[Anonymous]

[VintageKrug]

1. Unite (the passengers favourite) at it again, this time Baggage Handlers:

Unite spread further Christmas cheer.

“Airport baggage handlers and check-in staff at Heathrow and Aberdeen airports are set to hold a series of 48-hour strikes in a row over pay.

The Unite union said members working for SAS Ground Services would walk out from 22 December, with further strikes from Boxing Day and 3 January.

Unite says the stoppages will affect travellers on Emirates, Turkish and Thai airlines at T3 Heathrow. “

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8417148.stm

2. Eurostar on Strike, as reported in BT. Only French Crews Working (who’d have thought it would come to that…).

3. Malev pilots striking from 24th December, demanding a 24% pay rise (yes, you read correctly!!).

4. Qantas Engineers striking from tomorrow for five days, demanding 30% pay rise over 3 years.

A sorry state indeed.

oops, another late entrant:

5. Unite (once again) encouraging Gatwick Porters to strike over a “0% pay deal”: er, so that would be an inflation adjusted pay RISE then, against a backdrop of widespread unemployment….

http://www.unitetheunion.com/news__events/latest_news/gatwick_airport_porters_to_str.aspx

[VintageKrug]

Now it looks like the trains are going out on strike over easter.

And Lufty is also at the beck and call of Unions:

“Pilots at Europe’s biggest airline, Lufthansa, will stage a new four-day strike from 13 April, following the breakdown of talks with management.”

Anything else?

[PaulJennings]

There are perfect storm conditions for strikes in the UK: recession is pushing business towards reducing staff and staff remuneration, unions are flexing their muscles and their chequebooks in the run up to the election and the talented selfless professionals who run the unions for the benefit of their members have to think of their future positions within the Trade Union movement.

Unfortunately Dave is no Maggie.

[Tim2soza]

Another to add to Strike Watch, Failing Britain – British Gas staff vote for strike http://bit.ly/aCqlY4

The GMB trade union said staff would take industrial action over what it described as “macho management”.

British Gas said it had yet to be told the reasons behind the dispute.

[Tim2soza]

It’s catching!

http://www.businesstraveller.com/asia-pacific/news/air-france,-tap-air-portugal-and-lufthansa-to-s

[Cedric_Statherby]

I am afraid all unionised industries are in for a period of dreadful industrial relations.

We have had a booming economy for 15 years and naturally when the cake is getting bigger it is easy enough to share it round. Now much of the developed world is in for slow growth if any at all, the cake will not be growing, and those with industrial muscle will think they have a right to use it. If you think current strikes are bad wait until a government tries to take on the public sector workers and reduce their terms of employment.

[PaulJennings]

Still no Maggie but Mick is weighing in: “”It’s not often in my life that I’ve been entirely supportive of what Willie Walsh is doing, but he’s absolutely right in this case.” I’m sure that Ryanair’s provision of wet lease aircraft to BA is not just sentimental…

[Tim2soza]

Civil Servants Mount Budget Day Picket Lines In Protest Over Planned Cuts To Redundancy Pay – Sky News – http://bit.ly/d1mJJd

[Redjohn]

Bring back Maggie eh, what a fantastic ruse by corporate management. Look behind the reasoning of Mr Walsh’s actions that have caused this dispute and perhaps you might not be quite so damning. People strike as a LAST resort, they don’t get paid and risk being victimised by the management they are protesting against.

In this case the intrasigent management of BA. Your citing of Maggies example of crushing the miners union resulted in the destruction of communities, towns and whole areas that were left without a voice and with massive unemployment. Workers had their rights shredded and pay cut.

Unions were set up to give the working men and women of the world, a voice to say NO to brutal management, perhaps you would like to go back to a more Victorian example of virtual slavery when no management is ever criticised on decisions that favour the company over the employee.

[handsomestpete]

ABSOBLEEDINLUTELY agree with you Redjohn!!!.WW is a truly ghastly person who seems intent on turning BA into yet another downmarket carrier.The workers deserve all the support we can give them.

[VintageKrug]

“I’m trying to remember the last strike that made the slightest difference to anything whatsoever.

Apart from the miners’ strike, obviously, which led to all the miners losing their jobs.”

Strikes very rarely, if ever, result in workers getting the results they seek.

[VintageKrug]

There’s a rumour that the tube drivers are striking on Boxing Day – so hopefully service will be better than usual if you’re planning on hitting the sales.

[Tim2soza]

Boris Bikes all the way!

[Redjohn]

Unions are there to stop workers being abused by management. Every redundancy that is made could lead to someone losing their home, being unable to pay heating bills or feed their families, just so some fat cat can make enough money to build a second swimming pool.

The right wing are determined to take the working class back to the dark ages where management are allowed carte blanche to sack, change pay and conditions and enforce austerity when it pleases them.

The simple facts are that senior management pay has rocketed in the past 30 years and the vast majority, when compared to inflation are not. If you or anyone else can suggest that somehow this is because they work harder, then you, my friend, are a fool.

Striking is the last option, not because people can’t be bothered to work. When you strike you don’t get paid, it’s because they are given no other alternative.

[Author]

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