Unions- Turkeys voting for Christmas?

[fgrep]

I was speaking to a public sector worker today in the wake of the ICTU decision to buy into the governments €2bn cuts. She made it very clear that her union dues- paid monthly - were not to be taken for granted.
Her attitude was that if her union representatives agreed to cuts in pay or conditions she would leave the union. (Impact)
I note that Impact are now sending a letter out to their members stating that difficult decisions are going to have to be made. Strange that the unions appear to be happy to have their fingerprints on these decisions If what I was told today reflects the views of the membership then I believe a lot of union cards will be returned in the post.

[Dios]

I hope she does leave. The more people leave the unions the less power they ultimately have.

[peader odonnell]

im a strong advocate of trade union membership,and i expect the union leaders to fight for their members,there is a saying in the movement"never give up what you have,it took too long to get it". are we to see the leaders acting as william obrien did in the forties,when he was a willing lapdog of de valera in neutering the unions? "social partnership",my arse!

[Mr.De-Regulation]

Trade unions are the biggest enemy to the working man.

[patslatt]

im a strong advocate of trade union membership,and i expect the union leaders to fight for their members,there is a saying in the movement"never give up what you have,it took too long to get it". are we to see the leaders acting as william obrien did in the forties,when he was a willing lapdog of de valera in neutering the unions? "social partnership",my arse!

A public sector worker has a job for life,is unsackable,makes about 20% more than a comparable private sector job and has a gold plated pension indexed to the wage of the job. And people like you think you are hard done by, like the oppressed and exploited workers of the 19th century. Do you see yourself in the same situation as the coal miners and building workers then who performed highly dangerous and dirty work?

[toxic avenger]

Trade unions are the biggest enemy to the working man.

For the love of God...

[Bobert]

For the love of God...

Marx believed that religion was the greatest enemy of the working man you know...

[thebig C]

Well, I am in the private sector and am not a member of a Union. However, my father, who works in the Health Service, was a member of IMPACT but has now left.

His reasons were as follows, the Unions only fight for their lackies! Secondly, there are a huge number of Union bigwigs promoted into senior(mis)management positions in the public sector, therefore, its no longer in their interest to fight for the workers.

Also, I have always felt that Social Partnership is just a sop to all the Union top brass, who only represent tiny sections of society, to be elevated to to a higher plain, even then most elected politicians. They then s******************** around full of importance and are appointed to numerous state boards, and enjoy many perks. Why are people surprized that despite squabbling they always row behind the government in the end. If they opposed national agreements they would be out in the cold are loose all their cushy little numbers!

In a country were most people blindly vote for dreadful governments the Union leadership know they can always cajole their members to vote for anything!

C

[toxic avenger]

Marx believed that religion was the greatest enemy of the working man you know...

Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions.

• Karl Marx, Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right

Not the enemy, rather the means of relieving distress and giving succour, 'the heart of the heartless world', albeit an illusory means...

[Bobert]

"Opium of the people" and all that jazz says I'm right,