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WTF is happening to the UK?

Cav said:
There was never a "strike culture". Generally speaking, strikes are effective particularly where shareholder value might suffer and the public are very personally inconvenienced.

A big problem is that people can't grasp how powerful organised labour can be and how they might benefit from that.
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Yes. This is very true.

People did understand that in the past, very successfully fought against poor working conditions and suffered while doing so for the benefit of later generations.

What we are seeing now, and have been for quite a time now is a couple of generations who have no understanding of what was achieved for them, or how it was achieved. Such ignorant people must think working conditions for many have always included the likes of holiday, ~40 hour week then overtime, sick pay, etc. The list of working conditions improved by Unions is very long and nothing has been handed over on a plate. The tories attack these things each and every time they are set up as govt. What you see from these people is uninformed, anti-Union nonsense and endless whinging when there is a strike if they are ‘inconvenienced’, as though that is not the whole point of a strike. They blame the employees when in fact, behind every strike is a failure of management.

What I see is these people are ‘alright Jack’ types, unable to grasp that nobody actually wants to go on strike, there has never been a strike culture, as you say.
 
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The rise of global capitalism and Transnational Corporations around the millenium were always going to put the squeeze on labour in order to maximise profit and to present an obstacle to traditional tax collection methods. Many governments including successive ones of the UK have handled the new era badly and the dice needs to be loaded back towards the national economy and workers.
 
NeilR said:
Norway?

you also have to consider salaries. While cost are high in CH, salaries more than compensate. The quality of life is far and away better than in the UK.

but we don’t have refuse collections here at all, we have to take our rubbish to the refuse collection sites in the village. So that’s a small win for the UK.

And interestingly, the salary gap between low and high paid workers is much lower here than in the UK. Even in the lowest paid jobs people earn a living wage and live a good life. That’s the flip side of the high prices, a worthwhile trade off in my opinion.
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To illustrate this, for those that don't realise the size of the gulf in salaries in UK cf Switzerland: median average UK salary is £25,971, in Switzerland around £51,200.
 
Take a breath. Things are not as bad as the 80s & early 90s, massive endemic unemployment & high interest rates. Some perspective is required. We are poorly governed at present but this is still a great country where you can make a good life for yourself.

I really don’t understand how constantly slagging off the country you live in helps any. All countries have there problems & foibles. I do wish we had better weather though.

If we are honest it’s just privileged whinging.
 
Woodface said:
I really don’t understand how constantly slagging off the country you live in helps any. All countries have there problems & foibles. I do wish we had better weather though.
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It needs doing as we know only too well where far-right ideology leads. It is remarkably well documented in 20th century history and it is absolute insanity for those who recognise the pattern and rhetoric to stay silent when it is gaining traction all around us.

Self interest shouldn’t be a factor here. I’m certainly comfortable: I’m highly independent, my job is my own creation, I live within my means, I own my own house, have zero debt and a fair bit stashed in savings and other saleable assets. I’m white, I’m ‘straight’, I have a UK passport etc. Whatever is coming down the shitpipe won’t be coming for me. Not immediately anyway. I am however more than able to see beyond my self-interest. I will fight against fascism. On the streets with fire, bricks and bottles if necessary. F*** Trump, Johnson, Farage, Patel etc. This far-right nationalist scum does not represent me and none of what is happening is being done in my name. I stand firmly against it and encourage anyone else capable of even basic logical process or empathy to do the same.
 
I mean, I stand against it in so much as moaning on hi-fi forum about it, but I'm not sure that will turn the tide.

You do have to wonder where the breaking point would be to go from make snide Twitter posts and actual action.
 
Tony L said:
I am however more than able to see beyond my self-interest. I will fight against fascism. On the streets with fire, bricks and bottles if necessary. F*** Trump, Johnson, Farage, Patel etc. This far-right nationalist scum does not represent me and none of what is happening is being done in my name. I stand firmly against it and encourage anyone else capable of even basic logical process or empathy to do the same.
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I'll be right there with you Tony!
 
matt j said:
I mean, I stand against it in so much as moaning on hi-fi forum about it, but I'm not sure that will turn the tide.
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Don’t underestimate any platform/use every possible platform. The far-right are only gaining ground as they own the main media outlets and have an entirely false stacked majority to subvert democratic process. Anything at all that can be used to shine a spotlight on this situation is of use. I took a conscious decision to use pfm as a political platform in certain respects, to make it a safe and welcoming space for audiophiles in minority groups etc. As time rolled on I have attempted to use it to campaign for political reform, to promote and help fund pressure groups such as Good Law Project, StopFundingHate, Led By Donkeys etc and have published vast amounts of their content. If I’ve managed to draw attention to these issues and even changed a few minds along the way I’ll definitely take that as a win. If everyone else used their businesses and places of work in similar ways we’d collectively make huge progress. Change minds one at a time. Use whatever tools you have to hand.

matt j said:
You do have to wonder where the breaking point would be to go from make snide Twitter posts and actual action.
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I suspect direct action is coming. It is just a matter of time. The way the Conservative government is ramping up police powers and removing basic human rights to protest etc it seems they are expecting it too!
 
Cereal Killer said:
That's because the recession isn't up us yet, but it will come and its probably going to be worse than the last one as the Tory's are raping the coffers.. Don't bury your head in the sand.
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I am not burying my head in the sand, just acknowledging that times have been worse & this will pass. Honestly, some just love to wallow in misery & take great delight when their worst fears are realised.
 
Woodface said:
I am not burying my head in the sand, just acknowledging that times have been worse & this will pass. Honestly, some just love to wallow in misery & take great delight when their worst fears are realised.
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I've had to stop listening to Radio 4 in the morning whilst driving, likewise James O'Brien as it was starting to grind me down just a constant barrage of doom and gloom, lies, pocketing public money etc. Every day is the same and it doesn't go anywhere.

You're better people than me if you can read and listen to this shit all day every day.
 
matt j said:
I've had to stop listening to Radio 4 in the morning whilst driving, likewise James O'Brien as it was starting to grind me down just a constant barrage of doom and gloom, lies, pocketing public money etc. Every day is the same and it doesn't go anywhere.

You're better people than me if you can read and listen to this shit all day every day.
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I try not to worry about things I cannot change or don’t effect me or family. I suppose that can come across as selfish but I just try to do my best, been careful with money & never lived beyond my means.

I have mainly first world problems as do many on here.
 
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