Strathman Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 25 years ago. The Aberdeen Journals were on strike. That is the Press and Journal and Aberdeen Evening Express. Michael Gove was one of the strikers. Ian Campbell was probably the best known of the sports hacks. After a few weeks they started advertising for journalists and not much experience was required. I always fancied being a sports reporter but never did much about it so I made enquiries. I was asked in for an interview, did really well and got offered a job as a football reporter. The snag was I realised I would be a scab and would be taking someone's job. I was very uneasy about it. When the job offer came through the post the wages were dire. They were less than half of what I was earning in my job at the time. That made the decision to turn it down much easier as I had a young family. I obviously did not want it enough otherwise I would have put up with the scab aspect and got my foot in the door. I always wonder if the money had been decent would I have taken it. What happened in the end was the strikers got sacked but probably all got new jobs and the scabs would have prospered. Anyone else take advantage of a situation or had a similar dilemma? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAFC Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Never had a job with a union, worked in one factory that treated the workers pretty badly. The general manager chased away some union official handing out leaflets to workers. The guy that ran the company was a CBE and they had investors in people awards. They bought over a factory in Ayrshire and closed them down without telling them simply by boarding up the doors and windows. Unions would help but companies bank on people being desperate, it should be illegal to be a scab but the government are quite happy to sit back and watch UK workers rights disappear over the years. Employers can just hire and fire at will and put people on shitty contracts with no rights what so ever. Unions have zero power to stop this and are a waste of money now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermik Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Done a couple of jobs in the old brewery that used to be where the new parliament is now. Every day their union rep would go round all the builders and check that we were all members of our respective unions. He said that if anybody done the slightest thing on site whilst not being in a union then the whole place would be called out on strike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1974h Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 It's a hard one, if a well off person with thousands of savings was a scab id be fuming but if someone had a young family and was under pressure to provide for them. Can you blame them. Unfortunately there is not much solidarity nowadays. Unions sound brilliant in theory and it would be a dream if they could really help workers but the reality is different. Thatcher changed the unions forever and they hardly have any power. Also personal greed gets in the way. I believe in unions and have been in the union in every job I've been in. But in my experience if the union rep stands up for the workers he usually isn't in the job long himself or the union rep is in the bosses pocket for personal gain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slacker Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Unions have zero power to stop this and are a waste of money now.Not true in my case. My union just did a great job saving many jobs from going.Anyone ever crossed a picket line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotownClic Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Would never cross one under any circumstances. I'm also in an excellent Union. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzdrk Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 If i wanted to survive the following month i would have no choice but to go to work tbh. cant really imagine a situation worth striking for in my current job anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Not true in my case. My union just did a great job saving many jobs from going. Anyone ever crossed a picket line? Did once. I was an agency worker for Hackney Council, and nobody asked us to join the strike. One of the higher ups had been sacked because he refused to do what he was told by his boss. He was also a big wig in the union. He claimed racial discrimination. He was black, his boss was a black woman, very highly qualified. The word was that he refused to take instructions from a woman. I went to the picket line and asked what the strike was about, and nobody could explain. So I walked through and went to work. The next day the shop steward asked me why. I explained that nobody had consulted us, and we still couldn't understand what the strike was about. He shrugged and walked away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Cuddy Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I have crossed a picket line. I was also an agency worker for a council and I wouldn't have got paid if I didn't go in. I never actually worked that day though. It was the only day I had internet access and the phones didn't ring because nearly everyone else was on strike so I was with them in spirit at least. I wasn't expected to join the strike, no one thought that I even should given I was temping and needed the money and the strike action had nothing whatsoever to do with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracowjambo Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 What's the point of unions? I just started a new job and they gave me unison flyers and it seems like they want me to pay £10-11 to moan about working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotownClic Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 What's the point of unions? I just started a new job and they gave me unison flyers and it seems like they want me to pay £10-11 to moan about working. I take it you don't have paid sick leave, paid holidays etc? Because it wasn't the fucking tooth fairy that got you them if you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracowjambo Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I take it you don't have paid sick leave, paid holidays etc? Because it wasn't the fucking tooth fairy that got you them if you do. Was it Santa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Unison will be out on 21 October. I voted against the strike but believe you accept the democratic result. Seriously pissed off about it tho for a variety of reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Wilson Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 What do you do if your nose goes on strike? Picket! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillinger Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I take it you don't have paid sick leave, paid holidays etc? Because it wasn't the fucking tooth fairy that got you them if you do. If it wasn't for the Labour Movement Bosses would still be showing kids up chimneys. The.rich don't give their money out to the workers.easily. Unions have won what we take for granted now.in our jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Archer (Raconteur) Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I pulled a scab once, she had black legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambie's Pigeon Feed Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Out on 15th October, PCS are fucking powerless to stop the attacks on our pay and conditions and it seems fruitless, still going to get as many of my new staff signed up as I can, taking forms to my next meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky88 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I think of membership of a union in terms of - is being a member of the union going to save me more money than the subs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAFC Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 What if everyone goes on strike and the company just says well ok we will shut then? What real power do they have people are too desperate and selfish for unions these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Did once. I was an agency worker for Hackney Council, and nobody asked us to join the strike. One of the higher ups had been sacked because he refused to do what he was told by his boss. He was also a big wig in the union. He claimed racial discrimination. He was black, his boss was a black woman, very highly qualified. The word was that he refused to take instructions from a woman. I went to the picket line and asked what the strike was about, and nobody could explain. So I walked through and went to work. The next day the shop steward asked me why. I explained that nobody had consulted us, and we still couldn't understand what the strike was about. He shrugged and walked away. I have crossed a picket line. I was also an agency worker for a council and I wouldn't have got paid if I didn't go in. I never actually worked that day though. It was the only day I had internet access and the phones didn't ring because nearly everyone else was on strike so I was with them in spirit at least. I wasn't expected to join the strike, no one thought that I even should given I was temping and needed the money and the strike action had nothing whatsoever to do with me. Same as you two, it was my first job after uni, I was an agency worker and I needed the money. I felt uncomfortable doing it but I explained my situation to the people on the picket line and they didn't give me any grief about crossing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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