thecoder0:
EX Miner and stayed out 1 year back in the day. Got the tea shirt and seen the film
Me too mate
Never crossed a picket line & never would.
Mothertrucker:
I too remember the miners strike and what good did that do? It just brought a lot of suffering for a lot of people. You cant go on working a job where there is no need for the product any more.
Not true… the demand for coal has always been there! So much so that the UK is now a big importer of foreign coal at inflated prices, despite the fact that the governments own estimates put the UK accessible coal reserves @ 1.65 Billion tons (or 100 years). UK coal (formerly British Coal) is actually looking at reopening pits in Wales , Yorks & Notts to take advantage of the market conditions.
The problem with the Miners strike was that it involved 2 pig-headed individuals both of whom had their own agenda… the economics of the UK was definately taking a back seat. It was a fight both were spoiing for & as a result the country as a whole lost.
Melchett:
The problem with the Miners strike was that it involved 2 pig-headed individuals both of whom had their own agenda… the economics of the UK was definately taking a back seat. It was a fight both were spoiing for & as a result the country as a whole lost.
Would that be like the union man behind this weekends strike then that is on 5K more than his colleagues
Greg:
Would that be like the union man behind this weekends strike then that is on 5K more than his colleagues
I dunno how much he earns! However, with the legislation in place at the moment… the drivers must have voted for strike action or this dispute would be illegal & as far as I know it isn’t? His wages then really don’t come into it!
Greg:
Would that be like the union man behind this weekends strike then that is on 5K more than his colleagues
I dunno how much he earns! However, with the legislation in place at the moment… the drivers must have voted for strike action or this dispute would be illegal & as far as I know it isn’t? His wages then really don’t come into it!
They do when he is already topping over 40K without his new rise
Yes I would cross a picket line. In fact I’d mow the whinging whining ■■■■■ down given the chance. If you don’t like your lot, leave and get a job you like. Simple as that. Can’t see what the fuss is about with these tanker drivers. If they reckon they’re so badly paid then why don’t they leave and get a better paying job with another employer? Um, there aren’t any better payer’s, that’s why. So STFU whinging and be grateful you’ve got a job because if I was the Shell CEO I’d be firing the ■■■■■■■ lot of you and handing out your jobs to the 18 mile queue of people waiting to jump in your shoes who’ll do the job for half of your wages.
Melchett:
The problem with the Miners strike was that it involved 2 pig-headed individuals both of whom had their own agenda… the economics of the UK was definately taking a back seat. It was a fight both were spoiing for & as a result the country as a whole lost.
That has to stand out as the most concise and accurate summary of the miners’ strike that I have ever read.
Melchett:
I dunno how much he earns! However, with the legislation in place at the moment… the drivers must have voted for strike action or this dispute would be illegal & as far as I know it isn’t? His wages then really don’t come into it!
They do when he is already topping over 40K without his new rise
Quote from the Telegraph 4th June… “A vote last week resulted in the drivers voting overwhelmingly for industrial action.”
His salary isn’t relevent, he is representing his members democratic decision, right or wrong… thats his job.
Compare this to your M.P. who is on £61820 + expenses (minimum) & represents you how exactly?
If it was a democratic strike at the place of work of the strikers, and if when I approached the picket line I was requested in a reasonable manner to turn around, then I would.
I have never crossed a line in such circumstances.
I crossed the miners’ line at Bolsover in the ‘74 strike after peaceful discussion resulted in drivers being assaulted and their lorries sabotaged. We were told by the police to drive at speed through a thousand screaming maniacs who were not at their place of work but at someone else’s, all of whom were working normally.
I crossed the miners’ line at various Notts and Warwicks. pits in the '84 strike because the miners there had been denied their democratic rights nationally and had therefore voted locally not to strike.
I was a steward in the ‘79 drivers’ strike which I led reluctantly after a democratic vote. I joined my fellow drivers on various picket lines and treated with courtesy other drivers who, after discussion, decided to cross. These, however, obviously were only our places of work in the sense that they were our regular customers.
In the case Mike C states of crossing pickets who had denied him basic human rights (toilets, canteen, civility) I might have to think twice, though would have tried to make a point about future treatment and then turned back.
Rob K:
Yes I would cross a picket line. In fact I’d mow the whinging whining [zb] down given the chance. If you don’t like your lot, leave and get a job you like. Simple as that. Can’t see what the fuss is about with these tanker drivers. If they reckon they’re so badly paid then why don’t they leave and get a better paying job with another employer? Um, there aren’t any better payer’s, that’s why. So STFU whinging and be grateful you’ve got a job because if I was the Shell CEO I’d be firing the [zb] lot of you and handing out your jobs to the 18 mile queue of people waiting to jump in your shoes who’ll do the job for half of your wages.
Can’t find fault with a single word there Rob! most sensible post on this thread so far.
Sadly it seems this thread is full of people who think the poor blighter’s working for shell have got it tough.
They turn down £41k a year average? sod that, I’ll do it for £39k and quite happily at that! no doubt less hours than I’m doing now, less nights away from home and far more money!
Scarab:
Sadly it seems this thread is full of people who think the poor blighter’s working for shell have got it tough.
Think you are missing the point!! It’s a democratic vote to strike & the question is… given that they have voted to strike would you cross the picket line? What they earn & what they ask for doesn’t matter, it’s a legitimate strike & picket!
Scarab:
They turn down £41k a year average? sod that, I’ll do it for £39k and quite happily at that! no doubt less hours than I’m doing now, less nights away from home and far more money!
It’s a free market economy, you can ask for anything… whether you get it is a whole new ball game. The ultimate power for any worker is the right to strike (whether we think it’s right or wrong) & crossing a legitimate picket line is just wrong!
Melchett:
crossing a legitimate picket line is just wrong!
Why? If I am not a member of their union, who has democratically voted to strike, why is it wrong for me to cross that line?
Ok, I’m just an ordinary British citizen, I’m not a member of any groups. Lets say that in my area a new group set up saying it was wrong to eat Pork.
Now I’m not a member of that group. So is it still wrong for me to eat Pork?
Its entirely within their right to not eat whatever they choose. But I live in the same town and I’m not a member - so should I be stopped from eating Pork?
Melchett:
I dunno how much he earns! However, with the legislation in place at the moment… the drivers must have voted for strike action or this dispute would be illegal & as far as I know it isn’t? His wages then really don’t come into it!
They do when he is already topping over 40K without his new rise
Quote from the Telegraph 4th June… “A vote last week resulted in the drivers voting overwhelmingly for industrial action.”
His salary isn’t relevent, he is representing his members democratic decision, right or wrong… thats his job.
Compare this to your M.P. who is on £61820 + expenses (minimum) & represents you how exactly?
He doesn’t but what is your point, the government are crap yes and everybody knows it. whether they voted overwhelmingly or not really doesn’t bother me just think it takes the mick that the man behind the whole thing is on 5grand more than his colleagues doing exactly the same job. bet he didn’t vote for the right to strike did he whilst rubbing his hands thinking what 13% will mean to his already incredibly high wage.
del949:
Rob K,
get your facts right before running the mouth off.
if I was the Shell CEO I’d be firing the [zb] lot of you and handing out your jobs to the 18 mile queue of people waiting to jump in your
No you wouldn’t, because they are not employed by Shell!
So why exactly does everyone think that Shell should dig in there pockets nd resolve this then. Because as you quite rightly say its not them who employ the drivers…
So STFU whinging and be grateful you’ve got a job because if I was the Shell CEO I’d be firing the ■■■■■■■ lot of you and handing out your jobs to the 18 mile queue of people waiting to jump in your shoes who’ll do the job for half of your wages.
