How DARE council workers go on strike!? [UK]?

Question

How dare they. They're getting a £6 basic rate, and they're moaning on having only a 20p increase?

So lets work it out?

20p x 40 = 800

800 x 5 = 4000

They get £40 extra a week. okay, it's not much, but 40 quid can go a long way!

Some groceries, or something towards your bills. It's something! Better than nothing right?

Some of us, including me, I'm on basic wage. £5.52 basic wage. Where do I come in to all of this?

Should we go on strike?!

I'd like to hear your views about this please.

Answer 1

Yes you should go on strike if you feel you are not getting paid what you deserve and your employer won't rectify the situation.

Look at it this way. If those council workers who are unionized and united can't win a pay rise, what chance does the rest of the basic wage workforce have... zilch.

You should be supporting the council workers' strike and hopefully not only will it inspire other workers to get organized and do the same thing but it will raise the standard of what is an acceptable minimum wage.

Resenting them for fighting for better pay and conditions is only going to benefit the bosses ie, the people who need the money the least. It definitely won't benefit you because if organized and striking workers can't improve their pay and conditions disorganized ones definitely won't and things may even get worse for you.

The right to strike is a fundamental human right, everyone should have it. It is one of the central pillars of democracy and strikes in the past have won many of the working rights that we now take for granted. (weekends, breaks, overtime pay, maternity leave, sick leave, holiday leave, etc) I guarantee that there will be a union for your industry, whatever it is. Look into it. And they cannot sack you for organizing a strike if you go about it the right way, these are fundamental human rights that are protected by law. Without them we may as well march ourselves off to the gulags.

Answer 2

Everyone has the right to strike if they want to - even you.  Get a good union behind you and go for it.  xxxx

Answer 3

I agree they are being unreasonable.  The pay review is in line with inflation (when it was offered....OK inflation is higher now).

They have much better pension schemes and far more job security than the private sector.  The private sector has had small wage increases and pension cuts over the last 5-10 years.  Public sector has had fair % increases, kept their pensions and the wage is now at same level or higher than the private sector....so that old argument is gone.

And it's our taxes paying their wages - shouldn't we have a vote in whether the wage settlement is fair?  We won't get a tax rebate for the services not provided today...