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Wrong Move, NUPW Should Pay Striking Workers

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Submitted by Wayne Cadogan
Submitted by Wayne Cadogan

Anything that is going to negatively affect this country and further push it into the mire, whether it be the government, unions, outside forces or our very own masses, I will speak out against these or any atrocious acts as it is my duty as a Barbadian to enlighten the masses of such damaging acts.

[…]

The NUPW in this case is wrong in stating that the striking Sanitation Workers should be paid for their time off from work. It is the union that called the workers to strike and therefore, they are the ones that should be paying the workers for the time off that they did not work.

There are two issues which are wrong here, one is that the striking workers should not have been on the compound during the strike as it was a union strike initiated by the union and not the business, and secondly, it is the union that should be paying the workers for the time spent off from work during the strike.

The country had to suffer the indignity of not having their garbage collected during the strike, no fault of theirs and therefore should not as taxpayers have to pay the striking workers salaries. The union should be in a position, that if it is going to call its members to go on strike, that they should be in a position to pay the strikers salaries as that is what part of their union dues is supposed to cover. It is grossly unfair for the taxpayers not to have their garbage collected and have to pay the striking workers too.

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212 responses to “Wrong Move, NUPW Should Pay Striking Workers”

  1. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Donna
    This is a difficult situation in which I am not sure what should be done. Both sides seem to have a point. I will think some more on these things.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    You need to learn to trust your man.
    …don’t mind rebellious Islandgal…

  2. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    We are in a bad place.

  3. Observing Avatar
    Observing

    @bushie
    my comments remain as is as usual.

    There’s a huge difference between initiating a wrong action and initiating an action wrongly. Even then, we still haven’t shown or proven (yet) that the action was “wrong” even though we can agree that it was wrongly done.

    You seem stuck on one side of the argument at the glee of finally seeing some balls being displayed and licks being shared.

    P.S. I’m not saying that balls and/or licks excite you…then again, I wouldn’t know.
    And i definitely can’t afford the cost of all the gas that your whacker would use. I know full well that you are usually full of it. wink wink.

    just observing

  4. Observing Avatar
    Observing

    @David 12:42 pm

    That is a freaking understatement if I’ve ever heard one. Hold on to your britches, the worst is yet to come.

  5. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    The unions summoned their members to strike……
    the unions must pay their members who heeded the call to strike.

    Simple!

  6. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    We are in a bad place
    +++++++++++++++++
    Boss, Bushie has been telling you that from back in the ‘good’ old days when Owen was spending big and we were all aiming for ‘first world’ status.
    Unfortunately, YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET….

    @ Observing…
    Now you want to nit-pick about ‘wrong action’ and ‘acting wrongly’?
    You serious…..?
    …and you making suggestions about waiting to ‘prove’ fault….?
    …like with CLICO?

    Give it up.

    Common sense tells you that EVEN if you are RIGHT, in the face of overwhelming foes, it makes no sense quibbling over shiite…
    Boss,
    ….if the TEACHERS at Alexandra were paid….the damn sanitation workers should be paid.
    The only difference was that AC was licking the AX teachers behind….

  7. Observing Avatar
    Observing

    @bushie
    I apologise in reverse

    With Alexandra it was clear before, during AND after that Jeff was partially wrong and the Ministry largely to blame, so yes. Pay them. The SSA have no such cushion of certainty.

    You mention overwhelming foes. This is a complete misnomer if you used it in reference to the unions. I applaud your optimism once again though.

    And please don’t reference CLICO. If ever there was a reason for a government to go, that was it.

    But hey, we like um so.

    Btw, you raise the issue of licking again. Remember that licks eventually lead to sucks and bites.

    Just observing

  8. ac Avatar
    ac

    but deputy daw alias bush shi..t.. i know u might be an old fossil,, and memory might be in the later years of decline,, however the AX problem took more than fifteen years to resolve, therefore when time and patience is factored into the equation and the urgency to active industrial strike over a problem was not of the fore front until fifteen years later added to psychological pain and suffering to the aggrieved teachers,,after such a long period the teachers were deserving of their pay,
    However this present strike action is far removed from the plausible actions of AX teachers whereby the Unions actions does not fit the mold of compensation for the SSS in its truest form for remedy and furthermore a strike action by the Unions which could have been acted upon through mediation as a first preference which would have given way for the SSS compensation in the event strike action was taken as the last resort providing that the govt was wrong

  9. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    @ Somebody isn’t listening to the voice of reason and that voice in this instance belongs to the government, I am afraid to concluded.

    Now, moreover, why is it unadvisable for government to dismissed workers based on age or on their years of service to make room for the younger people who are entering the workforce?

    Well, if some believe that this course of action that the government has taken is overreaching, then the Barbadian government ought to have done what state of Connecticut does with respect to early retirement. The Barbados government should offer those persons who have attained the age of retirement a package which is actually called a (Golden Hand Shake) at the age of 55 or probably 60, and if those persons refuse the package their are then slapped with a 5% deduction in their pension for each year their decide to continue working, and see how quickly their will opt for the retirement package. This makes sense people because for one: it increases the volume of opportunity for those young persons who at 20 and 25 haven’t yet gotten the kind of work experience that you and me had had when we were they ages and quite younger, as a matter of fact.

  10. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    AC

    Do not pay any attention to the BU savant Bush Tea, who begrudges with a snobbish discontent anyone he fears knows more than he does. I marvel at this man’s magnification of self and his overestimation of his own intellect. The very essence of this man’s sense of self calls to mind the old adage which says:” I may think myself so much better than I am.” What a silly individual whose proclivity it is to perpetually stewing in his own juices.

  11. rennydiokno2015 Avatar
    rennydiokno2015

    Reblogged this on My Blog News.

  12. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    Bush Tea

    Now, call on David ( as you have been doing) to take an injunctive action against AC and myself because you haven’t the intestinal-fortitude neither do you have the testicular fortitude to entertain what the both of us have to contribution to a national discussion which involves the future of our small nation. Bushie, you see the both of us as your quondam-antagonist, when we are only the counterpoise and the counterbalance to national discussion which is interwoven, interlaced,intertwine and interfused, deep in the bedrock of partiality and self-righteousness.

  13. LT. HORATIO CAINE. Avatar
    LT. HORATIO CAINE.

    The more this saga continues,the more i realize that these unions are now led by a bunch of bullies for want of a better word,this whole action was ill advised,it was a spontaneous action more so, by a young man who lacks maturity in such matters and to compound the situation it seems,were those who were advising him whether politically or otherwise are also guilty of allowing due process to take it’s proper course.This has now become in my opinion a fiasco,from day one on observing this Mccdowall chap i saw even from his body language that he was hell bent on confrontation with the powers at be,and not at all concerned with how reckless his actions maybe,it was about teaching someone a lesson,yet he has not taken the time himself to learn anything constructive from the field he has now gone into. I read an article on Barbados today,an interview in which he stated that he told his members not to elect an idiot to the job of presidency,but rather elect him and his team,by extension this has shown me that this young man really has to be pulled back by some one,this is pure arrogance, it is obvious that to him the other persons vying for the varied positions were idiots,and only him and his team were the brainiacs, well sir i believe they still did the opposite, that is, they elected an idiot,sad to say.On the issue of the sanitation workers and their pay, i say a resounding no, you should have considered that those who were encouraging you in such an action really do not care if you are paid,or never had any plans in place for you to be paid,it has now become a situation of lets push the government further against the wall and see if they will buckle,i hope they have the fortitude to stand their ground,let your unions pay you.I believe strongly in the rights of workers,but the proper processes must be followed. we cannot have a few misguided persons believing that they can implement drastic measures on the citizenry in the name of unionism and believe that it must be accepted and when these measures that are not well thought out receive condemnation from wider society, you then concoct all types of outlandish schemes, ie.. white powder and hope that you are going to fool persons into believing such drivel to gain support,it will not happen, i eagerly await the outcome of that matter,even though i have heard of selfies being taken and posted on face book in hazmat type suits,and you want me to believe that this was a genuine threat,please.A form of lawlessness is slowly but surely creeping into this nation and if not checked will be problematic,and i am not speaking specifically to the trade union movement it seems to be everywhere.

  14. LT. HORATIO CAINE. Avatar
    LT. HORATIO CAINE.

    correction..it seems that those who were advising him politically or otherwise are also guilty of not allowing due process…

  15. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Lieutenant Caine

    You like most of Barbados do not know how NUPW functions. The National Council of that union is the only body that can authorise industrial action. That body consists of over forty persons who take decisions by majority vote. The President is the chairman of the National Council and ordinarily he does not have a vote. He is only authorised to vote in the event of a tie. So why continually abuse him, he is only doing what his council authorises him to do.

    If you doubt what I am saying, you can ask Donville’s aunt who is a member of the National Council. It would be interesting to find out how she voted on the BIDC strike.

    Sent from my iPad

    >

  16. David Avatar
    David

    It would also be interesting to hear from Danny Gill who visits BU from time to time. Hopefully he has recovered from being trashed by McDowall.

  17. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Are the Custom Officers on strike,or are they on a Go Slow, If they are on an all-out strike will they be paid? And why did the union not advised the SSA employees to adopt a Go Slow strategy, knowing that Government would hardly pay them when it had to direct scarce financial resources towards paying private contractors to remove some of the garbage.

  18. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    As mentioned by the PDC in a post just now under another BU thread, that the DLP and the BLP factions must be absolutely permanently removed – by as many people as possible and using as many political strategies – from the political parliamentary landscape of this country before Barbados becomes – in the next 6 – 11 years – a virtual failed state, the same numbers of people and political efforts must also be involved in the thrust to rightfully SMASH the BWU, NUPW and all other trade unions in this country which themselves are NOT ONLY helping seriously and grossly exploiting workers in this country and wickedly and monstrously helping obstruct workers from evolving into higher states of social existence in this country, BUT are ALSO helping to make sure that – on the whole – Barbados dedevelops and deteriotates socially, politically, materially and financially, at such rapid rate – as is happening now – that it will become a virtual failed state in the said period of time, 6 – 11 years.

    All workers in Barbados must therefore viciously throw these very despicable, disgraceful and parasitic trade unions from off their backs, and seek to help put the country on a new trajectory whereby greater levels of freedom, democracy, social justice, prosperity, development will be secured for the country itself.

    PDC

  19. Clone Avatar
    Clone

    PDC
    You want no taxation and now you want no trade unions.
    Do you ant the business class?
    Even in the most successful communist country in China there are the fastest number of Billionaires right now of the backs of workers who are paid very low wages to produced your American electronic devices

  20. PM vows to protect Barbados Avatar
    PM vows to protect Barbados

    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2015/07/19/stuart-vows-to-protect-the-best-interests-of-barbados/

  21. Pen Avatar
    Pen

    Food for thought Mr. Caswell Franklyn and his union of ten. The unions are now fighting a survival battle for themselves rather than for the workers. Over the past few years, the unions have lost their venom and teeth because time has finally caught up with them and are barely holding on by a thin tread. Without workers to pay dues the unions would not exist, they know that, and that is why they are currently fighting for their cause. Like unions worldwide, they have served their purpose and are now on the brink of self destruction and becoming extinct.

  22. David Avatar
    David

    Why focus on unions losing power? The more relevant question is whether workers need organized representation in an environment where capital holds the upper hand.

    And obvious Unity Workers Union has more than 10 workers or not it would have been ignored by the BWU and NUPW at the recent protest. In fact it was Unity’s militancy at the mental hospital and Customs which added some fire to the ring.

  23. St George's Dragon Avatar
    St George’s Dragon

    @ Dompey July 19, 2015 at 2:43 PM
    “why is it unadvisable (sic) for government to dismissed (sic) workers based on age”.
    Because it is illegal to discriminate on the grounds of age.

  24. ac Avatar
    ac

    Words like “fire” are non productive in seeking resolution fire brings death and destruction. what is needed at the table is less fire and more fire hoses ,such language which was embroiled in the recent strike action gave enough reason for PM stuart to react in the manner in which he did, as the hostility surrounding the strike was not one of seeking peaceful resolve but a commotion befitting of mob rule and antagonistic platitudes

  25. My Two Cents Avatar
    My Two Cents

    When will sanitation workers begin garbage collection? When sickness and disease start to spread would be good guess. The stinking garbage is out of control. This strike ought to deemed a crime against the nation. If the PM is leaning in that direction he’s got my endorsement. People should be locked up for sabotage at sanitation and Customs. They are ruining the country over non issues .

  26. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    St George’s Dragon

    You have a point to a certain extent because I am aware of the age discrimination laws here in America, but I am not quite sure about Barbados. However, one way that government of Barbados can circumvent the age discrimination laws, is to set the retirement age at 55, (as state government does here in the states) and then offer the employee a retirement package at the above age, and he or she refuses to take it then attached a 5% penalty on the pension for each year the employee decides to remain on the job after the designated age of 55. Problem solved.

  27. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    In today’s Nation newspaper, Freundel Stuart is quoted as saying that Government can forcibly retire civil servants at 55.

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/70108/stuart-law

    Now given that the NIS age of retirement is 66+ and there is a penalty for every year of early retirement, can someone (preferably Mr Stuart) explain how the Government of “Barbados more than an economy, it’s a society” will help to protect the financial well being of citizens who are disadvantaged by decisions/events not of their making. It is to be noted that the most recent budget removed contributions to pension plans from the list of tax free allowances. Tax payers now pay tax on income earned before retirement and then pay tax again on any income earned from their savings after retirement. Also NIS pensions are withheld or reduced if a pensioner attempts to augment his pension by taking paid employment. It is clear that Government is moving to institute fees for health care. If the UWI experience is anything to go by, this will come suddenly like a thief in the night and those unfortunate to be sick now and not having time and warning to make provision will find themselves in a proverbial hell. Mr Stuart’s supporters like to extol his command of language but words such as “gradual, transitional, measured etc” seem not to be part of his vocabulary. If one is 30 years old there may be time to put in place a financial plan to make provision for the demands of retirement, health care, education of children etc which are 20 to 30 years ahead. This is not so easy if one is over 50 and those demands are just 5 to 10 years ahead.

    The trouble is that should the BLP take over the administration of Government, I suspect that the same policies would be enacted given that the source of these policies i.e. the senior civil servants and the various multi lateral lending agencies will still be in place. Therein lies the problem, the political parties are so bereft of any understanding of the problems (and their solutions) that once elected they meekly accept the prescriptions of these technocrats (who notably do not suffer the privations that they inflict on the common people) and confine themselves to personal aggrandizement and to winning elections at any cost.

  28. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    Ping Pong

    And the prime minister is quite correct because it has and still is being done elsewhere in the world. So the prime minister is not just speaking on the basis of hypothesis as you may have assumed. I gather that he has done he research and knows what he is talking about. In the State Service here in the U.S. for example: as soon as one reaches the age of 55 he or she is out . In the Armed Forces here as well, the enlisted are out by 40, so the prime minister is vested with the authority to determining the age of retirement. And if you think that he doesn’t have that vested authority to force government workers out at 55, then he could arranged the pension package in such away that the civil servant has but no alternative to leave at 55 because for him or her to stay would mean forfeiting a sizable portion of his or her pension.

  29. ac Avatar
    ac

    ‘No discrimination’

    The controversial decision made by the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) to ask workers who have reached the age of 60 to retire is not discrimination as many Barbadians have been led to believe.
    Rather, it is a decision that is based on the Section Eight of the Statutory Board Pensions Act and as a result it is well within the rights of that organization to ask these works to go into retirement if it is a part of their restructuring efforts.
    This is coming from Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Freundel Stuart, who addressed a luncheon of the Christ Church West constituency at Almond Bay Caterers yesterday.
    “The BIDC relied on Section Eight of the Statutory Board Pensions Act to ask workers over the age of 60 to retire as part of the reorganization of that corporation [and not] as we have been told that Section Eight of the Statutory Board Pensions Act was being wrongly interpreted by the BIDC and are even been told that even if it is not being wrongly interpreted, the fact that it gives the Board the power to ask people to retire if or when they reach the age of 60, means that the legislation should be repealed or that part of the legislation should be repealed because it is a discrimination against persons who are 60 years old or over.”
    The Prime Minister stated that if one were led to believe that this was the case, then persons under the age of 18 could also fairly argue that the law discriminates against them because they are not old enough to vote, those over 66 can say that the law discriminates against them because they have to retire even if they want to continue to work and those under the age of 16 can say that they law discriminates against them because they are too young to go for their driver’s licence, explained Stuart.
    “Now that is what is being fed in the minds of Barbadians in the day of July, 2015. So it is now open to people who are not yet age 18 to say that because they cannot vote until they get to age 18, below is discrimination against them too. And it is not open to persons who have to retire at age 66 in the year 2015, but who would like to go on working for another four or five years, they too can say that the law is discriminating against people who are 66 because it does not allow them to work until they want to stop working? And those people who cannot get a driver’s licence until they get to age 16, they are inclined to say that the law discriminates against them because persons under 16 should be able to get a driver’s licence and because the law says you can only get one at age 16, that is discrimination

  30. David Avatar
    David

    @Ping Pong

    Hopefully this matter will end up in court to rule whether the ERA wins over the other laws but we know how long we will have to wait and it is obviously why the unions prefer to follow customer and consult which has been a hallmark of our IR climate through the years.

  31. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Bushie,

    In case you haven’t noticed I’m a bit of a rebel as well. But never without a cause.

  32. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    I believe that the best course of action would be for the Government to pay the workers pending the outcome of legal deliberations on the matter. If the Unions prove to be wrong in the interpretation of the law then they should stand the expense and if the Government is in the wrong then all will be well. If one strikes because of unfair actions of the employer then the employer should stand the cost of his unfair action.

  33. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Bushie,

    THIRTEEN children separated from their parents last week by the CCB. I trust NO MAN more than myself.

  34. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    I see the PM is at it again. Doesn’ t he realize that whenever he speaks he dismisses people to the point that they feel the need to prove themselves? He needs to stop antagonizing everybody with unnecessary and offensive strong language. I don’t think he realizes how he comes across to the average citizen.

    I carried out a few experiments recently. I brought his name up in a few groups of rational, cool persons who more likely than not voted D. (It was a DLP stronghold.) Everybody’s face contorted with anger simultaneously. Everybody admitted to voting D. Everybody described him in the same manner- insensitive, arrogant, dismissive, disparaging, uncaring. Everybody admitted that they never thought he would behave in this manner. Some admitted that he used to be their friend but no longer. He seems to have morphed into something he wasn’t before. Somebody needs to show him what he has become.

  35. bookworm Avatar
    bookworm

    Yet again Barbados knows better than the rest of the world.

    A worker gets paid as a reward for his/her labour,that is accepted by the rest of the world.
    A union calls a strike and the worker performs no labour so the employer has no obligation to pay.This is also the norm in the rest of the world.
    The union collects subscriptions in the form of union dues and with this money provides a support net for its members in the form of legal support, negotiation support and financial support in the event of an official strike etc.
    The sanitation were called out by the union so how can the employer be expected to pay?
    The union must have a very large bank balance as I know of no instance where they have paid strike pay……oh, hang on, they have to pay a top heavy executive,fund top end vehicles,foreign travel,pensions for retired executives.so nothing left for striking members!
    I hope that the young Turks in charge of the unions can clean it up.

  36. David Avatar
    David

    Isn’t there a reason why the IR landscape in Barbados has been calm over the years?

  37. ac Avatar
    ac

    And in the mean time while the Law is being perceived as an a.ss .The correct process of guidance by preferential concerns for the country should be of utter most importance. However hopefully after a second warning by PM to those who insist and persist to take matters of their own version of law to disrupt and disturb country security / hopefully sooner rather than later the PM would act upon his words by the guidance of law to bring structure for the safety and security for the people andcountry

  38. bookworm Avatar
    bookworm

    @ac

    You advocating a dictatorship?

  39. St George's Dragon Avatar
    St George’s Dragon

    @ David
    Is that because there were cosy deals agreed in smoke filled rooms?
    Surely industrial relations should be dealt with in an open and transparent way? I suspect that the unions had a deal with Government not to strike or push for pay increases because of the economic climate. That should have been made public. Was it?
    This also leads back to one of Barbados’ problems – unequal enforcement of the law. If you have friends in high places, the law gets bent for you. If you are a powerful sanitation worker you get paid for not working.
    That’s just plain wrong. Strike and your Union should pay you. Work and your employer should pay you.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @St Georges Dragon

    What ever deals were made McDowall is obviously acting on a new mandate. The government will have to deal with it. So far the hard talk from the PM is like pouring oil on fire, it has hardened the conversation. In the mean time Barbados is filthy at crop over.

    Leaders manage outcomes.

  41. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Just a few questions that hopefully Caswell or someone else versed in the tenets of Unionism in Barbados will answer;

    Several Governments in Barbados (D&B) have made muscular noises about deducting pay from workers who went on strike. Have these threats ever been made good? and if so under what circumstances?

    Is it the actual tradition, whenever the dust settles, that the strikers are paid by Government?

    Is there an expectation by workers and the Union that the Government will pay the workers?

    Irrespective of the logic intrinsic in the question posed by this blog, is it totally outside of normal practice for Government to stick to a policy of not paying strikers?

    Were wages witheld from strikers in the major strikes in the past, eg, the Great Grand Duke strike?

    Does the NUPW have a strike fund?

    Is the Private sector different to Government in this regard?

    Is the question being asked irrelevant for Government workers?

    What did the social partnership do to reduce the incidence of strikes in Government?

    Are conditions for workers much worse today than say 9 years ago?

    Is there something wrong with Donna’s solution earlier this morning after having thought about the matter overnight and come to a clear understanding of the issues?

    Is the PM muddying the waters?

    Why is the PM muddying the waters?

    Why is he talking about invoking the Public Order act at this stage?

    Are the SSA workers being involved in treasonable behavior or only witholding their labour?

    ………. (to be continued, have to go out)

  42. Bajanfuhlife Avatar
    Bajanfuhlife

    @Caswell Franklyn – it is not surprising that Caswell Franklyn in relation to paying striking SSA workers is now talking about what might be the custom as opposed to what is the law. Simple question : Should taxpayers pay the striking SSA workers or should the NUPW who told them not to work pay them?

    Mr. Franklyn, you cannot pick and choose when to use law and when to use what is usually the norm.
    Not one red cent from our taxpayers money- the union leadership want to have their cake and eat it too.

  43. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    The SSA is on the job.They were seen picking up refuse in neighborhoods on the west coast

  44. David Avatar
    David

    @Bajanfuhlife

    If you want to stick to the law then you need to advise the MoL to do so as well. What social partnership what if there is the ERA and ERT!?!

  45. ac Avatar
    ac

    @book worm
    and how is that so? when under a democracy the law gives guidance for the protection and national security of people and country .Presently actions being demonstrated by “wild cat strikes” taking place with actions that are not in accordance and agreement with the laws of country and labour law gives a”special right of privilege “to govt to interact such laws

  46. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    Leaders manage OUTCOMES
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Absolutely brilliant boss….

    ..the only thing worse than a worker on strike ..is a worker not admitting that he is on strike.

    So when Froon rant and rave and take AC’s idiotic advice…the workers may agree to turn up for work alright …..Was it Ed Bushell that came up with the term ‘presentism’…?

    …any bets that AC /Dompey are hand-to-mouth morons? …who never created ANYTHING in their whole lives …and who think that ‘leading’ is being up front exposing their asses…

    OOPS ….Froon too….!!!

    Jackasses come in all forms and fashion…..

  47. David Avatar
    David

    Alex Mcdonald made a point often repeated on BU. Stuart must communicate in a way that will resonate with Barbadians. If he fails to do so his tenure will remain fractious until 2018 and the country will suffer for it.

  48. Observing Avatar
    Observing

    @david
    The landscape’s was calm before because the previous leaders all came from the same bracket/generation and spoke the language of conciliation and compromise along with public representation. Coming down the stretch though the Unions leaned to far forward and got rear ended in the process.

    Btw, outcomes are the results of processes initiated based on objectives framed within a particular vision. It’s unrealistic to judge solely on the outcomes.

    One can argue that McDowall also stoked the fire with his comments directed at the PM directly after the march.

    @awty
    Nuff questions man! The long and short of it is that public workers can legally have their wages withheld after striking. In the private sector after a dispute there would usually be a part of the agreement which says the striking employees will be paid in full, especially if it’s clear that the employer erred in some respects.

    Yes I would say that conditions for workers are worse now, but I lay the blame for that on the Unions. They stood still while sh#* rolled uphill.

    The PM isn’t muddying the waters, he’s drawing his line in the sand and throwing down the gauntlet. It’s up to the Unions to respond.

    @bajanfuhlife
    Leave Caswell. He’s a good man with a good heart but emotion and ego can often discolour objective interpretation. Plus he knows that he also has to “keep noise”

    And also, the law is a proven ass.

    If at this stage the unions don’t realise that they have to comprehensively and strategically join together then irrelevance will be the least of their worries.

    Just observing

  49. David Avatar
    David

    @Observing

    Managing outcomes by the leader is easy to understand, how it is achieved defines leadership. Agree with you about the unions need to forge common positions is a prerequisite for forcing their way to the table. To hear Caswell is fighting for appointments and the others something different is worrying.

  50. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David,

    Is Caswell fighting for appointments. I believe he said that due to the CCJ ruling the benefits of being appointed had evaporated?

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