“Striking” – Are you workers for real

I have to admit I have been rather surprised and disappointed by the recent strike action by Rail and Postal workers.

They state that they don’t want to disrupt their customers, the general public but then do just that.

I get the feeling that some militant Trade Unionists smell an opportunity for some 80’s style retribution for the NUM getting nowhere with MT and gaining a personal reputation to boot.

I have seen many industrial actions over the years that ended fruitlessly, when the unions finally accepted a marginally better offer, they could have achieved with sensible negotiations with the employers.

The ones that suffer are not the far-left union leaders but the rank-and-file members who were stoked up by leaders’ rhetoric, that end up having been out of pocket while striking and also alienating the public against them.

Company owners and employers have to find a balance between a successful business and rewarding staff, do unions not understand this, I am sure most workers would, if the circumstances was properly explained to them.

The likely hood is that many postal workers will be out of work, gone are the days when they provided the soul means of postal service, every other courier does the job just as quick and often better and cheaper.

I am now, for one personally unlikely to return to Royal Mail because of the single-minded unnecessary postal strike.

Similarly Rail Workers again appear to be in a dream world, they are likely to force commuters to take alternative means of transport and once change occurs the user is unlikely to return to train travel.

They are similarly shooting themselves in the foot with every fresh disruptive action.

The reason for the blog, is primarily at the news that nurses are planning to strike for the first time in 100 years.

Are they for real?

I am sure as individuals they are reasonable and caring people, you wouldn’t train and do what you do if you weren’t, so why act like you are unfeeling.

During the life of the NHS, I have witnessed many times when nurses deserved better and have been short changed by successive governments, but they have quite rightly in my mind recognised that this is a profession that does not withdraw its labour.

Their withdrawal affects those at greatest risk and need, and any goodwill they have accumulated over the years will in my opinion quickly evaporate if they strike.

I was bought up to believe the NHS is the best in the world.

It might well be of its type, but is not the best medical service, many if not all western and some worldwide medical facilities are far superior to the NHS. Nurses have picked a battle at the wrong time with the wrong motive.

The nurses are I believe like the others that are striking, taking action that will alienate them from the very people whose support they seek.

I suggest that as always, if you don’t believe the initial pay increase is fair, do what all sensible and reasonable people do, negotiate by talking with your employer, how would you feel if someone you had agreed to do something for you suddenly stopped work and didn’t complete his contractual obligations and demanded more money also.

Strike action never provides a satisfactory outcome in the long run, believe me I have seen enough to know…….