Union Strikes at Perkins, Stafford - 2010

[Withnail]

indeed.. i think (although i may be wrong) that theorum meant to write "he ... has no place within a union," and not they which could be misinterpreted as the entire union!

Not at all db I just didn't wish to genderise

'They' is perfectly reasonable usage to refer to an individual in the context it was made.

E.g. "If [insert forumite name here] continues to make comments without having read the preceding discussion, then they are sure to continue coming to misguided conclusions."

 

[Edd209]

theorum+with
i do apologise for the ....er offending comments, not all of us are like that and i do not wish to be labeled/dragged down with them.
they are the minority, i can assure you of that.
anybody at perkins who wants to now what the up and coming plans are for the next weeks are welcome to pay thier dues and join the union..... no other comments on that point from me.
all i will say is to the new offensive forumites is please dont abuse other forumites who have from what i can see been fair, informed and sometimes even supportive.
nuff said.

 

[Norman]

Nice day for it!!

 

[shoes]

Losers!

You're clearly wasted in your current position, I can't help feeling you should have been a scholar or perhaps a nobel prize winner or something....

 

[Withnail]

i do apologise for the ....er offending comments, not all of us are like that and i do not wish to be labeled/dragged down with them.

In fairness to midlandsmonster4, he has at least, inadvertently, demonstrated the benefits of having a union representative arguing on his behalf.

 

[shoes]

i do apologise for the ....er offending comments, not all of us are like that and i do not wish to be labeled/dragged down with them.

In fairness to midlandsmonster4, he has at least, inadvertently, demonstrated the benefits of having a union representative arguing on his behalf.

 

[Theorum]

A well known agitator was walking round the shop floor this week stating that he would rather see the for sale sign go over the gate than him not get what he wants.

He seems like a nice chap If that's the case, the guys currently supporting him will no doubt start to think about their own future rather than his.

i do apologise for the ....er offending comments, not all of us are like that and i do not wish to be labeled/dragged down with them.

In fairness to midlandsmonster4, he has at least, inadvertently, demonstrated the benefits of having a union representative arguing on his behalf.

 

[Walter]

Everyone in Caterpillar in the UK hasn't had an increase since 2008, so Stafford employees aren't alone. In case Theorum didn't notice, there was a global recession and the company has been trying to keep its head above water and rebuild its business. It's a business, not a cooperative!

 

[tek-monkey]

To be fair, if the Stafford plant makes as much profit as has been stated then that reasoning isn't particularly relevant. I may be against striking (apart from extreme cases), but if a company makes a profit of over £100m a year from a single site I don't think its fair to use that as a reason. Were dividends also withheld due to the global recession?

 

[Theorum]

Everyone in Caterpillar in the UK hasn't had an increase since 2008, so Stafford employees aren't alone. In case Theorum didn't notice, there was a global recession and the company has been trying to keep its head above water and rebuild its business. It's a business, not a cooperative!

This indeed is a view you seem to hold quite dearly, however others may not see it that way;

2007 - 1/4 2/4 3/4 Year-End Results

2008 - 1/4 2/4 3/4 Year-End Results

2009 - 1/4 2/4 3/4 Year-End Results

2010 - 1/4 2/4 3/4 Year-End Results

<These figures and only one pay rise between Sept 2008 - sept 2012 (I can understand why it might annoy people somewhat)
<Coupled with 40% full time staff / 60% agency staff (expendable)
<Ever increasing targets (not on piece work)

 

[Withnail]

Were dividends also withheld due to the global recession?

http://www.caterpillar.com/cda/files/2561837/7/120810+Cat+Maintains+Dividend+Rate.pdf

"For 17 consecutive years, Caterpillar has paid higher dividends to its stockholders, and since
1998, the company’s cash dividend has more than tripled. Including the announcement
today, Caterpillar has paid a cash dividend every year since the company was formed in
1925."

 

[tek-monkey]

So the recession argument was merely a reason to keep very profitable, rather than actually facing hardship. I have every sympathy for a company that is teetering on bankruptcy, and needing to save where it can. I have no sympathy for a company that pays out to shareholders whilst expecting the staff to have a pay freeze, this just isn't right. I understand completely the need to balance the books, but if you're this far in the black you should never use it as a reason to keep staff wage increases below inflation.

Sorry to my former comrades (), but if this is the attitude in management I can't help but find my loyalty with the strikers. Man up and say "Our dividends are more important than our workforce" or at the very minimum ensure a pay increase in line with inflation. Hiding behind the recession is cowardly BS if you make a massive profit, how can you say otherwise?

Tis funny, nowt ****** me off more than lies. I'd forego a white lie for a black truth any day.

 

[Withnail]

Sorry to my former comrades (), but if this is the attitude in management I can't help but find my loyalty with the strikers.

Solidarnosc brother.

 

[basil]

Sorry to my former comrades (), but if this is the attitude in management I can't help but find my loyalty with the strikers.

Solidarnosc brother.

Oh the fickle finger of fate.....

 

[shoes]

Shit the bed. That's an awful lot of money. I'm actually somewhat swayed into sympathy for the workers, but the whole plant, not just the strikers. The plant clearly has an important role to play and if there is tightening of belts to be done, then surely using some of that massive profit would be a better way of doing it. I'm not condoning the stikes, and I still maintain that it is not the way forward, however I feel that everyone at the plant deserves a reasonable pay rise.

 

[Theorum]

Once listened to someone of importance tell me "it's all worked out on the local environment".

Average house price Peoria, IL, USA. - 119526 USD = 74823 GBP
Average house price Stafford, Staffs, UK, - 120000 GBP = 191700 USD

National Hourly Rate Data
Peoria Stafford
Production Machinist $18.79 £9.70
Welder, Cutter, Solderer, or Brazer $19.33 £9.70
Engine or Other Machine Assembler $17.39 £9.70
Machinist Set Up Operator $18.99 £9.70
Mechanical Engineer $24.49 £? (Anyone care to fill in the blanks) lol
Assembler $15.69 £9.70
Warehouse Worker $13.39 £8.70

Average wage! - 9.7000 GBP = 15.4957 USD

 

[Gramaisc]

The workforce is a tool that is used to provide dividends for the shareholders.

 

[shoes]

Once listened to someone of importance tell me "it's all worked out on the local environment".

Average house price Peoria, IL, USA. - 119526 USD = 74823 GBP
Average house price Stafford, Staffs, UK, - 120000 GBP = 191700 USD

National Hourly Rate Data
Peoria Stafford
Production Machinist $18.79 £9.70
Welder, Cutter, Solderer, or Brazer $19.33 £9.70
Engine or Other Machine Assembler $17.39 £9.70
Machinist Set Up Operator $18.99 £9.70
Mechanical Engineer $24.49 £? (Anyone care to fill in the blanks) lol
Assembler $15.69 £9.70
Warehouse Worker $13.39 £8.70

Average wage! - 9.7000 GBP = 15.4957 USD

Aren't the americans taxed like no other though to fund their wacky worldwide adventures?

 

[Theorum]

Aren't the americans taxed like no other though to fund their wacky worldwide adventures?

Income Tax about 33%(approx), however VAT is a mere 6%(approx)

In your reference to your comment about worldwide adventures, nail, on, head, hit, the. Looking further into it this extra earnings tax is indeed swallowed up on a federal level, however it would seem that this tax filters back into the economy through subsidies. This probably explains why America can somehow afford to grow food in a desert...

 

[tek-monkey]

Would like to add that we are only getting 0.2% this year, which is obviously way below inflation. I understand the union are holding a strike ballot, be interesting to see what happens. I'm happy to have a job I like though, and perfectly understand the reasoning behind this decision. Regardless of how the union vote I'm not part of them, and will be in work regardless. I assume you lose a days pay if you strike? If so thats 1/260(ish) of my pay I'd lose, or about 0.4% per day I think? Nah, will def be giving this a wide berth. If I wanted high pay I wouldn't be with my employer in the first place, as they pay less than most other similar places in the area (and that is well known before you even apply).

I'd probably feel differently if my employer was minted though!