Current Events > Britain grinds to a HALT as 500,000 workers go ON STRIKE!!!!

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/5/6/AAefUOAAEJLM.jpg

uh oh

Get back to work ya lazy bums

Jk

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/uk/300797490/uk-grinds-to-a-halt-as-hundreds-of-thousands-of-workers-strike

Thousands of schools in the UK closed some or all of their classrooms, train services were paralysed and delays were expected at airports on the biggest day of industrial action Britain has seen in more than a decade, as unions stepped up pressure on the government Wednesday (local time) to provide better pay amid a cost-of-living crisis.
The Trades Union Congress, a federation of unions, estimated that up to a half-million workers, including teachers, university staff, civil servants, border officials and train drivers, went on strike across the country.
More walkouts, including by nurses and ambulance workers, are planned for the coming days and weeks.
Months of strikes have disrupted the daily routines of Britons as a bitter dispute between unions and the government over pay and working conditions drags on. The simultaneous strikes across multiple industries on Wednesday marked an escalation of the unions' protest actions.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1729027/strikes-live-UK-latest-updates-teachers-civil-servants-Royal-Mail-Amazon

Jeremy Corbyn joins other Labour MPs supporting the massive strike action taking place today across the country. Corbyn, who has been amongst a enormous crowd moving through London, announced his support for the demonstration this morning. He was among other MPs who have joined the picket line today, despite Keir Starmer saying no MP should be on the picket line if they want to be in government.
The Conservative Party press office shared Twitter posts showing 13 Labour MPs, including Richard Burgon, Ian Lavery and Kate Osborne taking part in Walkout Wednesday. Mr Corbyn tweeted the following at 10:48 today: Today, 500,000 workers are taking historic strike action. They are striking for decent pay. They are striving for social justice. They are fighting for us all.
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he believed Labour MPs should be on the picket lines as well. He joined striking workers outside the Treasury and various locations in his constituency of Hayes and Harlington.
Half a million Britons are expected to take part in "Walkout Wednesday", which will see workers including teachers, civil servants, train drivers, and Amazon warehouse staff refuse to show up to work to demand pay rises amid soaring inflation and eye-watering energy bills. The largest coordinated action in a generation will see schools close, the military on standby to help at Britain's borders, and no rail services running across much of the country - but the Government is refusing to bring in pay rises, saying they will further drive inflation.

On the one hand their governement has made a collossal fuck-up and mismangagement of just about everything on the other hand they voted that government in and will do so again.

Based

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

We could

__starsnostars posted...

On the one hand their governement has made a collossal fuck-up and mismangagement of just about everything on the other hand they voted that government in and will do so again.

Half a million Britons are expected to take part in "Walkout Wednesday", which will see workers including teachers, civil servants, train drivers, and Amazon warehouse staff refuse to show up to work to demand pay rises amid soaring inflation and eye-watering energy bills.

time for the neet uprising =]

Been months of rotating strikes, with more to come. And the government's solution?

Make striking illegal.

__starsnostars posted...

On the one hand their governement has made a collossal fuck-up and mismangagement of just about everything on the other hand they voted that government in and will do so again.

It's more that due to Gerrymandering, a shitty voting system in FPTP and wearing people down the Tories get in with a minority of the vote across the country.

Thankfully their popularity is beyond abysmal now at least. No matter how many migrant children they promise to drown in the Chanel or Trans people they call monsters.

US has the same problems but the citizen probably won't strike they are too brainwashed to slurp big corps

sigh

should also mention France has had million plus people strike for like a week or more now due to the government trying to raise retirement dates

they literally cutting off energy to the elites houses

french workers are based

Pip pip wots awl iss now den?!

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

this country doesn't have the fucking balls
everyone here only thinks about themselves

US thing but on similar line:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/6/1/AAefUOAAEJLR.jpg

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


we can
we should

keep in mind one difference is the USA has literal APCs and Tanks in the police force and all cops have guns

in most Europe as I understand it the cops don't even have guns though during a strike that might change not sure

WingsOfGood posted...

US has the same problems but the citizen probably won't strike they are too brainwashed to slurp big corps

sigh

The strike in England is trying to force the government to pay them more. But the US is ruled by corporations, not the government.

Imit8m3 posted...

The strike in England is trying to force the government to pay them more. But the US is ruled by corporations, not the government.

thanks sorry I am stupid American forgive my ignorance

also another thing different is in UK as they strike they still have healthcare right?

US really has what is has in place to prevent strikes....
military police
healthcare tied to job

smh

Do they have a striking loicense?

WingsOfGood posted...

also another thing different is in UK as they strike they still have healthcare right?

For now.

Part of why many of us in healthcare are striking, along with pay and terrible conditions. The NHS is getting several leagues beyond breaking point and the Tories refuse to actually put effort into fixing it, rather privatising more and more of it and talking about how it should no longer be 'Free at point of use', as it currently is.

WingsOfGood posted...

we can
we should

keep in mind one difference is the USA has literal APCs and Tanks in the police force and all cops have guns

in most Europe as I understand it the cops don't even have guns

Good point

Huh? But I thought theyd be a paradise after brexit?

Funkydog posted...

For now.

Part of why many of us in healthcare are striking, along with pay and terrible conditions. The NHS is getting several leagues beyond breaking point and the Tories refuse to actually put effort into fixing it, rather privatising more and more of it and talking about how it should no longer be 'Free at point of use', as it currently is.

oh snap
that is sad

greedy punks

Are there mainstream American outlets reporting on it? Seems like pretty important news

the_pika posted...

Huh? But I thought theyd be a paradise after brexit?

Oh, it absolutely is.

For the rich Tories, that is! Open corruption, openly lying, openly hiring previous fired politicians, openly giving their mates millions, openly calling for the death of migrants, openly calling to leave a humans right court the UK helped set up...

You know, good wholesome values!

Imit8m3 posted...

Good point

literally the reason why we heard cops killing people like every week is they are TRAINED to treat what they perceive as working class people as criminals whose lives aren't worth much...
because that is how the Capitalists set it all up as it keeps those who they exploit for profit..."in line"

Trumpo posted...

Do they have a striking loicense?

You joke, but the fucking Tories have just voted for a bill to ban striking.

It's likely that the House of Lords will tell them to fuck off, but it's still alarmingly dystopian, even for those pricks.

David1988 posted...

Are there mainstream American outlets reporting on it? Seems like pretty important news

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/01/uk-strikes-half-a-million-brits-are-taking-part-in-the-biggest-walkout-for-12-years.html

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-set-biggest-strike-action-years-teachers-civil-servants-walk-out-2023-02-01/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/01/britain-strike-unions-cost-of-living/

Funkydog posted...

Oh, it absolutely is.

For the rich Tories, that is! Open corruption, openly lying, openly hiring previous fired politicians, openly giving their mates millions, openly calling for the death of migrants, openly calling to leave a humans right court the UK helped set up...

You know, good wholesome values!

the tories and the GOP are basically twins I see

Funkydog posted...

Oh, it absolutely is.

For the rich Tories, that is! Open corruption, openly lying, openly hiring previous fired politicians, openly giving their mates millions, openly calling for the death of migrants, openly calling to leave a humans right court the UK helped set up...

You know, good wholesome values!

wow

will they be removed from power? what kind of public protest would that take?

Funkydog posted...

openly calling to leave a humans right court the UK helped set up...

So long as "human rights" is "where money?" already half of the conservatives want nothing to so with it.
The "family values" conservatives never did.

Funkydog posted...

Oh, it absolutely is.

For the rich Tories, that is! Open corruption, openly lying, openly hiring previous fired politicians, openly giving their mates millions, openly calling for the death of migrants, openly calling to leave a humans right court the UK helped set up...

You know, good wholesome values!

when did this happen?

i 100% believe it happened, I just want to read more

__starsnostars posted...

On the one hand their governement has made a collossal fuck-up and mismangagement of just about everything on the other hand they voted that government in and will do so again.

This. Mix in Brexit and here we are.

So... we still waiting for the trickle down economics to happen then right?

HBOSS posted...

So... we still waiting for the trickle down economics to happen then right?

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/7/8/AAefUOAAEJLi.jpg

the_pika posted...

when did this happen?

i 100% believe it happened, I just want to read more

I might be exaggerating a little, but it is essentially what they are intentionally causing.

From refusing to provide people crossing the Channel a safe means to do so, but also telling them the only way they can immigrate or claim asylum here is to get to the country itself. Then they act confused when they come to the country.

And then their attempts to still ship people off to Rwanda, despite the concerns that LGBTQ+ people will be in serious danger from doing so. Nevermind having no connection to Rwanda or speaking the language.

And all from the children of immigrants, now trying to enact laws that would mean their parents wouldn't have been able to immigrate to Britain.

WingsOfGood posted...

will they be removed from power? what kind of public protest would that take?

A full scale revolt at this point tbh. They don't need to call an election until '25 I believe it is, and I don't see them doing it as that is still another 2 years to steal money from the country and make it so Labour can't fix the mess. And then they can sail in to an easy 10 year victory on the grounds of "fixing Labour's mess"

Holy shit I feel like an idiot. Here I am in my room working from home in London only going out once in a while and I had no idea this was happening right now >_>

I'm just chilling playing FFXIV and Pokemon.

Funkydog posted...

I might be exaggerating a little, but it is essentially what they are intentionally causing.

From refusing to provide people crossing the Channel a safe means to do so, but also telling them the only way they can immigrate or claim asylum here is to get to the country itself. Then they act confused when they come to the country.

And then their attempts to still ship people off to Rwanda, despite the concerns that LGBTQ+ people will be in serious danger from doing so. Nevermind having no connection to Rwanda or speaking the language.

And all from the children of immigrants, now trying to enact laws that would mean their parents wouldn't have been able to immigrate to Britain.

A full scale revolt at this point tbh. They don't need to call an election until '25 I believe it is, and I don't see them doing it as that is still another 2 years to steal money from the country and make it so Labour can't fix the mess. And then they can sail in to an easy 10 year victory on the grounds of "fixing Labour's mess"

infuriating.

SpiritSephiroth posted...

Holy s*** I feel like an idiot. Here I am in my room working from home in London only going out once in a while and I had no idea this was happening right now >_>

I'm just chilling playing FFXIV and Pokemon.

CEOs: REEEEEEE

My man just said

WE REFUSE TO BE POOR AND WE ARE GONNA WIN!

https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/comments/10r4qrs/rmt_union_leader_mick_lynch_addresses_40000/

amazing!!!!

Britain is so fucked right now but I love this energy. I don't know if it'll change anything though...

WingsOfGood posted...

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell

excuse me, shadow chancellor?

Kaiganeer posted...

excuse me, shadow chancellor?

It is used to designate the lead economic spokesman for the Opposition. The name 'Shadow Chancellor' has also been used for the corresponding position for the Liberal Democrats, the Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson.

It fits with the context though

indica posted...

Britain is so fucked right now but I love this energy. I don't know if it'll change anything though...

Accelerated privatization, and maybe capital flight.

General Strike go?

Few days old but still has some good info highlighted

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/jan/28/staff-at-british-museum-to-strike-during-half-term-break

Fresh strikes have been called by the biggest civil service union in its long-running dispute over jobs, pay and pensions.

Members of the Public and Commercial Service union (PCS) at the British Museum will take industrial action in Februarys half-term school holiday..

More than 100 members of the museums visitor services and security teams will take seven days action from 13 February.

The union said the strike between 13 and 17 February was likely to disrupt the printing of driving licences and affect other print jobs at His Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
In a separate dispute, PCS members working as legal advisers and court associates in more than 80 courts across England and Wales have called four days of strikes from 3 February.
The announcement comes before a strike by up to half a million workers next Wednesday, including 100,000 PCS members.
The PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said: We warned ministers that our action would spread if they ignored our demands, and were good to our word.
In failing to come to the table with any new money, the government has failed its own workforce the very people they praised for keeping the country running during the pandemic.
More than 60 PCS members will start five days of action at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Wales on the same day.

WingsOfGood posted...

US thing but on similar line:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/6/1/AAefUOAAEJLR.jpg

It's worth noting that in the UK the Government has spent more tax payer money directly into private train companies PROFIT (Not operating costs, profit) during strikes than it would have cost to pay out all of the strikers demands on day 1 wholesale without any negotiation.

There is absolutely no defense for the UK Tory party, they are immoral, insane and inpractical.

It's not even "Terse but firm smart economics." they are flat out battering the economy just to make 600,000 or so millionaires/billionaires richer at the cost of 60 million people.

And yet British people STILL defend the tories and vote conservative and yell at me for pointing out facts.

even though every single thing that has happened in the past 13 years was obvious and has been predicted every step of the way.

UnfairRepresent posted...

It's worth noting that in the UK the Government has spent more tax payer money directly into private train companies PROFIT (Not operating costs, profit) during strikes than it would have cost to pay out all of the strikers demands on day 1 wholesale without any negotiation.

There is absolutely no defense for the UK Tory party, they are immoral, insane and inpractical.

It's not even "Terse but firm smart economics." they are flat out battering the economy just to make 600,000 or so millionaires/billionaires richer at the cost of 60 million people.

And yet British people STILL defend the tories and vote conservative and yell at me for pointing out facts.

even though every single thing that has happened in the past 13 years was obvious and has been predicted every step of the way.

wow the people should jail them

the world at the moment feels like it is on the tipping point like back during the days of the French Revolution

Note that all the French Revolution accomplished was a power vacuum that Napoleon slid right into.

UnfairRepresent posted...

It's worth noting that in the UK the Government has spent more tax payer money directly into private train companies PROFIT (Not operating costs, profit) during strikes than it would have cost to pay out all of the strikers demands on day 1 wholesale without any negotiation.

"Private profit / public losses" needs to end as a concept.

As based as based can be