Today's Industrial Action and an Ideal Strike.

At the moment, I am listening to the Jeremy Vine programme on Radio Two. As might be expected, the responses from listeners calling in are divided about today's industrial action by public sector workers.
The reasons for strike action are easily ascertained.
Unison boss Dave Prentis speaks for many when he says workers have been left frustrated by pay freezes, adding that "enough is enough".

"When Cameron brought in the two-year pay freeze, our local government workers, our members, had already had a one-year pay freeze.
"So they've had a three-year pay freeze and then a 1% increase when inflation has gone up by something like 20%," he said.

For some lower paid public sector workers, the pressure is becoming unbearable, with many taking a second job and even using food banks. All unions involved today have legitimate grievances, and I do not intend to repeat them here.
What I would like to focus upon is the reaction from Conservative politicians and some elements of the press. As might be expected, they are not - apparently - very pleased. Education Secretary Michael Gove says:
"It's an ideologically motivated minority who are intent on confrontation" - a remark I shall return to later.
The Daily Mail trumpets:
"Treasury figures suggest the strike could cost the economy up to £250 million!"
Francis Maude, the Tory minister, says, writing in the Mail:

"Today public sector union leaders are pushing strike action which is totally unnecessary and will benefit no one. 

Across Britain, millions of people could face disruption. Parents could be hit by school closures, while some day centres for the elderly may be affected along with other local council services such as libraries and refuse collection".
He forgets to mention that his government has closed down many day care centres for the elderly by cutting the welfare budget.

There is much more of this kind of stuff, should you care to look for it, on the Tory Party website and in the Daily Telegraph. The Prime Minister, significantly, is muttering darkly about anti-strike legislation.

What amazes me is the ferocity of the condemnation expressed by those who oppose the strike. Anyone would think that the unions had called an all-out, indefinite strike under revolutionary Marxist leadership. This is simply not true - it is a one day strike by six unions, whose members will be back at work tomorrow. It is also worth remembering that the money lost to the economy is compensated by the loss of wages to today's strikers, who are paid out of the public purse.

We can only wonder what Conservative politicians would consider an ideal, acceptable, strike. I suggest it would be a lunchtime walkout by unpaid volunteers in charity shops in support of reduced wages for trade union officials. It would happen on a wet Tuesday, when there are fewer people about - but only when the present recession is over, and under a Labour government.

Yes, that's ridiculous, but there is, I think, a sinister angle to the Tory reaction to today's strike. The arch-humbug, Michael Gove, speaks of an ideologically motivated minority. What he is not saying is that a similar minority appears to be at work in the Conservative Party.

Norman Smith, the BBC political correspondent says:" Conservative ministers hope popular annoyance will buttress support for their plans for further action to curb the power of unions.

  In particular, Prime Minister David Cameron is keen to include plans for a strike ballot threshold in his party's next manifesto.

Today's strikes enable ministers to turn up the heat on Labour by pressing them to condemn the industrial action being carried out by their big union supporters."

This, I believe, is a serious -if hidden- threat to the trade union rights of all workers. Already, we have heard Tory politicians talking about curtailing the right to strike for teachers. I believe that they are serious about this, but if they succeed, it will not be enough for them. The arguments they employ at present against teachers striking can be used against all public sector workers, from firemen to dinner ladies. I extend my support to all fellow trade unionists on strike today (I'm not on strike, because my union did not direct it), but I advise vigilance. If teachers are prevented by law from striking, it could be you next.

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