Trade Unions! Do They Still Have A Role To Play?

[fox20thc 10]

I have many skills and put them to good use, however I work in an industry due to circumstance and needing it to be part time which has seen the announcement of 4000 jobs being offshored to India. So does that mean I am lazy and inept?

 

I see my question was overlooked Mr Norbert

[Sutcliffe 10]

You're correct, I'm not among the ranks of evolutionary super humans to whom Mr Colon refers. My inferior genes have left me with a lack of motivation to spend my life striving for maximum material gain and status. I do provide adequately for my family however.

I would hardly call a bit of ambition and ability the stuff of super humans.

Most 'average' people take pride in some achievement, in securing the odd promotion and achieving a better future for their family and themselves through income and pension.

Under-achievers often self-justify their lack of effort and success through socialist ideals - it's funny how you don't come across many successful socialists, isn't it?????

[donkey 10]

I would hardly call a bit of ambition and ability the stuff of super humans.

Most 'average' people take pride in some achievement, in securing the odd promotion and achieving a better future for their family and themselves through income and pension.

Under-achievers often self-justify their lack of effort and success through socialist ideals - it's funny how you don't come across many successful socialists, isn't it?????

 

First up, I'm not a Socialist, and I don't have a problem with people being successful. It's when people who consider themselves to be successful start sprouting about being higher up the evolutionary chain than those who don't see excessive material wealth as the reason to exist, that I start to get a bit annoyed.

 

There are different kinds of managers. There are those who have the wisdom and humility to work as a team and get feedback from people lower down the chain of command, without being patronising. Then there are those ones who imagine that they have got to where they are because they are some kind of superior beings. I've worked with them both, and it's the latter category which will be consigned to the evolutionary dustbin of managerial history.

[Sutcliffe 10]

First up, I'm not a Socialist, and I don't have a problem with people being successful. It's when people who consider themselves to be successful start sprouting about being higher up the evolutionary chain than those who don't see excessive material wealth as the reason to exist, that I start to get a bit annoyed.

 

There are different kinds of managers. There are those who have the wisdom and humility to work as a team and get feedback from people lower down the chain of command, without being patronising. Then there are those ones who imagine that they have got to where they are because they are some kind of superior beings. I've worked with them both, and it's the latter category which will be consigned to the evolutionary dustbin of managerial history.

At this point, we agree - though I only hope you're right about getting rid of the latter category.

[stackmonkey 10]

Suppose those building companies are paying £200 for a thousand bricks, but another supplier can do it for £100 - should they keep paying the £200, or should they use their common sense?

 

Would you advocate firms having to pay high labour rates and going out of business, losing the jobs altogether, or paying what they can afford to pay?

 

The difference being is that it is illegal to make a set of workers redundant (at a particular building site, for example) and then to employ others at the same site doing the same jobs.

[NorbertColon 10]

What about senior managers who get awarded massive increases in their bonuses, while the company profits go down. It happens all the time.

All the time? Now you’re being ridiculous. It does happen, very rarely and when it does the papers get to know and glorify it – which is why the sheep who read the red top tabloids think it happens ‘all the time’.

 

It's called corruption and cronyism. The people running things and earning the most money, aren't neccessarily 'the fittest', but often simply the most self-serving and manipulative.

That can and does happen. On the whole though – the vast majority – people succeed through a combination of ability and hard work.

 

You present senior management people as if they represent the highest ideal achievable by humankind. Some of them are very good managers, but a lot of them are just good at promoting themselves and office politics ( hence the big bonuses for non-existent achievements.)

These types generally tend to stick together and sing their own praises.You'll never hear one of them say ''Oh, I'm only a senior manager because my dad had all the right connections. ''

This sort of blinkered view can only come from the perspective of ‘the politics of envy’.

 

No doubt this will ruflle the feathers of all those 'self made men' out there, but thankfully, they're a minority, because most of them are even more arrogant and insufferable than those that were born into it.

There are a few like that – ‘new money’ types. Just goes to show you can remove the man from the slum, but not the slum from the man.

 

Praise be we have the unions to keep these puffed up monkeys in check.

There are better ways to refer to your elders and betters you know – didn’t parents teach you that on your council estate?

[StarSparkle 10]

All the time? Now you’re being ridiculous. It does happen, very rarely and when it does the papers get to know and glorify it – which is why the sheep who read the red top tabloids think it happens ‘all the time’.

 

That can and does happen. On the whole though – the vast majority – people succeed through a combination of ability and hard work.

 

This sort of blinkered view can only come from the perspective of ‘the politics of envy’.

 

There are a few like that – ‘new money’ types. Just goes to show you can remove the man from the slum, but not the slum from the man.

 

There are better ways to refer to your elders and betters you know – didn’t parents teach you that on your council estate?

 

Oh go on, admit it - you're Bartfarst's alter ego, aren't you?

 

Trolling a speciality....

 

StarSparkle

[NorbertColon 10]

Oh go on, admit it - you're Bartfarst's alter ego, aren't you?

 

Trolling a speciality....

 

StarSparkle

I completely fail to see what is unreasonable or 'trolling' about my statements. Donkey's position makes him out to resemble an anti-establishment left wing placard-waving 1970s striking car worker, and that's if I give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

I merely offer common sense - but that would not appear to be something that falls upon deaf ears around here.

[VARB 10]

I believe unions have an important part to play in defending workers rights and making sure health and safety legislation is adhered to but I dont think this is top of the agenda with some unions at the moment .

When I started my present job the union rep approached me about joining I agreed but said I wanted to opt out of the political levy as I did not want to fund the Labour party he looked shocked and when I told him I was a BNP voter he just walked away saying that I was not welcome in his union .

[cressida 1,548]

My ethic on this is, i support the workers to withhold their labour BUT i also support the worker who wants to go into work - which is his right - i don't like the intimidation that is used when they clash therefore not happy about the way picketing is sometimes conducted

[donkey 10]

All the time? Now you’re being ridiculous. It does happen, very rarely and when it does the papers get to know and glorify it – which is why the sheep who read the red top tabloids think it happens ‘all the time’.

 

That can and does happen. On the whole though – the vast majority – people succeed through a combination of ability and hard work.

 

This sort of blinkered view can only come from the perspective of ‘the politics of envy’.

 

There are a few like that – ‘new money’ types. Just goes to show you can remove the man from the slum, but not the slum from the man.

 

There are better ways to refer to your elders and betters you know – didn’t parents teach you that on your council estate?

 

 

I don't read tabloids, I'm not from a council estate. I'm not envious of anyone who claims to be a high flyer, yet feels the need to post copious and lengthy tracts on a public internet forum to let complete strangers know about it.

 

You might think your one of nature's supermen, but it's clear to me that inside you're just a sad little Norbert Colon.

[Grandad.Malky 11]

When I started my present job the union rep approached me about joining I agreed but said I wanted to opt out of the political levy as I did not want to fund the Labour party he looked shocked and when I told him I was a BNP voter he just walked away saying that I was not welcome in his union .

 

 

It is not for individual shop stewards to decide who can and cant join his union based on political affiliation, I would have thought there would be a change of heart if you took the matter further.

 

Is somebody who votes Monster Raving Loony Party excluded as well, I don’t remember filling in any question asking what party I voted for.