Strike!

[Smokeandsteam]

Nor normally a fan of Gilbert's obsessive labourism and wisdom after the event style of analysis. However, this is on Mick Lynch and the erasure of the working class from public discourse is very good:

Union boss Mick Lynch is a media star – and Labour has much to learn about why | Jeremy Gilbert

The RMT leader’s clarity is only a surprise because old union hands have long been sidelined, says Jeremy Gilbert, professor at the University of East London

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Mick Lynch is a very impressive man, been making fools out of politicos and journos

 

[ska invita]

Nor normally a fan of Gilbert's obsessive labourism and wisdom after the event style of analysis. However, this is on Mick Lynch and the erasure of the working class from public discourse is very good:

Union boss Mick Lynch is a media star – and Labour has much to learn about why | Jeremy Gilbert

The RMT leader’s clarity is only a surprise because old union hands have long been sidelined, says Jeremy Gilbert, professor at the University of East London

www.theguardian.com

" If the press continues to shut them out, the unions should put some money into giving them a platform: would a YouTube channel devoted to their voices be too expensive to run"

Unions have a lot of moneyand resources compared to pretty much everyone else on the left and their lack of dynamism and outreach is a gaping void in UK politics - so much potential.
I think its the GFTU who have a particualr remit for 'political education' (is that right?) - so little happens really.

 

[teqniq]

More on the vermin not wanting a resolution to the dispute:

Hull MP Karl Turner claims the Government does not want to settle the rail dispute — The Hull Story

Hull MP Karl Turner claims the Government does not want to settle the rail dispute as it wants 'division in the country'

www.thehullstory.com

 

[teqniq]

No surprises here:

 

[Magnus McGinty]

The RMT for London Underground have another 6 month mandate for strike and action short of strike from the ballot results today. Only just over 50% turnout mind.

 

[Jeff Robinson]

The cancer media and scum politicos attempts to demonise the RMT have backfired spectacularly:

 

[Dystopiary]

The cancer media and scum politicos attempts to demonise the RMT have backfired spectacularly:

Furthermore,

 

[editor]

 

[ska invita]

Furthermore,

can you vote for Labour leader with a community membership?

 

[hitmouse]

Missed this thread. Thought it was about a magazine for some reason.

I remember that magazine, think they'd have to be doing very well to get this thread to a 91-pager though. Or very badly.

Many individual MP's have (even Starmer).

However, when the crunch comes: when the interests of the state and the interests of organised labour are pitted against each other the Labour Party as an entity has always backed the former. See the 1984/5 Miners Strike, see In Place of Strife and the Donovan Commission, see the 'winter of discontent' see the General Strike of 1926. I could go on Maybe Corbyn's Labour would have been different but to say that "there used to be a political party that shared the plight of the workers, that would have been saying the things" that Mick Lynch has is a historically inaccurate understanding of the role played by the Parliamentary Labour Party,

This is important, because I can understand how tempting the "if only he was leader of the opposition" reaction can be, but it's also wrong - if Mick Lynch had Kier Starmer's job, he'd probably still be doing it better than Starmer (not a high bar!), but he would not be saying exactly the same things he's saying now, because he'd be performing a different role.

can you vote for Labour leader with a community membership?

I believe this would've been covered extensively back in 2015, what was that one dickhead MP who joined UC and then sued Unite for defamation or something? Anyway, last time round you could, don't know if that's been changed.
ETA: Anna Turley, that was the fucker I was thinking of. Anyway, think you can but I wouldn't recommend it as being a good reason for joining?

 

[hitmouse]

Some perspectives from striking (or potentially striking in the future) public sector workers

Why we are ready to strike: a panel of workers respond | Hannah David and others

Pay freezes, cutbacks and redundancies on top of pandemic burnout and the cost of living crisis have left us with no choice

www.theguardian.com

From that article:

The most important reason for me to put a yes on my ballot paper is the proposed loss of maintenance staff within Network Rail. Believe me, this loss will be the downfall of our railway. I should know, I nearly died in the Hatfield crash.

On 17 October 2000, I was having a normal day working as a host, then my life changed. The train I was working on went over a damaged line at more than 100mph and it shattered beneath us, hurling everyone everywhere. As the train split, I was flung around like a rag doll, desperately trying to find something to hold on to. I’ll never forget those terrifying minutes.

Four people died needlessly that day because proper maintenance had not been carried out.

So, Mr Grant Shapps, this is not just about our pay. This is also about a safe working environment for our members and a safe journey for all people who use our transport systems.

Worth stressing again and again if you encounter anyone parroting the boss/government line about overpaid train drivers or whatever, do people really want to see a loss of railway maintenance staff?

 

[Calamity1971]

Mick Lynch is a very impressive man, been making fools out of politicos and journos

Love him

 

[Lord Camomile]

" If the press continues to shut them out, the unions should put some money into giving them a platform: would a YouTube channel devoted to their voices be too expensive to run"

Unions have a lot of moneyand resources compared to pretty much everyone else on the left and their lack of dynamism and outreach is a gaping void in UK politics - so much potential.

It's getting better, but I feel like there's still a lot trade unions can do to engage with online and 'new media' opportunities.

That said, as has ben noted, the RMT Twitter account has been playing as good a game as their Gen Sec

E2A:

I think its the GFTU who have a particualr remit for 'political education' (is that right?) - so little happens really.

I've been our branch's Union Learning Rep/Branch Education Officer for years, but tbh it's been little more than in name only for most of that time. But, as it happens, we literally had a meeting today about divvying up a new pool of facility time, and fingers crossed some might be coming my way. Had never heard of GFTU (naturally, I keep reading it as GTFO ), but political education is high on my list of targets, so will check 'em out Wanna shift that damned Overton window for our branch

 

[Calamity1971]

Love him

Looks like it's fake. Still love him.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

cd ..

 

[David Clapson]

Maybe I'm biased, but as each day passes with this dispute at the top of the news, Starmer looks even less relevant than he was before. Where's the leadership? How can Labour have nothing to say about the working poor? The party needs to change the leader fast. Starmer needs to be told to resign.

 

[Petcha]

Lynch is on Question Time tonight

 

[tim]

Apparently he also looks like someone else. Something which has got right up Piers Morgan's nose. Probably the most pointless 'interview' hes ever conducted.

Are these aging journalists cryptoMarxists seeking to make a fairly ordinary trade union leader look like the most intelligent person in the country? Or are they all just past it?

 

[tim]

Maybe I'm biased, but as each day passes with this dispute at the top of the news, Starmer looks even less relevant than he was before. Where's the leadership? How can Labour have nothing to say about the working poor? The party needs to change the leader fast. Starmer needs to be told to resign.

Yes, down with this kind of thing!

I think, however, you are wasting your outrage as there are very few posters here who actually support Sir Sheith and no posters here whose advice he would consider listening to.

 

[hitmouse]

Speaking of the RMT running rings around people, have we had this yet?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

 

[Calamity1971]

Journalists ( loose term) across the UK must shit it when they find out they've got to interview him .

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Journalists ( loose term) across the UK must shit it when they find out they've got to interview him .

That Kay Burley, definition of pwned.

 

[Calamity1971]

That Kay Burley, definition of pwned.

Not often she gets trounced like that.
All of them are now on the back foot before he even starts .

 

[Petcha]

He's getting a bit of a pounding on QT

 

[locomotive]

He's getting a bit of a pounding on QT

Now he's generalising the argument he might get back on the front foot.

 

[AmateurAgitator]

He's getting a bit of a pounding on QT

QT is always a stitch up.

 

[Calamity1971]

He's getting a bit of a pounding on QT

At least he's got the business man bloke on his side. Tory heavy audience as per.
Rachel McLean should do gurning lessons.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

QT is always a stitch up.

I normally hate lefties whining about the QT audiences, but this lot really do take the biscuit. So far we’ve been told that it’s monstrous that anyone should complain about pay cuts or being made redundant, some stupid cunt banging on about a rail expo, some posh loudmouth twat (who needs smacking) shouting down someone who actually works on the railway to stop him explaining how the industry is actually organised, Fiona Bruce stepping in as a Tory party spokesperson and some snarky Tory openly lying about what a letter says and then reading it out to prove she’s lying.….I was in a good mood before I watched this shit as well.