The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Mrk]

Those pearls don't suit him.

 

[rascal]

And in the latest episode of 'how much do they get paid for such stupidity'

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...give-police-powers-to-identify-internet-users

 

[rascal]

The lead news item on BBC News is immigration. If there's one public service that has fallen apart since 2010 it is the BBC.

 

[Coach]

 

[Coach]

 

[Coach]

Never mind Scotland - the Tory collapse in England is far worse....

http://www1.politicalbetting.com/in...ore-significant-the-tory-collapse-in-england/

 

[Milk]

Far too jolly to be pickets. You need miserable sods standing around braziers in donkey jackets not smiley glamour girls.
I need my 70s & 80s fix

 

[Bruce Wayne]

It's funny how strikes are always about money and never events like Mid-Staffs. I fully accept that MPs are hypocrites for accepting a big pay-hike when other civil servants aren't given much, but the unions have zero credibility on anything.

 

[davek]

It's funny how strikes are always about money and never events like Mid-Staffs. I fully accept that MPs are hypocrites for accepting a big pay-hike when other civil servants aren't given much, but the unions have zero credibility on anything.

Unison, as I understand it, were shackled in how much support they were able to give whistle blowers due to the professional body that governs nurses (the NMC) being willing to take action - including the sack - against individual nurses.

It's a bit rich in any case pointing the finger at public sector unions, who have been attacked, shackled and weakened for decades by various governments, expecting them to police and clean up the mess of the ongoing privatization of the NHS.

 

[hullefc]

The Tories have decided to jump on the football bandwagon.

UK government urges Sepp Blatter to publish full Michael Garcia report
• Culture secretary Sajid Javid writes to Fifa president
• Concerned over Fifa’s independence and transparency

I wonder when the same urgency will be given to publishing all the information about the Westminster paedo sex ring.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Unison, as I understand it, were shackled in how much support they were able to give whistle blowers due to the professional body that governs nurses (the NMC) being willing to take action - including the sack - against individual nurses.

It's a bit rich in any case pointing the finger at public sector unions, who have been attacked, shackled and weakened for decades by various governments, expecting them to police and clean up the mess of the ongoing privatization of the NHS.

The thing is, that's what they're there for isn't it really? They are a body that exists to better the lot of their members, which often means raising their pay. The thing I don't like about the situation is that often that isn't accurately reported, especially for bodies such as the BMA, and also that the tactics used seem to play on the rhetoric that management = bad, worker = good. I'm not sure that is at all helpful in delivering good service to the end user.

On the railways for instance, I wouldn't mind betting that we have driverless cars on our roads before automated trains ever reach the mainstream, and that is purely due to the RMT doing their best Ned Ludd impression (very successfully).

 

[davek]

The thing is, that's what they're there for isn't it really? They are a body that exists to better the lot of their members, which often means raising their pay. The thing I don't like about the situation is that often that isn't accurately reported, especially for bodies such as the BMA, and also that the tactics used seem to play on the rhetoric that management = bad, worker = good. I'm not sure that is at all helpful in delivering good service to the end user.

On the railways for instance, I wouldn't mind betting that we have driverless cars on our roads before automated trains ever reach the mainstream, and that is purely due to the RMT doing their best Ned Ludd impression (very successfully).

Which is my point. It's no use saying the union in that example were negligent in going after the NHS regional authority when they're main reason for existence is the well being of their own members' pay and conditions (although the latter, of course, is affected by patient well-being). They are not the professional body. The professional body have a code of conduct governing nurses etc and they dropped the ball. They did that because they are hand in glove with privatization and wouldn't want to rock the boat.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Which is my point. It's no use saying the union in that example were negligent in going after the NHS regional authority when they're main reason for existence is the well being of their own members' pay and conditions (although the latter, of course, is affected by patient well-being). They are not the professional body. The professional body have a code of conduct governing nurses etc and they dropped the ball. They did that because they are hand in glove with privatization and wouldn't want to rock the boat.

I just think it's an antiquated approach and it's sad that we even need trade unions these days. We need everyone working together on these things rather than causing divides.

 

[davek]

I just think it's an antiquated approach and it's sad that we even need trade unions these days. We need everyone working together on these things rather than causing divides.

Ha Ha.

Great wind up.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Ha Ha.

Great wind up.

No wind up. They appear a byproduct of the industrial age that I'm not sure is really relevant any more. I'm not sure they've really adapted to how things generally are these days. I mean is it really a coincidence that nearly all union members are public sector workers?