Firefighters, bus drivers - the unions seem to be smelling blood.

The general election is going to be a rough ride - if only there was a proper opposition.

What is happening? Are we in for another winter of discontent?

Tony
I think it's more to do with the ordinary working man getting sick of having tiny pay rises forced upon them and then seeing the enormous profits that companies keep making, rather than union power. As for a winter of discontent it wont happen, although it will be brought up time and again by the parties not in power purely because it's a vote winner for them, of course the opposition need to clutch at every avaliable straw because they know that for all his faults TB is going to get elected for another term. unless of course Gordon Brown does the tories work for them.
owdlad.

Unions are finally starting to break with the partnership/business unionism that has dominated since, well since the end of the miners strike really. There's been a recognition that those tactics have utterly failed to stop privatisation and deregulation, or attacks on terms and conditions generally. Union members are no longer prepared to sit back and 'not rocvk the boat' to make sure that labour get elected - cos Labour have been elected, but they carry on wit the same old policies.

No Winter of Discontent yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see one in the not too distant future.

The unions are the one group who coul'd stop blair from winning another term,all they have to do is call some strategic strikes and then the public will begin to remember the winter of discontent and vote accordingly.
Of course this wont happen as the unions are more diciplined than was the case in the seventies,and they still prefer a labour goverment to the alternatives on offer.
What we might see is the unions wait until after the election and then begin to flex their power.
Either way it looks like another labour win ,what a lousy prospect that is for the country.

And just what are the serious credible alternatives to Labour?
The Tories ? mmmmm I think not
The Lib Dems? hardly
So methinks that we are stuck with TB and Co for some time to come simply because there is no one else up to the job.

Originally posted by Tony
Firefighters, bus drivers - the unions seem to be smelling blood.

The general election is going to be a rough ride - if only there was a proper opposition.

What is happening? Are we in for another winter of discontent?

And very likely the dockers in the autumn :D

The GMB union have recently suspended financial support for New Labour and the T&G union are threatening to follow suit...lets hope more unions see the light and realise that the 'Labour' label in what is just Tony Blair's Presidential Campaign Party is an empty slogan. TB and his unelected club of policy makers have no more concern for ordinary working people than Maggie Thatcher had.

More good news is that PLP members too are coming to their senses and deserting in droves, membership is down to 190,000, the lowest since the 1930s.

Originally posted by Magneteer

So methinks that we are stuck with TB and Co for some time to come simply because there is no one else up to the job.


You're probably correct but the trouble is that 'TB and Co' doesnt include the cabinet, New Labour MPs or even the PLP.

ISTR at the last election New Labour got in on the votes of just 28% of the electorate, which to me suggests that apathy rules in Britain rather than any current brand of politics.

I'd certainly like to see the Lib Dems have a bite at the cherry, - they could hardly do any more harm than New Labour have done, even if they proved to be downright incompetent. :rolleyes:

The last thing this country needs is a more left wing goverment which is exactly what you will get if the lib dems ever take power
God its bad enough under labour without the wishy washy liberals in charge.
There are alternatives beyond the main parties which could do a good job if given the chance,but until the election process is changed to reflect EVERYONE'S votes then we are stuck with the same old parties and their lies.
The system we have in place now with first past the post is like the old closed shop in the seventies either you accept it or your out.
Sorry if i'm deviating somewhat but until we get P R in place nothing will ever change.

The trouble with union power is that it so often works aginst the interests of the consumer. Ultimately there are more consumers than there are workers.

Originally posted by slimsid2000
Ultimately there are more consumers than there are workers.
The working class is the consumer, what are you talking about?

Chris.

So then union are working against the interests of the working class?

Actually everyone is a consumer whatever class, age, race etc etc they are.

Unions are democratic, member-led organisations. They do only as the majority of their members wish.

It's not some bigwig at the top saying: "We all shoud strike", it's the members voting, democratically and in the majority, to strike.

Originally posted by slimsid2000
Actually everyone is a consumer whatever class, age, race etc etc they are.
Sure, i've seen the supremely wealthy shop at Curry's.

Chris.