There's a difference between a proper organised strike and simply not turning up for work en masse because you don't like the way your colleagues have been treated.
Oil giant Total SACKS 900 people
- Thread starter Ricochet J
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There's a difference between a proper organised strike and simply not turning up for work en masse because you don't like the way your colleagues have been treated.
Man of Honour
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Workers have rights and a good company will work with the Unions to make sure those rights are met.
The last thing a company wants is somebody losing their life and a big court case ensues finding them negligent & guilty.
In the past we've had threads eg 'My bosses have made me work 9 hours continuous, am I allowed a break?' and some pillock says 'Find another job if you don't like it'.
That's not the point and they are laws your fathers fought for.
HOWEVER, illegal striking is not on and they got what they deserved.
They were contractors anyway not staff, they knew the risks, seems totally bizarre you'd trike as a contractor in a recession. It's good Total haven't back down on this, the Italian contractors won the work fair and square, that's the point of a free EU market.
They should have been looking at thier employers to lower thier rates to ensure the work continued and not reply on just old Alliances of time gone by.
They should have been looking at thier employers to lower thier rates to ensure the work continued and not reply on just old Alliances of time gone by.
Yeah rite, they have real strikes over there. There;s only one way to use a 2x4 to get what you want, and it's not to hold up a plackard.
I puzzles me why more and more contract workers seem to think they are entitled to a job like permanent workers. When they know they are due to be laid off, they start bitching, knowing full well that is part of being a contractor. After all thats why they usually get paid more than permanent staff.
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My favourite French strike was when the strikers had taken over the toll booths on the motorways and were charging us to pay the strikers.
I think though in France they have a legal right to strike, where as here it is illegal but possible because of a tort immunity that even the iron lady wasn't stupid enough to try and remove.
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The whole union nonsense does no one any good in the long run. However no doubt the majority of the people involved in this occasion were mislead and jeered on by a few ringleaders who convinced everyone there was a magical green grass yonder.. Clearly is wasn't.
It's simple if you don't like what your doing don't do it! The world isn't going to stop turning, life will go on. We live we live in a state where they will feed you regardless if you work or not. These guys are uneducated anyway, they now have a opportunity to learn. They have options, its all good.
It's simple if you don't like what your doing don't do it! The world isn't going to stop turning, life will go on. We live we live in a state where they will feed you regardless if you work or not. These guys are uneducated anyway, they now have a opportunity to learn. They have options, its all good.
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In a statement, Total said the workers had been involved in "an unofficial, illegal walk out" that was "repudiated" by both Unite and the GMB union.
Total said it had "repeatedly sought to encourage the workforce to return to work so that proper negotiations can take place".
"This is in line with the union and industry agreed process that negotiations over illegal strikes cannot commence until the workforce has returned to work.
The Unions had nothing to do with it and wanted them back to work.
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I agree completely. It just went all wrong, having a strike made illegal unless it's done by a official union however is ridiculous.
(I understand certain practices such as medical/nuke etc are different and strikes then could indeed have consequences)
If you don't want to work for someone, it should be your choice, if you don't like the situation your in, you should have the right to stop and ask for it to be changed. If your employer doesn't agree, face the consequences.
Exactly, people seem to have no idea about union strength these days. Companies especially big ones can string you along for years as there is nothing you can do about it. If you had worked in big organisations with a union and had a company take the wee you would realise how long it takes to legally be able to do anything about it. The unions used to have too much strength now it's in the other direction but the balance is about right.
I agree in this case what they did was wrong. I don't mind strike action in the legal manner.
Having protected right to strike is ridiculous IMO, employment is a contract of mutual benefit, why should one party simply be able to breach their obligations without consequences?
Soldato
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That line is not always certain and witholding labour may often be the only recourse the workers have. Whilst I'd prefer the unions use their hard won rights more carefully I wouldn't wish to remove them fully.
For instance it has been an extremely long time since any of the Electricity or Water industry unions last took action but the Postal Workers seem to strike repeatedly. They are driving their jobs out of existence with their action in my opinion. How is that beneficial?
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Don't like ur job then you get a new one!
I can understand it slightly for an industry which is very specific skill wise and area specific. But these jobs don't seem anything special to me, get a job in Maccys and shut up.
I can understand it slightly for an industry which is very specific skill wise and area specific. But these jobs don't seem anything special to me, get a job in Maccys and shut up.
Soldato
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Some of this is the Governments fault and some the Industry's. In some of the European countries the law states that foreign workers must be paid according to locally agreed standards. So foreign workers are no cheaper or better paid than local workers, thus there is less incentive to employ them unless their is a genuine skills gap or shortage. No such law or agreement exists here. So places like Milford Haven and Total have used cheaper foreign labour when adequately skilled locals were available. It's poor form really from the employers but equally the Government hasn't acted to close this loop hole either.
I thought this was the case in this country too, however I know it's a law totally ignored by most employers. The government are guilty of not enforcing this law.