what advice would you give RMT unioin

[Deeranged]

Sometimes you have to stand up for what is right,even if it costs you. Most industrial action I have seen has not been about money,more often its about redundancies or changes to working conditions. The few times I saw strike action being considered was after other options had been tried and ignored. Both times the strike was called off late in the day,once by the employer coming to the table once by the workers changing their minds.

What would you do if your employer decided to cut your pay,stop paying sick pay,and cut your breaks?

I've had pay cuts previously, you suck it up and get on with it - then you look for another job with better pay than you're now on. I'm salaried and have insurance to cover sickness etc. I don't get breaks as such, I take five minutes where I can and eat lunch at my desk whilst dealing with admin and emails I didn't get to earlier.

[The AuldYin]

I remember the Winter of discontent especially the gravediggers on strike wanting a 100% pay rise, bodies were piling up in morgues and there was talk of burying people at sea. Union leaders told miners they were coming out on strike whether they wanted to or not, no ballot, no show of hands nothing. Anybody who dare defy them were were threatened, driven out of communities, their houses vandalised and even their Bairns were scabbed. Justifiable ma f@cking hoop no man has a right to tell another man when he can and can't go to work.

[grantzer]

I remember the Winter of discontent especially the gravediggers on strike wanting a 100% pay rise, bodies were piling up in morgues and there was talk of burying people at sea. Union leaders told miners they were coming out on strike whether they wanted to or not, no ballot, no show of hands nothing. Anybody who dare defy them were were threatened, driven out of communities, their houses vandalised and even their Bairns were scabbed. Justifiable ma f@cking hoop no man has a right to tell another man when he can and can't go to work.

I have never told anyone to not go to work. I have never seen it in my working life.

I have seen businesses change contracts to benefit them, fire and rehire to break service, give 0 hour contracts and expect employees on those contracts to work 40 hours a week when it suits the employer. And if you don't do it then you get your contracted hours.

I have seen companies tell staff they must clock in 15 mins before the shift starts,and if they don't they will be docked wages.same at the end,don't clock out till 15 mins after the end of a shift.

I have been told personally that I must work extra,for no pay because a job wasn't done. I was once whistled at by a manager to get my attention.

I gave seen companies agree to things in wage negotiations,only to renege on the promise a week later.

I know someone who,immediately after breaking his wrist in an industrial accident,was told he would not be paid if he went to casualty.

Unions are necessary because employers are greedy.they will do anything to save money.

Not all of them obviously, I have worked for some great companies as well,but in general,the default position is about making as much money as possible.

But I'm no THAT bothered by it......

[grantzer]

I've had pay cuts previously, you suck it up and get on with it - then you look for another job with better pay than you're now on. I'm salaried and have insurance to cover sickness etc. I don't get breaks as such, I take five minutes where I can and eat lunch at my desk whilst dealing with admin and emails I didn't get to earlier.

You do all that then they cut your wages? Don't think that's the only thing you sucked....

[Deeranged]

You do all that then they cut your wages? Don't think that's the only thing you sucked....

Wow, are you 12?

[grantzer]

Wow, are you 12?

I know,I know. I found it funny and couldn't resist

[Deeranged]

I know,I know. I found it funny and couldn't resist

No worries

[BCram]

I have never told anyone to not go to work. I have never seen it in my working life.

I have seen businesses change contracts to benefit them, fire and rehire to break service, give 0 hour contracts and expect employees on those contracts to work 40 hours a week when it suits the employer. And if you don't do it then you get your contracted hours.

I have seen companies tell staff they must clock in 15 mins before the shift starts,and if they don't they will be docked wages.same at the end,don't clock out till 15 mins after the end of a shift.

I have been told personally that I must work extra,for no pay because a job wasn't done. I was once whistled at by a manager to get my attention.

I gave seen companies agree to things in wage negotiations,only to renege on the promise a week later.

I know someone who,immediately after breaking his wrist in an industrial accident,was told he would not be paid if he went to casualty.

Unions are necessary because employers are greedy.they will do anything to save money.

Not all of them obviously, I have worked for some great companies as well,but in general,the default position is about making as much money as possible.

But I'm no THAT bothered by it......

Perfect examples of abuse of power by bosses. I think "making as much money as possible for the company" should be the motivation but Labour relations as represented by the unions might be transformed if they tried to adopt the same mantra. Suppose wages were related to profits and the way profits were to be calculated was clearly understood by the unions. I'd be amazed if the workers were less able than their management to generate increases in profits. John Lewis was a model that worked for generations.

I think the RMT should be much more concerned about the future of railways than the current wage negotiations. The public do not love them, and they seem to me to be misunderstanding the effect of their strikes. Inconveniencing workers who earn significantly less than their members do, by strikes does not seem to me to be the way to deal with the problems facing their industry. It will not matter who is in charge at Westminster, I think the RMT are making a mistake. It was the Callaghan government that suffered the Winter of Discontent that set the scene for Margaret Thatcher. The current bunch of Conservative politicians don't have any public mandate to fight abuse of trades union power but they might get that change in public support if the unions overplay their hand.

[islaydarkblue]

Perfect examples of abuse of power by bosses. I think "making as much money as possible for the company" should be the motivation but Labour relations as represented by the unions might be transformed if they tried to adopt the same mantra. Suppose wages were related to profits and the way profits were to be calculated was clearly understood by the unions. I'd be amazed if the workers were less able than their management to generate increases in profits. John Lewis was a model that worked for generations.

I think the RMT should be much more concerned about the future of railways than the current wage negotiations. The public do not love them, and they seem to me to be misunderstanding the effect of their strikes. Inconveniencing workers who earn significantly less than their members do, by strikes does not seem to me to be the way to deal with the problems facing their industry. It will not matter who is in charge at Westminster, I think the RMT are making a mistake. It was the Callaghan government that suffered the Winter of Discontent that set the scene for Margaret Thatcher. The current bunch of Conservative politicians don't have any public mandate to fight abuse of trades union power but they might get that change in public support if the unions overplay their hand.

People no longer commuting to their work by train particularly in the South East of England should be a concern to the leaders of the RMT and Aslef unions as it will only be a matter of time before the rail services are cut back with the rail companies asking for volunteers for redundancy.
According to an article in today’s Daily Mail the U.K. Government owned rail company LNER have put on four extra trains daily between Edinburgh Waverley and Taybridge stations to take golf fans attending the Open Championship in St Andrews to and from Leuchars station as the Scottish Government owned Scotrail are still operating an emergency timetable until Wednesday 20th July 2022.
There has been no mention about this by Nicola or by the pro SNP BBC Scotland news programmes.

[BCram]

People no longer commuting to their work by train particularly in the South East of England should be a concern to the leaders of the RMT and Aslef unions as it will only be a matter of time before the rail services are cut back with the rail companies asking for volunteers for redundancy.
According to an article in today’s Daily Mail the U.K. Government owned rail company LNER have put on four extra trains daily between Edinburgh Waverley and Taybridge stations to take golf fans attending the Open Championship in St Andrews to and from Leuchars station as the Scottish Government owned Scotrail are still operating an emergency timetable until Wednesday 20th July 2022.
There has been no mention about this by Nicola or by the pro SNP BBC Scotland news programmes.

Send in a letter to the Courier!