The right to strike

[Rum]

One of the corner stones of socialism and in fact most of our European social democracies is the right to withhold the one thing that the working class traditionally had control over - their labour.

British Rail workers have had a potential strike ruled as illegal because of the degree of disruption it will cause (amongst other reasons)..which is of course the whole point of striking in the first place.

What are your views about the right to strike?

[AshtonBlack]

The need for striking and unions are inversely proportional to the strength of the labour laws. They're needed if the labour laws are weak and don't protect the workers from exploitation. They're not needed if there is, for example, a good minimum wage, or guaranteed holidays etc. But until those are in place, there is a role for trade unions. As for this specific case, I don't know the details and don't what law have they broken for the strike to be ruled illegal.

[klr]

One of the corner stones of socialism and in fact most of our European social democracies is the right to withhold the one thing that the working class traditionally had control over - their labour.

British Rail workers have had a potential strike ruled as illegal because of the degree of disruption it will cause (amongst other reasons)..which is of course the whole point of striking in the first place.

What are your views about the right to strike?

Well, the flip-side of this (IMHO) is that sometimes some people have a disproportionate (and frankly undeserved) amount of power. Yes, they do a vital job, but there are a lot of other people who would have the ability to do it as well.

I should point out that I'm certainly not against the right to strike (far from it), but it's benefited some workers a lot more than others ...

[AshtonBlack]

One of the corner stones of socialism and in fact most of our European social democracies is the right to withhold the one thing that the working class traditionally had control over - their labour.

British Rail workers have had a potential strike ruled as illegal because of the degree of disruption it will cause (amongst other reasons)..which is of course the whole point of striking in the first place.

What are your views about the right to strike?

Well, the flip-side of this (IMHO) is that sometimes some people have a disproportionate (and frankly undeserved) amount of power. Yes, they do a vital job, but there are a lot of other people who would have the ability to do it as well.

I should point out that I'm certainly not against the right to strike (far from it), but it's benefited some workers a lot more than others ...

2 legs good, 4 legs better?

[Tigger]

It can be more emotive when the strike action affects things that individuals have saved/looked forward to/booked for a year or more. I'm thinking of the latest BA cabin crew strike, and I personally think it's a reprehensible action to take. It there is less impact - thus lessening the power of withdrawal of labour anyway - then I don't feel so bad about it, I guess.

I haven't been affected at all by the BA strike, so it's made no difference to me at all personally, and I still feel very strongly that it shouldn't happen, so on balance, I don't agree with strike action. Sack the fuckers and get people in who are prepared to do the job. What narks the shit out of me is the employees who aren't prepared to be flexible and see the reality of the financial situation that their employer may be facing.

[Bruce Burleson]

Sack the fuckers and get people in who are prepared to do the job. What narks the shit out of me is the employees who aren't prepared to be flexible and see the reality of the financial situation that their employer may be facing.

That's what President Reagan did with the air traffic controllers in the 80's. The right to strike is balanced on the other side by the right to sack. Labor should have the right to organize, which gives them collective bargaining power, but all power has its limits and they need to know what their limitations are. You can strike your employer right out of business.

[JimC]

Checks and balances is what it's all about. Labour must have a right to strike after other avenues have been exhausted, but it should be in a carefully regulated framework, with some sort of mandatory arbitration process, not anything goes. Vital public services need some form of protection, but not to the point where workers in that area are permanently barred from any form of action. Sometimes, limited actions like "work to rule", banning overtime, or the refusal to collect fares etc. can be a useful tool for labour without shutting down a vital industry completely.

[Valden]

One of the corner stones of socialism and in fact most of our European social democracies is the right to withhold the one thing that the working class traditionally had control over - their labour.

British Rail workers have had a potential strike ruled as illegal because of the degree of disruption it will cause (amongst other reasons)..which is of course the whole point of striking in the first place.

What are your views about the right to strike?

They should do it anyways. It's supposed to be disruptive.

[pcCoder]

I have a question. What happens if a court rules that a strike is illegal or gets an injunction against it, and instead those on strike decide to quit, and if those on strike make up most of the employees such that it end up causes the company to close to to take a loss? While a strike may be made illegal, surely it can not be made illegal to quit.

[klr]

One of the corner stones of socialism and in fact most of our European social democracies is the right to withhold the one thing that the working class traditionally had control over - their labour.

British Rail workers have had a potential strike ruled as illegal because of the degree of disruption it will cause (amongst other reasons)..which is of course the whole point of striking in the first place.

What are your views about the right to strike?

They should do it anyways. It's supposed to be disruptive.

Since there are alternatives to using the rail system for most people or companies, strike action is a double-edged sword for the workers involved.

[owtth]

I have a question. What happens if a court rules that a strike is illegal or gets an injunction against it, and instead those on strike decide to quit, and if those on strike make up most of the employees such that it end up causes the company to close to to take a loss? While a strike may be made illegal, surely it can not be made illegal to quit.

It may be an effective way to solve a dispute but those that quit would be giving up too much for it to be practical, health benefits and pensions would lapse without a sufficient union fund to maintain payments.

[The Red Fox]

Until workers stop being exploited you need a right to strike whenever necessary. Unfortunately, with the political left dead in the water since the early 90s, it doesn't look like any significant changes will happen to the economy so workers will continue to be exploited. Workers controlling the means of production would be a good start to removing the need for strike action.

Until then, power to the strikers. My full support goes out to any workers striking at the moment.

[RuleBritannia]

They should strike anyway, if Mohandas Ghandi or Nelson Mandela played within the rules, they would have got no where.

[redunderthebed]

You can strike your employer right out of business.

Well if you are going to be stingy then you have made your own bed or you cannot be profitable unless you can pay a fair wage then you deserve to be out of business you are essentially making a profit by exploiting workers.

Workers have an inalienable right to withdraw labor yes its disruptive thats the whole fucking idea.

They should strike anyway, if Mohandas Ghandi or Nelson Mandela played within the rules they would have no where.

Until workers stop being exploited you need a right to strike whenever necessary. Unfortunately, with the political left dead in the water since the early 90s, it doesn't look like any significant changes will happen to the economy so workers will continue to be exploited. Workers controlling the means of production would be a good start to removing the need for strike action.

Until then, power to the strikers. My full support goes out to any workers striking at the moment.

Totally agree with both statements. The traditionally left-wing parties who can effect change through the parliamentary process (the labour parties in NZ,UK and Australia et al) have ceased to be left-wing and usurp any attempts for the true left who haven't sold out to gain any influence or power.

[Trolldor]

If public transport shuts down it has a far greater impact than just making people late, and having to find other modes of transport.
If they plan to do it on any business day, then no it's simply far too wide-reaching. Do it every Sunday, or something.