We are curently, in the UK seeing the start of the latest round of public service indystrial action organised by the Unison trade union. The current strikes are a protest against changes to pension rights, moving from a final salary pension scheme to an average salary pension scheme. Clearly this is going to cause issues for staff, the bulk of whom have chosen to remain in the public sector, where salaries are traditionally lower than the private sector because the pension schemes were so good. The response of the trade union has been to ballot members on strike action, and following sufficient support, to organise trike action. I have only one issue with this, it doesn't work. It didn't work through the 1970's and '80's and it doesn't work now. All it does is alienate the rest of the population who are predominantly guided by the mainstream media, and lend fuel to the politicians who are anti-union by allowing them to suggest that the unions are out of touch with Britain through the economic aftermath post 2008.
I am not, by default a fan of free market economics as a rule, believing that in generally this policy leaves the most vulnerable in society unprotected, but in a case like this, I believe that a better solution for public service employees whould be to allow market forces to take effect, leading to mass resignations rather than mass strikes. This would send a far clearer message to the council leaders and politicians who seem to see their staff as a resource to be utilised as they see fit. If the goal posts have changed sufficiently that the financial incentives to being a public servant have been removed, there is really only one course of action, and if it taken by enough people, the status quo and balance of power will shift without union intervention.
Unless unions have the ability to develop new weapons to combat unfair treatment of union members, their purpose is negated and they have nothing more than a limited role in society. The situation is complex, and resources are increasingly scarce. As long as unions fail to understand that they need to change they will not succeed....
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