Nurses' Strikes Over

 

🚨 | BREAKING: Nurses' strikes are OVER in England as the Royal College of Nursing has *not* achieved the mandate for further strike action

They needed a 50% turnout under trade union law, but they got 43.4%

84% of the turnout did vote for further action - so 103k people

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) June 27, 2023

The PCS Strike

 

Unlike the winter of discontent, the PCS strike will not have anywhere near the same impact that the union hopes for.

Aside from the fact that the country is in a very different place to where it was in the 1970's, given that many PCS members are still (for reasons that escape me) working from home no one will notice if they are on strike or not. Additionally, picket lines in winter are not as attractive as sitting at home watching daytime television.

The Elephant Trap

 

Whether Labour or the unions realise it, or want to realise it, any planned "Summer of Discontent" will play directly into Boris's hands and he will use it as an excuse to hold a snap general election before the year is out.

Were Labour and the unions to apply some common sense they might avoid this elephant trap.

Government To Go On Strike

Boris has decided that enough is enough, and has stated that he will try to call a general election for 12 December.

Unfortunately for him, there is one very large fly in his ointment; namely the Fixed Term Parliament Act (an absurd piece of legislation from the days of the Liberal/Tory coalition).

Under this act, the government needs a 2/3rds majority in order to be able to call a general election.

Can you guess what will happen children?

Yes, that's right, Labour will not vote for it next week.

What will happen then?

It seems that the government will go on strike, and do only the bare minimum (the Budget has already been pulled).

We really are through the looking glass here.

Back To The Seventies - The Last of The Dinosaurs

Corbyn’s rail union comrade: I’d like to bring down the government https://t.co/G4jwacDUS6

— Steerpike (@MrSteerpike) January 16, 2017

Commuter Cannon Fodder

The hapless commuters who are trying to get to work everyday, despite the best efforts of Southern and the unions, are being used as cannon fodder by the government in their war against the rail unions.

At some stage this will backfire!

Government's Response To Tube Strike

Disaster looms as temporary staff brought in during #TubeStrike pic.twitter.com/dTStQ8Jlyb

— Will Thorpe (@withorpe) July 9, 2015

Francis Maude Loves Jerrys

The government, wounded by the poor response to its pasty taxing budget and the Cruddgate scandal, is seeking ways to divert the voter's attention.

What better way than to stir up fear of a petrol shortage, caused by the looming petrol tanker drivers' strike?

Therefore over the past few days government minister shave been upping the ante, and trying to cause fear and alarm in the general public; by training troops to drive petrol tankers, advising people to fill up, calling a Cobra meeting and now step forward Francis Maude who is advising people to keep a jerry can full of petrol at home.

Aside from the fact that encouraging panic buying is irresponsible, and will cause unnecessary shortages at the pumps, to advise people to store petrol in cans at their homes and in their cars is dangerous.

Does Maude not remember last summer's riots?

Does he really want there to be unguarded cans of petrol sloshing around the place?

What would the HSE say?