Ulster Workers Strike 2024

[JohnDenver]

Are people really in dire dire straits? Like really? Some people are vulnerable surely but the vast vast majority I would argue are not. Otherwise they would change who they vote for. They would look to change things. From what I can see most people in NI are happy enough with the status quo of SF / DUP. And but extension happy enough with their standard of living.

Ordinary everyday people don't care about Health or Education or NI Water or other government departments or agencies. When SF boycotted Stormont and health waiting lists ballooned, their vote went up. It's the same story with the DUP and Jeffrey can face the unions and say comfortably that he has a mandate. He knows his policy is popular.

Everyday people don't give one f**k. And the Unions would need to consider that.

I don't know how, but every day you surpass yourself in being a complete tool

[seafoid]

Yeah the issue is not entirely funding. Inefficiency is probably as big an issue mainly through layers of bureaucracy.

There are a number of reasons why people still in the jobs in the NHS - some feel it's a vocation and not everyone can move into private. Nursing wise etc there are significant staff shortages. That also gets me - if they could get loads more nurses for example they would but they won't pay the existing ones more. Also they won't get more until they pay the existing one more. I have doctor friends who refuse to work private - I'm sure they're far from alone too. Brexit has f**ked it too.

I still fail to understand how the UK has so little money given how much tax etc the f**kers are given. It's not like less tax is being paid.

The subvention is fixed and UK inflation is the highest in Western Europe.
Electricity prices in the South are 90% higher than in 2020.
Foor prices in the South are increasing at 6% per year. Add whatever on top for the UK .

Most people in the North probably wouldn't be as fluirseach as the gaaboard contingent.
Inflation is loss allocation. A lot of people have no margins.

Fair play to anyone going on strike. At least they have some fight in them. 

[seafoid]

Yeah the issue is not entirely funding. Inefficiency is probably as big an issue mainly through layers of bureaucracy.

There are a number of reasons why people still in the jobs in the NHS - some feel it's a vocation and not everyone can move into private. Nursing wise etc there are significant staff shortages. That also gets me - if they could get loads more nurses for example they would but they won't pay the existing ones more. Also they won't get more until they pay the existing one more. I have doctor friends who refuse to work private - I'm sure they're far from alone too. Brexit has f**ked it too.

I still fail to understand how the UK has so little money given how much tax etc the f**kers are given. It's not like less tax is being paid.

@georgeeaton


"We're about to discover what happens when you have the inflation of the 1970s with the gutted trade unions of the 2020s."

@UrbaneSlave

Replying to

@georgeeaton

"Another factor is marginal tax rates on the rich were vastly higher in the 1970, meaning a wage inflation effectively led to higher tax revenues that could counterbalance higher rates of public spending. Today, the tax take is less progressive and falls on middle-income earners"

The UK has a current account deficit. This means that it is spending more than it takes in tax. The rich have all the money. It's a structural problem.
Public sector purchasing power has fallen.

There are no easy solutions.

[imtommygunn]

A good start would be to get rid of the tories.

[seafoid]

A good start would be to get rid of the tories.

And bury them

[seafoid]

-On the plus side the worse the UK gets the more attractive the 32 county solution will look

[seafoid]

Are people really in dire dire straits? Like really? Some people are vulnerable surely but the vast vast majority I would argue are not. Otherwise they would change who they vote for. They would look to change things. From what I can see most people in NI are happy enough with the status quo of SF / DUP. And but extension happy enough with their standard of living.

Ordinary everyday people don't care about Health or Education or NI Water or other government departments or agencies. When SF boycotted Stormont and health waiting lists ballooned, their vote went up. It's the same story with the DUP and Jeffrey can face the unions and say comfortably that he has a mandate. He knows his policy is popular.

Everyday people don't give one f**k. And the Unions would need to consider that.

Inflation means allocating losses to everyone so living standards fall. It means that people have less purchasing power than in 2021.

https://www.ft.com/content/5639bf4a-43dd-4565-a0bd-fd71c732d4d3

Lael Brainard, the Fed's vice-chair said tackling high inflation was the central bank's most "pressing challenge". She noted that "price stability is of greatest importance for lower-income families because they spend more than three-quarters of their paychecks on essentials like groceries, gas or bus fare, and rent — more than double the 31 per cent spent by higher-income households".

It would not be as extreme in the North but the poor still lose out more than anyone else, even all the ones who go on those huge foreign holidays that are mentioned on this forum so often.

Inflation really hurts. Stagflation is even wprse and it is coming to the UK. 

[bennydorano]

Your horn for UK bad news never quits. Why the obsession?

[general_lee]

Are people really in dire dire straits? Like really? Some people are vulnerable surely but the vast vast majority I would argue are not. Otherwise they would change who they vote for. They would look to change things. From what I can see most people in NI are happy enough with the status quo of SF / DUP. And but extension happy enough with their standard of living.

Ordinary everyday people don't care about Health or Education or NI Water or other government departments or agencies. When SF boycotted Stormont and health waiting lists ballooned, their vote went up. It's the same story with the DUP and Jeffrey can face the unions and say comfortably that he has a mandate. He knows his policy is popular.

Everyday people don't give one f**k. And the Unions would need to consider that.

I don't know how, but every day you surpass yourself in being a complete tool

X2. Stoops gonna stoop.

[trailer]

Are people really in dire dire straits? Like really? Some people are vulnerable surely but the vast vast majority I would argue are not. Otherwise they would change who they vote for. They would look to change things. From what I can see most people in NI are happy enough with the status quo of SF / DUP. And but extension happy enough with their standard of living.

Ordinary everyday people don't care about Health or Education or NI Water or other government departments or agencies. When SF boycotted Stormont and health waiting lists ballooned, their vote went up. It's the same story with the DUP and Jeffrey can face the unions and say comfortably that he has a mandate. He knows his policy is popular.

Everyday people don't give one f**k. And the Unions would need to consider that.

I don't know how, but every day you surpass yourself in being a complete tool

Such a detailed and coherent response.

[imtommygunn]

Trailer ordinary every day people do care. Some might argue people only care when it's too late but the health service is on it's knees and people will care about that. You're talking big problems for anyone with elderly family, you're talking missed cancer diagnoses etc etc. It has a massive impact on peoples lives. Life expectancy is going to start dropping. Education maybe slightly less so but I know enough who complain about it too. Houses get built left, right and centre and no more school places. You will enter a scenario where kids can\t get a school and this is already happening though thankfully not overly much yet.

[trueblue1234]

Are people really in dire dire straits? Like really? Some people are vulnerable surely but the vast vast majority I would argue are not. Otherwise they would change who they vote for. They would look to change things. From what I can see most people in NI are happy enough with the status quo of SF / DUP. And but extension happy enough with their standard of living.

Ordinary everyday people don't care about Health or Education or NI Water or other government departments or agencies. When SF boycotted Stormont and health waiting lists ballooned, their vote went up. It's the same story with the DUP and Jeffrey can face the unions and say comfortably that he has a mandate. He knows his policy is popular.

Everyday people don't give one f**k. And the Unions would need to consider that.

I don't know how, but every day you surpass yourself in being a complete tool

Such a detailed and coherent response.

It's prob a reflection of the lack of ability in the other parties. I'd be under no illusion that any other party would make substantial difference. There's an inherent uselessness in most politicians regardless of party allegiances. I had hoped that given the depths the DUP have dropped to, the UUP could have made an hay. But they seem to be determined to be DUP lite.

[trailer]

Are people really in dire dire straits? Like really? Some people are vulnerable surely but the vast vast majority I would argue are not. Otherwise they would change who they vote for. They would look to change things. From what I can see most people in NI are happy enough with the status quo of SF / DUP. And but extension happy enough with their standard of living.

Ordinary everyday people don't care about Health or Education or NI Water or other government departments or agencies. When SF boycotted Stormont and health waiting lists ballooned, their vote went up. It's the same story with the DUP and Jeffrey can face the unions and say comfortably that he has a mandate. He knows his policy is popular.

Everyday people don't give one f**k. And the Unions would need to consider that.

I don't know how, but every day you surpass yourself in being a complete tool

Such a detailed and coherent response.

It's prob a reflection of the lack of ability in the other parties. I'd be under no illusion that any other party would make substantial difference. There's an inherent uselessness in most politicians regardless of party allegiances. I had hoped that given the depths the DUP have dropped to, the UUP could have made an hay. But they seem to be determined to be DUP lite.

I don't think if either the SDLP or UUP stood up and promised 10k in everyone's pocket it would make one iota of difference. The constitutional status of NI trumps everything for the vast majority of people. Evident by the DUP and their position on the sea border / WF.
You can say people care but I can see no evidence of it.

[trueblue1234]

Are people really in dire dire straits? Like really? Some people are vulnerable surely but the vast vast majority I would argue are not. Otherwise they would change who they vote for. They would look to change things. From what I can see most people in NI are happy enough with the status quo of SF / DUP. And but extension happy enough with their standard of living.

Ordinary everyday people don't care about Health or Education or NI Water or other government departments or agencies. When SF boycotted Stormont and health waiting lists ballooned, their vote went up. It's the same story with the DUP and Jeffrey can face the unions and say comfortably that he has a mandate. He knows his policy is popular.

Everyday people don't give one f**k. And the Unions would need to consider that.

I don't know how, but every day you surpass yourself in being a complete tool

Such a detailed and coherent response.

It's prob a reflection of the lack of ability in the other parties. I'd be under no illusion that any other party would make substantial difference. There's an inherent uselessness in most politicians regardless of party allegiances. I had hoped that given the depths the DUP have dropped to, the UUP could have made an hay. But they seem to be determined to be DUP lite.

I don't think if either the SDLP or UUP stood up and promised 10k in everyone's pocket it would make one iota of difference. The constitutional status of NI trumps everything for the vast majority of people. Evident by the DUP and their position on the sea border / WF.
You can say people care but I can see no evidence of it.

But there isn't a huge difference in SF/SDLP viewpoint on the constitutional issue anymore. Or DUP and UUP either.
There would certainly be SF voters who would happily vote SDLP if they felt motivated enough and felt they'd gain more from it. Your giving the other parties a by ball there claiming it's not their fault.

[lurganblue]

Serious problems in all public sectors.  At least a decade of year on year 1% pay rises.  Even before inflation went mad after Covid, that was awful and represented an effective pay cut.  All around you see private industry workers getting pay rises between 6-12%, each year. Even Universal Credit rose 10.1% in April 2023, with 6.7% more in April coming.

The SOS can sort it, but instead is choosing to use public sector workers as a stick to beat the DUP with.

This will be a large strike day.  But overall, what will the impact be to services?  Probably very little.