Forums Forums Street News Unions & Labour party

I see that Unite union is thinking of withdrawing support from the Labour party. If it happens, I'd be much more ready to support Labour.

The Unions are everything thats wrong with this country.

Len has already backtracked on this one, probably had to much champagne over lunch.To action this would be a step to far, individual members opt into the political levy and it is not his to withdraw.

The Unions are why kids aren't sent up chimney's to clean them for 1p a day. The media never publish the good things about Unions only the bad.

I hear of loads of shop-workers who work an hour or two extra a day unpaid (to clean and tidy up after business closes), they moan about it continually - I ask if they are a member of Union and they say no, at that point my sympathy for them stops.

McDonald's are renowned for taking on new full-time staff, but in reality they only get 12 hours a week of work - why? because they don't have Unions and so do whatever they like with their workforce like many other employers.

Firemen are the classic case, where its emphasised that the ratepayers will have to pay their pay increases - rarely is it pointed out that this will cost less than 3p a year extra on your rates, instead the media make it sound like its going to bankrupt the country brought on by the totally unreasonable Union - no mention that they have had pay freezes or previous agreements broken. A fireman is highly skilled/qualified in almost all aspects of any job you can think off, its a physical job, its unsociable hours but they are treated like a litter-picker - its the reason they need a Union.

Labour stopped being a labour party many years ago, its no wonder the Unions are looking for a socialist party.

The thing I don't like about unions is the way they portray high numbers in favour of strike action, when many members don't bother to vote. I think not bothering to vote should equate to voting "no".

The forthcoming rail strike, the RMT have claimed a high number voting to strike, but in reality it was only those who bothered to return their ballot papers. The union has 16,000 members, but only 7680 voted to strike.

This is a very strange strike story:

Tube drivers go on strike in defence of colleague caught 'drunk at the wheel' twice

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...gue-caught-drunk-at-the-wheel-twice.html

Exactly. They are corrupt, morally bankrupt body who are all about self interest.

If you dont like working an extra hour, find another job.

Just read the Telegraph article. Unbelievable ! How come this driver was allowed to work again after being found drunk the first time behind the wheel controls? Any other employer responsible for the safety of tens of thousands of people a day would have given him a size 9 up the arse pronto AND prosectuted him.

Do these knuckle-dragging union leaders still think they are in the days of Red Robbo et al ?? (Some may recall BMC in the '70's) Gimme strength !

The whole story would be nice - as usual.

The breath test the driver failed is a lot more sensitive than the one for road driving (10 times more sensitive), many diabetics could fail it on a regular basis without consuming alcohol, the driver is a diabetic.

well said digging deeper, trade unions have always been a force for good all over the world. The unions have stayed with labour because " the labour party was born from the bowels of the trade union movement " It could well be time for change but big decisions probably shouldn't be made in times when emotions are running high.

Jam yesterday, jam tomorrow, but never jam today.

Complete claptrap! The unions had nothing to do with children up chimneys for starters. Chimney sweep act 1875.The unions and the TUC sold the workers out in 1925,at least read up on it. The miners got shafted by the same self interest group. The dockers started the Blue Union to get away from the same.Unions are a tier of management workers could do without.American unions were run by the Mafia. You had to be in one to work all they wanted was your subs.
I don't deny good men are also a part of the system but they are a minority.I have held a few jobs in three unions and as far as I am concerned they are as strait as an S bend.

.

Do you mean that you have been employed by three unions? or been a member of three unions? I ask because it seems that you kept going back for more, whatever the case. As for Union leaders being all for themselves I do know that Tony Woodley didn't accept a pay rise for the duration of his tenure as General Secretary of the T.G.W.U. (Now that was a real Trade Union)

Paid lunch breaks of twenty minutes, times can be changed with notice. In my case a paid ten minute tea break in the morning and one in the afternoon done away with. Compulsory overtime to pay back layoff with pay. Workplace pensions over £70 COD deduction from state pension each week.I got chucked off the safety officers job because I refused to be a nodding dog.Trust them at your peril.The procedure of five still exists I could name names of people sacked for being ill.Equal pay for women, I did watch the Ford Dagenham workers, cant remember the union backing them up.

Exactly Dusty.. and including the employees of certain garages who work 3pm to midnight on their own without a break. The assistants at a certain chain of stores on 8 hr contracts but have to work an abundance more of 6hr shifts in a week without a break and without a seat to sit on. Hardly any get an hours lunch break now, unless they work in offices and they are not paid anyway. Not many have weekends off, and many work 7 consecutive days of 12 hr shifts before their 3 days off, but have to be available to go into work when called.
All that is on the list above about 'What the Unions Did For Us' is rather out of date, as most points were conveniently got rid of by the last Labour Government and the Unions didn't blink an eye lid.
Whoever wrote/quotes that, obviously hasn't worked for a very long time.

Bennie I know Tony Woodley, Kenny Spain, John Farrell, and John Prescot all of them done better for themselves than the people they represented.If TW is your inspirational believe in unionism you are on a looser.I know TW from his days selling bacon and blue movies, and how he got the convenors job, little wonder I think the way I do.I was in the TG for over thirty years and joined the AEU to get away from the TG.Thirty six union fat cats are picking up more than
£100,000, and we are supposed to be grateful for a living wage, "get a grip"!.I come from the days of the closed shop, and unofficial strikes,by men trying to shake off the strait jacket imposed by the managements lacky, The Unions.