? Derek Hatton would be turning in his grave.
Mike-C:
. Recently we had strikes at ASDA and ICELAND, i’d of gone through their picket lines any day. Reason? They where protesting over working conditions. The same people think nothing of leaving you sat for five hours without a bye or leave or explanation, they don’t (or didn’t) let you use their canteen and then they want support over their conditions
But it wasn’t Asda and Iceland’s drivers who denied you the canteen, it was the management. The same management the Shell drivers are protesting against. The deal would cost Shell £100,000 a month. Shell earns £1.3 billion a month
FFS Mike, you are a Scouser. Where has your sense of militarism gone? Derek Hatton would be turning in his grave.
Both of them disputes involved drivers and warehouse people. It was the ware house people who denied me visits to canteens, it was the warehouse people who never told me how long i would wait or why. It was warehouse people who, when it suited them would speak to me and tell me i would be in for a wait and i could use the canteen. Even though there where signs up to say no ‘delivery drivers to use canteen unless accompanied’ and other such nonsense. I have a great senseof being militant and standing up, i’m ■■■■■■ if i’ll stand up for people who treat me like i’m nothing, as most RDC staff do. Not all, i’ll grant you, but the majority do. WHen you turn up you are no more than 26 pallets of beans (or whatever), they worry their heads over where its going and when it gets in and mostly don’t even speak to you. I’l take it you havn’t done a lot of RDC work?
Harry Monk:
But it wasn’t Asda and Iceland’s drivers who denied you the canteen, it was the management.
BTW, just to qualify what i said about staff, it applies to them all it’s not supermarket specific its a human thing. We deliver to Tescos at Barlborough. We are mainly day drivers who have own cab, so trampers if needs be. If i get to Tescos at Barlbourough at 6pm for a 6pm delivery i know there’s a good chance i wont be out before i run out of time. Why it takes more than 3 hours to remove 26 pallets from a vehicle i don’t know, but it does, or can. Dependin who is on shift (so its not a management descision as it varies) some will let me leave the box and come back in the morning, others will insist i take my break in the yard (there’s plenty of facilities) and some don’t want to know i.e you can just wait until its ready. They all do this type stuff, why would i support their strike for better conditions when they treat me like this?
It looks like the majority wouldn’t cross a picket line which i think is great.
Employers look to other employers to see what they are paying so they don’t loose their staff. Anyone can employ a driver. But getting a dedicated, reliable, and safe driver is another thing. So if the tanker drivers get what they want it will eventually filter along to everyone else in the haulage industry.
So if you cross a picket line it’s like ■■■■■■■■ on your own doorstep.
EX Miner and stayed out 1 year back in the day. Got the tea shirt and seen the film
Its a tough one to call I am one of 4 brothers and 3 of us stayed out 1 went back 2 weeks before the end,and since that day in the eightys two of my brothers have never spoken…sad but true…
I believe that if its a case that all areas of negotiation and arbitration have failed then the worker has only one tool at his/her disposal and that is to withdraw labour…And i will support their right to do so…ITS A NO FROM ME
after thinking about this for a while i think i would have to say no in the main,but there are some factors where i might? i know that sounds undesided but the strike would have to be offical and not just a spur of the moment thing!! i only work for a small operator there are only 4 of us. i know exactly how much i have to get the truck earning each week to make it pay and in this current climate thats bloody hard i can’t afford to be letf sat around waiting for a strke to finish, so i would not take the load on if i knew there was a strike at my tip destination. the tanker drivers say they are on the same money as 15 yrs ago, well i know some jobs that i now do are paying less per tonne than 10 years ago but the price has been driven down by the big boys in this business so who’s to blame really!!!
Without a seconds hesitation. Unless I truly supported the cause then why wouldn’t I?
Because I’m scared of the people who are standing on it? why on earth should anyone be scared of a few layabouts who want to get out of doing work for the day.
Give it a break!
“people have long memories” so what!
They can remember that I’m the one who kept working while they stood round having a ■■■. Because I work so I can pay my bills! If you have the luxury of being able to take a day off then good for you, but I really don’t so don’t judge me for trying to do what I get paid for!
Without a seconds hesitation. Unless I truly supported the cause then why wouldn’t I?
Because I’m scared of the people who are standing on it? why on earth should anyone be scared of a few layabouts who want to get out of doing work for the day.
Give it a break!
What a clown you are!
These “layabouts”, as you describe them, don’t get paid to stand on any picket line anywhere, at any time - whether they can afford it or not!
These “layabouts” are usually on a picket line to get a better wage, better terms and conditions etc etc.
You should take an example from them, go and get yourself a set of balls, and refrain from the ■■■-kissing that you most likely do on a daily basis!
It’s well seen you live in the retiral capital of Great Britain (Eastbourne), cause’ your brain stopped working a long time ago!
i will NEVER forgive Y&D’DS for ferrying coal. 