Should the government go with the 50% turnout idea?

[R1Geezer]

http://news.sky.com/s...To_Back_Strike_Action
It seems that these latest strikes by the Public sector would probably have been illegal under the 50% rule. What can possibly be achieved by these strikes? They'll alienate millions and have no effect on policy. Is this just the Unions attention seeking?

[youngmafbog]

Geezer, look on the bright side.

The public sector generates nothing for the GDP. If they go on strike we dont pay them. Hey, if they strike enough then budget problem solved !

It is most likely that all they will do is alienate themselves even furhter from the majority of the rest of us in the private sector who have already had to deal with what they are moaning about.

[anotheoldgit]

Why is it that the Public Sector feel so hard done by, with their mainly cushy protected jobs and lucrative bonuses, at the end of their working days?

The private sector have for years been in the cut and thrust of the real world, not knowing from one day to the other when they would be made redundant.

If any group has cause to complain on their working conditions, it should be the Armed Forces, these are the guys and girls who apart from their own particular duty, are also expected to step in and do the jobs of striking public sector employees.

But these guys and girls are not allowed the privilege to strike.

[Zeuhl]

The unions are going through the old routine of 'defending their members' but without sympathy from the rest of us (welcome to our world) it will as Geezer says, just alienate people even more.

Also, key leaders of some of the ps unions have political agendas derived from their marxist-trotskyite backgrounds. Again, that's out of step with most of their members let alone the public who are more connected with the commercial realities of life.
.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

I bet the teachers are hard pressed to find a strike day when their not on holiday!!

[bednobs]

i think the government would probably have a better leg to stand on if most of them weren't elected by a less than 50% vote, and they didn't all have cushy pension schemes

[Old_Geezer]

I know folk working in the public sector who are anything but in a cushy position. I think there is a view of the public sector that isn't anything like the full story. Those at the bottom that put up with lots for little reward and get pushed around every time management want to save on this or show they can achieve that.

[Quizmonster]

Absolutely right, Bednobs. If a 50% law as regards strikes is ever to be debated in Parliament, only MPs with 50%+ of THEIR total electorate should be allowed to participate.

[R1Geezer]

it's not 50% of the vote. 50% of those eligible to vote will need to vote so only 25.1% of those eligible to vote will be needed as a minumum. Not too far away from the MP situation.

[bednobs]

there are at least 1/3 of MP's that would not fit that criteria R1.
Now if only they didn't have a final salary pension scheme themselves, i might take more notice of them

[R1Geezer]

W_T_F has pensions got to do with it? This Q is about the size of turnaout on Union strike ballots.

[bednobs]

whoops, sorry i didn't actually read your link!
I just made an assumption it was about the teachers strike over pensions.
My bad!

[modeller]

When I was a teacher it was the NUT who were the most militant and many of the activists were members of the Socialist Workers Party and they were the people most likely to vote.

[lozzer50]

@ oldgit public sector jobs protected er what planet u on most public sector workers jobs are under some kind of threat
people in private sector made the choice to work in private sector and knew what they were signing up for.
as for teachers holidays quite a large % are spent planning so that this countries kids get a good education

[RebelSouls]

Geezer do you read your links ?

R1Geezer
Question Author
W_T_F has pensions got to do with it? This Q is about the size of turnaout on Union strike ballots.



From your link
// The latest to announce industrial action was the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) in a row over pensions and job cuts.//


// in a row over pensions and job cuts //

[askyourgran]

AOG some of the public sector workers have to meet and deal with some very obnoxious people in the pursuit of their jobs, some, not all, are worthy of the money they earn.

[R1Geezer]

yes rebel but the main thrust of this question is the 50% proposal from the government. The issues themselves are not what I'm talking about.

[R1Geezer]

the link was merely to illustrate why the 50% idea may be implemented. Anyway rebel surely it's all the fault of the BBC!

[bednobs]

:)

[Quizmonster]

The Tory, Dominic Raab, recently tried to introduce a bill demanding that a majority of those eligible must vote in favour before a strike is lawful. He polled some 32,000 votes in a constituency of nearly 80,000 at the 2010 election. Clearly, then - by his own 50%+ standard - he should surely have no right to be an MP. We can't have these people creating one rule for themselves and a totally different one for the rest of us, surely.

[welshlibranr]

and what about the fact that they are proposing to axe winter fuel and cold weather payments for the elderly!.........disgraceful!............do they want to finish them all off so that they don't need to pay them a pension, which most of them have been paying into all their working lives!......let's be fair, the pension they pay to our elderly is a pittance anyway!..........