‘March for the Alternative’ - 26th March - London

[girasol]

and that is why nothing ever happens in this country... bickering! GENERAL STRIKE! Stand United.

el pueblo unido jamas sera vencido.

 

[Combustible]

Does anyone have any further details on the tax avoidance of Fortnum and Mason's owners (beyond that found here.

 

[Corax]

You talk about numbers like a manager. I am worried about the already poor standards of care. How will these remain unaffected?

If there is a general strike then the people who work in the NHS will make sure that wards are staffed at the minimum level to ensure patients' safety.

Because of the way the NHS has been repeatedly fucked about with wards are currently staffed at a minimum level to ensure patients' safety.

Nothing will change.

Are you deliberately being difficult, or are you just fucking thick?

 

[Kizmet]

If you don't wish to discuss something personal, then don't cite it as justification for an argument. Or people will conclude that you are using the age-old internet tactic of 'I am an authority on this I just can't tell you why'.

Like iI said, I didn't expect a personal question... there was no need for one. I had forgotten that you are the type of small-minded penis that would use someone's personal information against them. So I'm hesitant. Not because it's personal, more because you are a cunt and don't deserve adult conversation.

And I couldn't give a fuck what you would or would not give me because I think you are a right-wing cunt.

Yeah, but you are deeply stupid.

 

[Kizmet]

If there is a general strike then the people who work in the NHS will make sure that wards are staffed at the minimum level to ensure patients' safety.

Because of the way the NHS has been repeatedly fucked about with wards are currently staffed at a minimum level to ensure patients' safety.

Nothing will change.

Are you deliberately being difficult, or are you just fucking thick?

So there will be a strike where nothing changes. And you are accusing me of being difficult?

 

[Proper Tidy]

Like iI said, I didn't expect a personal question

So don't bring it up then. It's quite simple.

 

[shaman75]

Does anyone have any further details on the tax avoidance of Fortnum and Mason's owners (beyond that found here.

no idea.

but then i have no idea what this means either

The overall tax charge for the year benefited from a £27m (2009 – £25m) credit for tax relief on the amortisation of non-operating intangible assets and goodwill arising from acquisitions. No tax arose on the profit on the sale of businesses or on the loss on disposal of non-current assets.

http://www.abfreports.com/our-business/financial-review.htm

 

[Kizmet]

Or, you could consider not being a wanker all your life....

 

[Proper Tidy]

Or, you could consider not being a wanker all your life....

Very droll lol.

God you are shit.

 

[Corax]

So there will be a strike where nothing changes. And you are accusing me of being difficult?

Profile. International news coverage. A very clear expression of public dissatisfaction and rebellion. The only thing governments are afraid of (barring neckshots) is mass unpopularity, because that threatens their power and income.

Are you reading the thread, or just having a tantrum?

 

[Kizmet]

And so we come full circle.... if those are the things you are trying to achieve a strike is not necessarily the best way to achieve it.

 

[Proper Tidy]

It is though. And, of course, strikes also have an economic impact that demonstrations cannot.

 

[Kizmet]

There are 2 problems... a) a 24 hour general strike is unlikely b) It wouldn't have the desired effect without massive public backing.

We might assume it's there, but that's no guarantee. Large amounts of people are pissed off at the government, we don't want them to be distracted by being pissed off with each other.

 

[claphamboy]

Or because people thought it too obvious to be worth answering.

How does a strike affect the employer. I mean, really.

Well, with a private company it hurts them in their pockets, AKA profits, but that doesn't apply to the government.

In fact the opposite - they get to save paying wages for the day, the public sector workers' are out of pocket by a day’s wages on top of being financially fucked left, right & centre anyway.

Most other people will probably not notice much and just shrug it off, unless they need public transport to get to work, in which case they’ll work from home, take a day off or try to struggle in anyway. A few may suffer.

A 24-hour public sector strike will achieve absolutely fuck all.

Profile. International news coverage. A very clear expression of public dissatisfaction and rebellion. The only thing governments are afraid of (barring neckshots) is mass unpopularity, because that threatens their power and income.

Well, it may get some international news coverage, that would most likely strengthen the government's resolve for fear of being seen as weak to the 'markets'.

I doubt this government is in fear of mass unpopularity, its years until the next election and they are taking a gamble that they will turn things around in time for that.

 

[Proper Tidy]

A 24 hour public sector strike would have the backing of the overwhelming majority of public sector workers. It doesn't need the backing of anybody else but the workers taking strike action (although, of course, everybody knows at least one public sector worker), and such a strike would provide the opportunity to put the alternatives to the austerity programme firmly on the agenda, with a view to a 24 hour general strike.

Co-ordinated public sector strikes are not 'unlikely' given the whole of the pubic sector is being attacked (pensions would be a good bet); and, as with all these things, a mass campaign calling for co-ordinated action across all public sector unions would vastly increase the likelihood.

 

[Proper Tidy]

Well, with a private company it hurts them in their pockets, AKA profits, but that doesn't apply to the government.

Yes it does.

In fact the opposite - they get to save paying wages for the day, the public sector workers' are out of pocket by a day’s wages on top of being financially fucked left, right & centre anyway.

And the govt has to pay out fuck loads to prepare for the strike; loses all its tax revenue for the day; and yet still has to, at some point, undertake all the work they would have undertaken on the strike day.

Most other people will probably not notice much and just shrug it off, unless they need public transport to get to work, in which case they’ll work from home, take a day off or try to struggle in anyway. A few may suffer.

Lol. Public transport isn't public sector.

A 24-hour public sector strike will achieve absolutely fuck all.

It would though. You seem to be saying that strikes don't work in sectors that aren't directly generating a profit. But you are wrong.

 

[claphamboy]

.....with a view to a 24 hour general strike.

LOL, loads of massive 'if's' & 'but's', but at the end of the day it'll never happen.

Feel free to dream on.

 

[Proper Tidy]

Okay I will

 

[claphamboy]

Lol. Public transport isn't public sector.

Did I say it was? Although, by proxy, much of it could be considered to be.

I just assumed you were including public transport in your plan to bring the government to its knees, but if you’re not – this idea will have even less impact.

 

[stethoscope]

.

 

[magneze]

A quick point that is relevant but often totally ignored. 43% of union members are from the private sector. http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file25737.pdf

The media often bang on about how the march was all about the public sector. Bollocks was it. It was and will continue to be about everyone.

 

[Kizmet]

And the govt has to pay out fuck loads to prepare for the strike; loses all its tax revenue for the day; and yet still has to, at some point, undertake all the work they would have undertaken on the strike day.

And, should they manage it, would score a massive publicity boost. Might even be enough to see them re-elected.

 

[stethoscope]

The media often bang on about how the march was all about the public sector. Bollocks was it. It was and will continue to be about everyone.

Innit.

 

[Proper Tidy]

Did I say it was?

Yes, you did.

Most other people will probably not notice much and just shrug it off, unless they need public transport to get to work, in which case they’ll work from home, take a day off or try to struggle in anyway. A few may suffer.

Although, by proxy, much of it could be considered to be.

No it couldn't.

I just assumed you were including public transport in your plan to bring the government to its knees, but if you’re not – this idea will have even less impact.

How would private sector industries be included in a public sector strike?

 

[Proper Tidy]

And, should they manage it, would score a massive publicity boost. Might even be enough to see them re-elected.

lol

 

[Kizmet]

I doubt you'll find it funny.

 

[Proper Tidy]

I doubt it would happen.

 

[Kizmet]

I doubted they would get in in the first place. I didn't think we could be that stupid. I was wrong.

A public sector strike without general backing is like an open goal.

 

[Hocus Eye.]

A public sector strike that would hurt the government financially would be the Inland Revenue. In any case the idea of public sector strikes is to cause disruption and thus inconvenience the government as employer. The cuts are affecting jobs so a strike is a legitimate industrial dispute. As Mark Serwotka pointed out yesterday in his speech, the effects of public sector strikes are much greater if they all happen at the same time. The issue of pension cuts across the entire public sector is a unifying factor.

Co-ordinated demands for a reversal of these cuts could be made, and when the government response is negative, strike ballots across the sector would coincide. This would be less than a General Strike but how one of those could be created is beyond me. A real General Strike would probably generate opposition from Lib Dem supporters who would volunteer to drive buses and do the various scab like activities that happened in the last General Strike. The level of political awareness in this country is rather low.

 

[magneze]

That's undoubtedly true - how do we raise the level of political awareness? The question occurred to me as I walked through the shoppers of the west end afterwards. Some were totally oblivious as to what was going on. It both annoyed and depressed me. How do we reach them? Do we need to? Or is it just a matter of waiting until the cuts bite them? Argh.