General elections.

[minertone 10]

I was brought up in a strong labour household,dad worked for National Coal Board all his life (except for 6 years war service-awarded M.M. as a Desert Rat (look it up).So I would like to pass on a little social history(first hand).

My own compulsory National Service took me to Korea and Egypt and that brings me to my first brush with the Unions.

Whilst serving in Korea we had the good fortune to attend the American Camps and use their facilities such as the P.X.(Naafi),We discovered a world of Music completely different to what was served up in Great Britain by the BBC and Union-dominated dance bands etc.Stodge,good but still stodge.

Fresh out of the Army we set up a skiffle group which quickly morphed into a rock and roll group as Elvis and the like influenced our thinking.Difficult times followed as we tried to get gigs. pub landlords and WMC committees were reluctant to engage music which might upset their regulars so we offered our services to a dance hall,free,during the obligatory half hour tea break (musicians Union M.U.). The Dance band were astonished when they returned to see the floor full of gyrating bodies and gave the manager an ultimatum,if ever he let amateurs on their stage again he would be blacklisted.four years later the Beatles exploded on to the scene and dance bands melted away never to be seen again .Part time jobs lost and the amateurs went on to earn the country billions in record sales,foreign tours etc.

Next it was the Print Unions, outdated working practices were pushing up the price of Newsprint and books etc.(look up Wapping to see what happened next.)

Then it was the Dockers, they had first dibs on pilfering cargoes that came into British ports, unable to sack anyone for dishonesty a solution was found-Containerisation.

Local authority house building was plagued by stupid union rules like 'one trade one job' so it took five different trades to change a house door.Consequently council house building came to a full stop and the departments were closed down. British Rail abolished Jobs lost by the million,no wonder I haven't voted labour for 55 years.

[darra 10]

Counter argument could be that the Tories have diluted the influence of the unions so much in favour of the employers that workers are in more danger of losing their jobs, in some cases for very little because of it. Zero hours contracts spring to mind as well. I'm sure they wouldn't exist as they do if the unions were stronger

[Hairyloon 10]

Counter argument could be that the Tories have diluted the influence of the unions so much in favour of the employers that workers are in more danger of losing their jobs...

 

I would not find that a persuasive argument. I think the problem is that the unions have largely lost track of what their proper function is.

[Longcol 596]

I was brought up in a strong labour household,dad worked for National Coal Board all his life (except for 6 years war service-awarded M.M. as a Desert Rat (look it up).So I would like to pass on a little social history(first hand).

 

The National Coal Board didn't exist until 1947.

[LeMaquis 10]

Local authority house building was plagued by stupid union rules like 'one trade one job' so it took five different trades to change a house door.Consequently council house building came to a full stop and the departments were closed down.

 

Hard drugs alert.

[Anna B 1,401]

I was brought up in a strong labour household,dad worked for National Coal Board all his life (except for 6 years war service-awarded M.M. as a Desert Rat (look it up).So I would like to pass on a little social history(first hand).

My own compulsory National Service took me to Korea and Egypt and that brings me to my first brush with the Unions.

Whilst serving in Korea we had the good fortune to attend the American Camps and use their facilities such as the P.X.(Naafi),We discovered a world of Music completely different to what was served up in Great Britain by the BBC and Union-dominated dance bands etc.Stodge,good but still stodge.

Fresh out of the Army we set up a skiffle group which quickly morphed into a rock and roll group as Elvis and the like influenced our thinking.Difficult times followed as we tried to get gigs. pub landlords and WMC committees were reluctant to engage music which might upset their regulars so we offered our services to a dance hall,free,during the obligatory half hour tea break (musicians Union M.U.). The Dance band were astonished when they returned to see the floor full of gyrating bodies and gave the manager an ultimatum,if ever he let amateurs on their stage again he would be blacklisted.four years later the Beatles exploded on to the scene and dance bands melted away never to be seen again .Part time jobs lost and the amateurs went on to earn the country billions in record sales,foreign tours etc.

Next it was the Print Unions, outdated working practices were pushing up the price of Newsprint and books etc.(look up Wapping to see what happened next.)

Then it was the Dockers, they had first dibs on pilfering cargoes that came into British ports, unable to sack anyone for dishonesty a solution was found-Containerisation.

Local authority house building was plagued by stupid union rules like 'one trade one job' so it took five different trades to change a house door.Consequently council house building came to a full stop and the departments were closed down. British Rail abolished Jobs lost by the million,no wonder I haven't voted labour for 55 years.

 

British dance bands were Union dominated? News to me. It didn't seem to stop the Beatles. Sounds like you were before your time.

 

With great respect to anyone who fought for their country, (thankyou) you seem to have forgotten all the good things that Labour and the Unions did, like improve working conditions, workers rights, holiday pay, and of course, the NHS, which I would imagine has been of some help to you, until recent cuts perhaps..

[El Cid 212]

no wonder I haven't voted labour for 55 years.

 

With views like you have, I bet you hate all politicians, so I am not surprised.