Unfortunately for the Tories, who are encouraging this strike for all they're worth because they perceive huge electoral advantage from it, the world has moved on a long, long way since the 1970s.



Most people simply don't find trade unions to be terrifying bogeymen any more, they don't see working people fighting for decent wages and working conditions and conclude they are the enemy. Because they are fights so many would love to have, if only they had the power.



40 years of Thatcherite and post-Thatcherite policies have created a country with vast wealth inequality and insurmountable social mobility issues. A country in which the Conservative-supporting elites bribe their way to have the ear of government officials, are in happy receipt of lucrative government contracts (where they deliver worse results for more cost than when things were done in-house) and who pay low, little or no taxes. And where, perhaps most important of all, the free market has been so corrupted that companies like Amazon, the big supermarkets and giant conglomerates and oligopolies are able to drive small businesses out of existence and drive wages down across the board with their anti-competitive behaviour.



The country's economic model has clearly fundamentally failed. The generation for whom the mention of "unions" drove them to voting for Thatcher is sadly largely dead now and younger people simply don't have the same perspectives. The upcoming fight will inevitably be similar to France: between a band of hard core extremists of the far right (who have taken over the Tory party), the young who are jaw droppingly left wing and the centre for whom the fight to preserve and restore free market values will generate a very large, quite unsatisfactory big tent. The Tory party's grievence-based politics, their culture wars and their attempts to find wedge issues will only take them so far, but they will milk it for all they're worth in the hope of getting enough voters to vote for them or not vote for the opposition to enable their minority rule to continue. Labour's task is to try and knit together a coalition of the centrists, increasingly appalled by the extremism of the Tory party, and the left - and that will be difficult indeed.

A very interesting post - some of which I agree with.



It is no surprise that big business wanted to stay in Europe - this had nothing with supply chain it was all about cheap labour. Having access to our labour market for all Europeans create plenty of labour and a simple supply/demand model tells you what happens when supply exceeds demand and visa versa. No shock wages are rising. A positive from Brexit.



I agree about the Tories all policies have gone out of the window as all energies seem to be focussing on protecting "Big Dog". How they think they can go into the next GE with him as leader and defend the 19 Manifesto defies any kind of logic. The party needs a reset and quick if it to avoid decimation.



I agree about trade unions - they are not the militant force they were - their membership is so far down on what it was challenging for them to have the same impact they once did. The problem I have with unions is they cannot deal with local disputes effectively as they are scared of setting precedents for future disputes. I would have more respect if the union leaders had to survive on strike pay when they call out their members.



I don't agree about the Amazon's/supermarkets etc - they provide good value - the smaller shop has to change their model to compete - offer something the customer wants to buy - it does have to be cheap. Amazon/Ebay have shown the way regarding on line and there are millions of small retailers now operating in this way. They just can't afford to pay the rent/business element of a retail operation.



The general public know that if the high wage settlements cannot be passed on there will be fewer jobs - a pragmatic approach is what is needed - will unions provide that? The part of the model that is wrong is the underpinning by property - this is what is causing the real cost issue. Nurses don't use food banks because their wages are low its because their rent/council tax is too high. We need cheap housing that can be accessed easily - and a lot of it. We also need to make it easier for young people to get on the property ladder - huge deposits are unachievable - if the potential purchaser can demonstrate a history of paying rent at an appropriate level surely a small deposit should be sufficient.

Quote Sal Paradise="Sal Paradise"I don't agree about the Amazon's/supermarkets etc - they provide good value - the smaller shop has to change their model to compete - offer something the customer wants to buy - it does have to be cheap. Amazon/Ebay have shown the way regarding on line and there are millions of small retailers now operating in this way. They just can't afford to pay the rent/business element of a retail operation. '" Amazon and the supermarkets are operating continually in anti-competitive ways. They need to be broken up to restore our free market. A client of mine used to supply Tesco with tomatoes. Tesco would come to them and set the price, no negotiation and they set terms of something like 180 days. This isn't a free market of supply and demand, it's big businesses hammering small suppliers because they have all the power in the world. Amazon is even more egregious. They have been allowed to expand into the marketplace. You would no doubt laud small entrepreneurs bringing products they have conceived to sell on Amazon Marketplace. However... if a product does well, suddenly an Amazon equivalent will appear. And the product of the entrepreneur will mysteriously fall down the rankings so that nobody goes to it any more. Amazon shouldn't be both the biggest retailer in the world and the biggest marketplace for goods in the world. It's a blatant anti-trust violation. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pressco ... ip_20_2077 Let's not even get started on how Amazon sells books. But like all huge companies its main aim is to drive competitors out of business after which it can jack up its prices. Likewise we know about the working conditions at Amazon warehouses. If there's one ethical thing you can do today, one stand you can make it's to stop buying at Amazon, stop using Tesco and Asda and walk down the street to your local shops and buy there, or use second tier internet sellers. And encourage everyone you know to do the same. Because the dream of these big, unregulated monsters is to have no competition and the ability to jack up prices and profits in the long run, all at our expense.

Quote Sal Paradise="Sal Paradise"I don't agree about the Amazon's/supermarkets etc - they provide good value - the smaller shop has to change their model to compete - offer something the customer wants to buy - it does have to be cheap. Amazon/Ebay have shown the way regarding on line and there are millions of small retailers now operating in this way. They just can't afford to pay the rent/business element of a retail operation. '" Amazon and the supermarkets are operating continually in anti-competitive ways. They need to be broken up to restore our free market. A client of mine used to supply Tesco with tomatoes. Tesco would come to them and set the price, no negotiation and they set terms of something like 180 days. This isn't a free market of supply and demand, it's big businesses hammering small suppliers because they have all the power in the world. Amazon is even more egregious. They have been allowed to expand into the marketplace. You would no doubt laud small entrepreneurs bringing products they have conceived to sell on Amazon Marketplace. However... if a product does well, suddenly an Amazon equivalent will appear. And the product of the entrepreneur will mysteriously fall down the rankings so that nobody goes to it any more. Amazon shouldn't be both the biggest retailer in the world and the biggest marketplace for goods in the world. It's a blatant anti-trust violation. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pressco ... ip_20_2077 Let's not even get started on how Amazon sells books. But like all huge companies its main aim is to drive competitors out of business after which it can jack up its prices. Likewise we know about the working conditions at Amazon warehouses. If there's one ethical thing you can do today, one stand you can make it's to stop buying at Amazon, stop using Tesco and Asda and walk down the street to your local shops and buy there, or use second tier internet sellers. And encourage everyone you know to do the same. Because the dream of these big, unregulated monsters is to have no competition and the ability to jack up prices and profits in the long run, all at our expense.

It's a difficult conundrum, for sure.



The Tory ethos has been to squeeze the public sector wages and cut back services over the past 10+ years.

The absolute bare faced lies from Government Ministers and the PM suggesting that their pay has kept up with inflation is f****** shocking and is a deliberately

repeated lie to try and put those workers in a bad light and its ridiculous that the media dont call them out on this.



There is an horrendous double standard where limits on city bosses bonuses are being scrapped at a time when public and private sector workers are seeing massive real terms pay cuts.



The use of incorrect numbers to suggest that the average pay in certain sectors is much higher than the actual average is another tactic being used and again, needs calling out.



One of the drivers to inflation in the UK, putting our inflation above many of our European neighbours is the plummeting value of the £, making ALL dollar based imports much more expensive.



It's strange that in years gone by, a cheap £ would help drive exports but at the moment, largely due to Brexit, this isn't happening.



Certainly interesting and worrying times.

I believe de Pfeffel is now blaming Public sector pay demands for the higher inflation and a longer cost of living crisis. The man is completely clueless he and his bunch of the unemployable who have made things worse and yes my wife went several years with a pay freeze or increases of 1%.

The problem this time is that the unions are no longer perceived to be an enemy so he will need to find another group to blame. With Brexit not going well that rules them out, the opposition, no they have not been in power for 12 years, what about immigration but we are suppose to have this under control.

Sadly the Labour Party under Starmer has decided to take against the strikers- although now that they are on the wrong side of public opinion there seems to be a bit of a climb down. Immediate divisions were seen with Labour deputy Angela Rayner front and centre of the recent TUC demonstration in London.Tough action threatened against frontbenchers joining picket lines seems to have been no more than a slap on the wrist.

Already after berating BA workers on strike on the BBC shadow frontbencher David Lammy has subsequently made a weasel word apology.



The strikes threatened in many sectors, both public and private, was a chance for Starmer to take charge of the agenda, show some leadership and actually demonstrate that he is on the side of ordinary working people who are suffering the biggest loss of earnings in real terms for decades.

But he has failed-again.

Quote The Ghost of '99="The Ghost of '99"Amazon and the supermarkets are operating continually in anti-competitive ways. They need to be broken up to restore our free market. A client of mine used to supply Tesco with tomatoes. Tesco would come to them and set the price, no negotiation and they set terms of something like 180 days. This isn't a free market of supply and demand, it's big businesses hammering small suppliers because they have all the power in the world. . https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pressco ... ip_20_2077 Let's not even get started on how Amazon sells books. But like all huge companies its main aim is to drive competitors out of business after which it can jack up its prices. Likewise we know about the working conditions at Amazon warehouses. Amazon is even more egregious. They have been allowed to expand into the marketplace. You would no doubt laud small entrepreneurs bringing products they have conceived to sell on Amazon Marketplace. However... if a product does well, suddenly an Amazon equivalent will appear. And the product of the entrepreneur will mysteriously fall down the rankings so that nobody goes to it any more. Amazon shouldn't be both the biggest retailer in the world and the biggest marketplace for goods in the world. It's a blatant anti-trust violation If there's one ethical thing you can do today, one stand you can make it's to stop buying at Amazon, stop using Tesco and Asda and walk down the street to your local shops and buy there, or use second tier internet sellers. And encourage everyone you know to do the same. Because the dream of these big, unregulated monsters is to have no competition and the ability to jack up prices and profits in the long run, all at our expense.'" Watched a segment on John Olivers Show about Amazon and this very thing about a month ago Very interesting Also seen various segments about what lengths they will go to, to stop Union representation etc.

Quote The Ghost of '99="The Ghost of '99"Amazon and the supermarkets are operating continually in anti-competitive ways. They need to be broken up to restore our free market. A client of mine used to supply Tesco with tomatoes. Tesco would come to them and set the price, no negotiation and they set terms of something like 180 days. This isn't a free market of supply and demand, it's big businesses hammering small suppliers because they have all the power in the world. . https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pressco ... ip_20_2077 Let's not even get started on how Amazon sells books. But like all huge companies its main aim is to drive competitors out of business after which it can jack up its prices. Likewise we know about the working conditions at Amazon warehouses. Amazon is even more egregious. They have been allowed to expand into the marketplace. You would no doubt laud small entrepreneurs bringing products they have conceived to sell on Amazon Marketplace. However... if a product does well, suddenly an Amazon equivalent will appear. And the product of the entrepreneur will mysteriously fall down the rankings so that nobody goes to it any more. Amazon shouldn't be both the biggest retailer in the world and the biggest marketplace for goods in the world. It's a blatant anti-trust violation If there's one ethical thing you can do today, one stand you can make it's to stop buying at Amazon, stop using Tesco and Asda and walk down the street to your local shops and buy there, or use second tier internet sellers. And encourage everyone you know to do the same. Because the dream of these big, unregulated monsters is to have no competition and the ability to jack up prices and profits in the long run, all at our expense.'" Watched a segment on John Olivers Show about Amazon and this very thing about a month ago Very interesting Also seen various segments about what lengths they will go to, to stop Union representation etc.

I wonder what sort of pay rise MPs will receive this year?

It’s been above inflation throughout the austerity years, will they have the brass neck to take a rise several times higher than the rises being offered to public sector worker?

You betcha!

These strikes will have limited impact during the week - WFH will reduce the impact significantly

WFH, a cushy little job perk that train staff don’t enjoy

Well durrr.

Haven’t you got the message yet about personal attacks on members