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Jim Seida / NBC News
A commuter waits for a bus at London Bridge Station on Tuesday. In June, two-thirds of London's 8,000 red buses were off the road because of a one-day strike by thousands of drivers.
LONDON -- For some, the Olympic Games represent the epitome of sporting achievement and fair play, and a noble set of ideals that help inspire humanity to dream of a better world.
But if you are a driver of one of London’s famous red buses, it should mean about $900 extra in your paycheck. And if you are a British worker who isn’t getting a coveted Olympics bonus, it means you might just go on strike just to make the point that you’re not happy.
Then there are those for whom the Games is an ideal time to raise a grievance over pay, pensions or working conditions, in the hope that the threat of industrial unrest -- as the world focuses its attention on the U.K. -- will speed the negotiations along.
Labor unions in Britain may have been relatively quiet over the government’s austerity policies, but the arrival of the Olympics has given them the chance to flex their muscles in a way that some see as far from sporting.
On Thursday -- the day before the London 2012 opening ceremony -- thousands of government workers, including Border Agency guards at airports, are due to go on strike for 24 hours in a dispute over pay and other issues. Marianna Panizza, a senior press officer at Heathrow Airport, said in an email that so far "immigration waiting times [were] well within their targets," adding that "We hope this will continue through the strike action." (Update: The PCS union called off the planned strike by U.K. border force staff on Wednesday.)
More London 2012 coverage from NBCNews.com
Then on Friday, RMT union members at South West Trains, which runs services into London, will stop working overtime or coming in on rest days until Aug. 12 because they have not been offered an Olympic bonus.
Visitors arriving in London for the start of the Games should be extra careful with their possessions, as unionized staff in the lost property office at Transport for London – the company that runs the city's Tube subway network – have been told not to work shifts from 7 a.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday. That also goes for staff at Transport for London’s travel information centers and the London Transport Museum.
'A question of fairness'
A dispute over Olympic payments could also disrupt London’s so-called “Boris Bikes” – bicycles available to hire cheaply on the street – from early Friday to Sunday morning.
London Olympics: 8,000-mile torch relay around the U.K.
Jim Seida / NBC News
"The traffic affects us more than anybody else," says bus driver Stephen Hall, pictured on his break at London Bridge Station on Tuesday. "The tube drivers aren't actually doing any more work than before, but we are."
Geoff Martin, a spokesman for the RMT union, defended workers seeking a slice of the Olympic “windfall.”
“It’s a question of fairness,” he told NBCNews.com. “The vast majority of our members have got them [Olympic bonuses] … if it is right for those members to get a share of the additional profits companies will generate – which they will – why shouldn’t staff working in other companies benefit as well?”
Martin said 80,000 extra passengers a day were expected to use South West Trains services, meaning more work for staff.
“The point is, this is a unique set of circumstances. It’s the biggest transport challenge London has ever faced,” he added.
Martin said most transport companies had been “very reasonable” and agreed to let workers get their “fair share of the windfall.”
Ramadan set to cause 'traffic chaos' near London's Olympic site?
Quite how many more people, if any, will visit the London Transport Museum -- home to such attractions as the 1866 Metropolitan Railway A class 4-4-0T steam locomotive (number 23) – because of the Olympics remains to be seen.
Last month, two-thirds of London’s 8,000 red buses were off the road because of a one-day strike by thousands of drivers.
The show of strength appears to have worked as last week saw the drivers get their deal. Staff will get an extra payment of about $42 a shift, which will mean an extra $895 or so over the period of the Games for the average worker.
Olivia Harris / Reuters, file
London bus drivers stand on a picket line near the West Ham Bus Garage in east London on June 22.
'Ambassadors for London'
A spokesman for the Unite union, which represents drivers and other workers, told NBC News that they were entitled to the extra money because of the “massive increase in passengers, the increase in traffic.”
“They’ll end up working longer and finishing their shifts later,” the spokesman said. “They have to manage the entire bus; they have to often help passengers; they have more demands on them from passengers; they have to help a lot of people who don’t speak English.
“Our members are going to be ambassadors for London. They are going to be keeping London moving during the Olympics,” he added. “In such exceptional circumstances, they should have their extra contribution recognized financially … they shouldn’t have to be doing extra work for free.”
33 Team USA athletes to watch in London
Some 450 members of the Aslef union who work at East Midlands Trains also plan to strike on Aug. 6, 7, and 8, in a dispute over pensions.
Tony Travers, of the London School of Economics, told London’s Evening Standard newspaper that transport unions had the government and Olympic organizers “over a barrel.”
“With an extra three million rail and [subway] journeys expected during the Games, there will be queuing at stations and dreadful congestion on trains. If the bus drivers were on strike, it is hard to imagine how bad it might get,” he said.
This family's Olympic odyssey involves bikes, satellite dish -- and reindeer pelts
But Travers also warned the unions might pay a price after London 2012 if the government decided to take revenge with “tough anti-strike laws.”
As the opening ceremony of the Olympics approaches, London is covering its bases with an influx of security forces on the ground, in the air and in the water. But officials still worry about the possibility of a 'soft target,' such as an attack on a bus, that would have a huge emotional impact on the city. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.
'Ronald Reagan approach'
Thursday's planned strike by Border Agency and other government staff has caused considerable anger.
U.K. government Cabinet member Jeremy Hunt told the BBC Sunday that some members of the government had considered what he described as the “Ronald Reagan approach” of firing the striking public workers.
"I can tell you amongst [government] ministers there have been people asking whether we should be doing that, but I don't want to escalate things by talking about that right now, because I know amongst those 600 people there are lots of people who want to do the right thing and turn up for work," he told Radio 5 Live.
Troops everywhere, long lines and moans: A very British Olympic Games
Matthew Sinclair, director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign group, was equally appalled, saying ordinary people would be “disgusted” at the union’s attempt to “disrupt the Olympics when the world’s eyes will be focused on Britain.”
A newly-redesigned version of London's iconic red bus may have sleek curves, but at $36,000 per seat are they worth the price?
“We must not allow a selfish minority to disrupt the Olympics in a vain attempt to stop necessary restraint in public spending, and make the Games even more expensive for hard-pressed taxpayers,” he added.
But not all unions are taking advantage of the authorities’ precarious position on Travers’ barrel.
A spokesman for the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association said the union had decided to cancel a strike ballot at Virgin Trains over the sacking of a union official.
He said this was partly due to an agreement to negotiate but also because of a plea by Transport Secretary Justine Greening for the Olympics not to be disrupted by industrial action "in the greater interest of the country."
Lit by the sun's rays in Greece, the Olympic torch takes a 70-day, 8,000 mile trip to London for the 2012 summer Games.
More London 2012 coverage:
- UK military asked to cover 3,500 Olympic security worker shortfall
- Olympics hurdle: US athletes' bus driver gets lost in London
- Inside Olympic Village: World's top athletes share college dorm-style rooms
- London's 'East End': From haven for gangsters to Olympic showcase
- Terror suspect's eye color? Flying cameras to spy during Games
- Gigantic welcome for London Olympic attendees
- Venues for the London 2012 Olympic Games
- Bad neighbors for Team USA? Occupy camp faces ax
- VIDEO: Olympic torchbearer proposes mid-relay
- Brits revel in gloom ahead of Games, but don't believe the gripe
- Olympic housing crunch: Landlords evict tenants to gouge tourists
- At London Olympics, dogs have sniffed out key anti-terror role
- Slideshow: When the Olympics is your neighbor
- Go behind the scenes with our 'TODAY in London' blog
Leave a Comment:
We should take some tips from the Europeans, they strike and when they strike they kick the sh&t out of the police. We sit and the police spray us with pepper spray and we do nothing. The Europeans don't take @!$%# they burn down everthing.
Yeah..that's the answer ....you ignorant mf'er.
The British courts should institute an injunction barring any of these opportunistic @!$%# unions from striking or taking other work actions during the Olympics. For these unions to do this amounts to economic terrorism and should not be tolerated. They should make it clear that any of them who strike will be fired and not receive any unemployment benefits plus be barred from being rehired for six months or maybe even a year. To take advantage of the Olympics in this way is reprehensible and should not be tolerated by the government. If they strike the British government should do to them what Reagan did to the PATCO strikers.
I am sure there are many in london that hope for a strike so they can throw the union under their buses after the olympics.
It is already being predicted that they will not make a profit and the taxpayers will have to make up the difference...like many other cities that host the olymipics.
If they have a strike it will be very easy to con all the stupid sheep into believing its all the unions fault. Problem is the union member tend to be sheep also and only look at the short term forgetting that they may get more money today but be out of a job tomorrow.
JS although I do agree with you to some extent. Isn't the government taking advantage of the workers by making them work over time and on their days off without a bonus?? Just saying.
@Lockandkey - They get paid overtime for the additional hours, why the hell should they be entitled to a bonus on top of that, it is not like they are forcing them to work the extra hours without pay!!! In this economy they should be thankful they have a job and for the extra income the overtime will provide. Many companies have employees work overtime during a crunch and do not pay bonuses for it. In fact salaried employees usually do not get anything other than maybe a thanks from the boss, if that. If you want to keep your job, you put in the hours. I have worked on new business proposals for companies in government contracting where the short turnaround means long hours and usually at least a few weekends and never saw any extra money for it, it was part of the job. These unions are just greedy SOBs and should be fired if they try to take advantage of the situation to blackmail the government.
Pull a Reagan. Fire their azzes, use the military to get through the Olympics, and hire an entirely new crew afterwards. I mean, what special skills does somebody need to drive a friggin' bus?
All who rant about corporations and their "screw the world, we want more money" attitude should recognize immediately what these unions are doing.
Opstokker So you want to burn everything down if you don't get your way. I think that those that riot and burn should be shot.
What "windfall" do these unions think London is getting? Governments rarely make money on the Olympics. And who do these unions think will make up the difference, never mind pay them their bonuses? The taxpayer.
The public sector isn't fighting against some faceless corporate raiders sitting in the top office; they fight against us, the taxpayer, by bullying our elected officials (or in this case, Britain's) into paying them more. In some cases that's justified, but we're still the ones being gouged.
They are called looters and should get shot.
Clearly it doesn't pay to work anymore. Not only are these workers barely making a living wage, they will be putting their lives at risk by working in a security-risk environment. I mean the Govt spent billions to put missiles on top of apartment buildings. Wouldn't it make sense to train public workers in security matters since they'll be driving buses that carry the soft targets terrorists love.
Everyone deserves to negotiate their pay using whatever advantage they have. I'd think you'd want to ride a bus in which the driver has been trained to deal with emergency situations. Think before you belittle the worker responsible for your life.
The 'True Colors' of the unions are starting to show themselves.
It's called 'SELFISHNESS', and if they can use threats of chaos to the public, then that's just too bad for them. Anything to line their own pockets at the expense of others.
the difference is that if you burn down something of mine, put my ability to feed my family, you'll get 2 in the chest and 1 in the head !
The "true color" of the unions? The only thing a union can do is to go on strike in hope of things to change. Austerity has been going for a while and let's look at the last time they went on strike, either fire by police or lay off.
I don't see a problem of a union getting what they want through the uses of the only thing they can do. Everybody else got bonuses in Olympic, they are the only one that didn't get anything and have to work 5 times harder. Sound fair?
For all those who said @!$%# about unions, look at capitalist and how the global banking work in Britain. One of the worst scamming in the world happened in Britain with lots of US banks involve, where were you with all your comments?
At least it is nice to see that the unions across the big pond are just as big a bunch of @!$%#heads and thugs as we have over here.
I would pay them their $42 per shift, and then after the games are over, blindside them, and PATCO their butts. Unions just make things cost more.
I will never understand the logic that makes people find it acceptable for financial institutional and corporations to price gouge, take advantage of a economic situation, ask for more money for their services without much reason and call it capitalism at work... but when the average worker tries to do the same thing its socialism and blasphemy... Sorry people have the same rights to negotiate pay as any other business entity, If it was you having to work much harder because of Olympic season where your employer seeing increased profits off your harder work but your not, you might feel differently.... people shouldn't just bend over for institution... that is how people start getting screwed.
I just don't understand some of you people. Are you that bought into the corporate propaganda that you actually believe that corporations should be allowed to treat workers any way they want and they should be lucky to be treated so bad? Corporations have been screwing their employees continually for years now all the while making record profits. God forbid they should demand to be paid overtime when they work it.
So who is being selfish really? I can't believe that people think corporations are these great, untouchable gifts to society. What a load!
They need to have Reagan in office.
Here's the data point on the "value" of collective union bargaining for government/public jobs...its called extortion of the public and the decision makers (government officials) don't want to tick off their union voters.
@Get Real...
I guess you don't have problem with corporations extort money from customers, right?
Oh, I forgot, it is acceptable because it is how capitalist works.
Read more on the articles, these workers got shaft compared to everybody else.
I guess it's perfectly fine for McD to sell French Fries and no other food can allow to do that at Olympic. What do you call that? Oh, business as usual.
I wish the police would kick the sh&t out of "opstokker".
it's aok for business and corporations to screw consumers, but when union workers try to play by those same rules they are greedy, dirty, &$Q@ thugs !!!!!
welcome to the reich wing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This statement tells me a lot about the UK unions. Do they get paid less when they have fewer passengers? Do the buses magically expand and hold more passengers requiring greater skill to drive? Do they get paid less when traffic is light? Don't these people get paid by the hour? What difference does it make if there are more riders or more traffic? The flow of time is the same. Pathetic parasitic unions.
Yep, UNIONS are the same all over the World.
Govt forcing people to work = good ?
Or corporations who bought and paid for events. Then barring people from doing something.
Get your French Fries, only at McD. Get your beer, you only allow to drink this branch.
I thought Olympic was and still is about culture exchanges and such. Guess what we are looking at now.
Unions suck, they have killed manufacturing in this country. It is not mostly the wages so much as the road blocks they put up to getting day to day business done, by removing any flexibility to compete with other countries that don't tolerate this sort of crap. The US, UK, and France are three of the worst at allowing these @!$%#heads to run amok.
@Terry-753375
Then move to countries with no unions, try China for a change.
You get to work more than 10 hours per day, 3 days vacations, less than 10 dollars per day, no benefits, no insurance coverages. You also have to live in factory complex.
Tell me, which developed countries can compete with that? You have no clue how to live in countries with no unions or regulation.
I do and I have endured for 15 years, this is one of the main reason why people come to US. Get a clue and travel abroad for a chance before you say anything more.
CuongDNguyen
You want someone to move, you move. As I said the wages are not the problem it is the obstructionist actions by the unions in the day to day operations, but you can't read can you?
CuongDNguyen, I agree with you. The workers pay these unions to represent them for fair treatment. They're doing exactly what they're being paid to do. Last thing I would ever want is for the working conditions here to mirror that of China.
Since they want the bonus because:
then it makes sense that when traffic is below normal rates, they should get their pay reduced by a corresponding amount. After all, why would they be doing less and getting their normal rate of pay.
Well that and because we don't prosecute or deport illegal aliens as well as having health insurance and education benefits for any children of those illegals born in this country. Not saying that's your case, but it is for many illegals currently in the country. And in this country folks with opposing views don't have to move to another country because they disagree with your point of view. Think you'd know that by now.
denver bill 2
Hmm. "rant" about companies "screw the world" attitude??? that kind of says it all.
Read the other story about employee wage theft? Yes, the almighty corporation is infallible.
BK-3328579, you're suspended for a month for violating #1 of the Code of Honor. Do better.
Just FIRE then already..... Hey if they do not want to work replace them with someone who does.....
I agree there are many people willing to work at their current wage! These strikers remind me of the GOP always attempting to extort something for the RICH to benefit. Now it would be great if We could get them all out the coming election it's not like they actually work. Where's the JOBS they promised NO WHERE to be found!
Both of you are morons, You need to read the whole story before you open your mouth, Most everyone else has gotten am Olympic bonus . Which amounted to approx. 45.00 on a paycheck. Lets see 5 times the work load per shift, personally they deserve more but if they are happy with 45.00 a shift difference then cool. But I would guarantee both you morons would have bitched if it would have happened to you .
Sam..While you're there, looks for any polyps..
Jay.. Wondering if that extra pay goes back down, after the games are over..?
..I know what is says, but...sometimes they come up with other grievances.
Mark to my understanding it is only for the Olympics and then it goes back to before and most of the other transportation workers have already been given the bonus it's just a few companies that haven't and no doubt all these companies have raised rates for the Olympics.
Sam, what kind of jobs you looking for? Manufacturing? Not gonna happen. There is a big demand for nurses and drs. and medical personnel.
What democrats like you fail to understand, we priced ourselves out of the manufacuring market. We have ONLY 2 things that we can produce. Food and energy. And we are at this moment importing both. Contaminated food coming from Mexico and a USDA that does not do their job.
We have centuries of energy products, but fail to use them.
If you want a job, talk to the leader of the senate, Harry Reid. !7 bills sit on his desk and he wont do a thing. Some are energy bills, but you brainwashed people think that those bills only help big oil. Fact is those bills would help everyone. Keeping our money at home instead of sending it to foreign countries is good economics.
They could privatize the company, fire all the workers, take them back on minimum wages with no benefits and give the CEO a massive multi million dollar, Olympic bonus.
With all respect to the Brits, their transportation systems (road-wise) seem to suck. London's transportation system isn't geared to handle this extra traffic. Any civil engineer here in the US would go insane if you went to London...
Look at Google Maps' Street View. The traffic in London has to be horrendous, even without the Olympics.
After looking at Google Maps' Street View more, it's apparent the Brits haven't got the whole freeway thingy down. High capacity with minimal stops (aka traffic signals).... but it's there. Hmmmm. I hope someone from London can comment!
MJ1986, with all due respect, London is an ancient city with thousands of years of history. The whole U.K. didn't develop around motorways.
The US instead is a younger, more spread out country that has had the fortune to develop a lot of urban areas around its recent (40s and 50s and 60s) interstate system. I think you're comparing apples and oranges.
Drive the buses and don't use visitors as pawns.
You need to read more, others already got bonuses and they just want what everybody else is having.
You work 5 times harder during Olympic and you are getting shaft compared to everybody else. Nice logic you have there, wonder if you will stay quite as well.
I'm a bus driver (not in London) and I fully sympathize with these guys. Why? Because the train and subway operators were already getting a bonus, and the bus drivers interact with traffic and with foreign visitors WAY MORE than either of those do. When was the last time you talked to your train or subway operator?
Do the people that work in retail get a bonus during the Christmas holidays? They work 5 times as hard too. How about the fast food worker during summer holidays? They work 5 times as hard too. If it was a permanent thing, sure give them a raise. But it is not. The lack of logic is giving some a bonus and others nothing.
No, they usually hire temporary help during the holiday season. Seems like some of these people enjoy giving away all of their free time.....for free.
In this economy crisis, they're lucky to be working and shouldn't be complaining. They strike then replace them and give those replacements a permanent job, I'm sure there are plenty of people in the unemployment list to fill these positions. Drivers are replacable anytime, besides what kind of impression are the Brits giving the world right now? this is not the time to be doing stupid things when your country is hosting the whole world. You didn't this kind of crap in China when they hosted the olympics and saw a documentary about the taxi drivers preparing for this and it never occured to them to not cooperate. By the ethnicity of the drivers shown I'd say this job is way better than what you would have had where they come from, why don't immigrants ever cause problems in their own country to make changes instead of causing problems for the place that opened up their doors to welcome you and made it their new home?
I believe it's called extortion. I'm a big D democrat, but in this case, I say fire them all and hire people who desperately need a job and want to work. Negotiate when it is time to negotiate your next contract, not when you have your opponent at a severe disadvantage. I realize sometimes that's the only way you can get what you want, but it's just plain crass in this instance. Your city is about to be on the world stage.
Dman ,you are starting to understand what a business man is going through. maybe there is hope to turn you into a conservative -at leasr fiscially.
Typical UNION CRAP....."the world will just have to wait until I finish my ridiculous protest". PHUCK ALL UNIONS ...Break them up forever!!! Most destructive and OBSTRUCTIVE groups of ignorant a**holes ever contrived. UN-OCCUPY THE PHUCKING UNIONS!!!
Its a different type of Union over there moron, do your research oh and read the whole story not just the first line
Hey Jay.....PHUCK OFF Union Beatch!! Different type of Union where?? You probably have never left the boeders of your home State, so what would you know about ANYTHING "over there". Labour Unions in the EU virtually bankrupted the entire EU...So phuck off, idiot.
Hey Jay, do you call your mother "moron" too? Just wondering, since you can't seem to get through a comment without calling somebody one. Then again, small minds......
Goes to prove that UNIONS are self serving, anti human interests.
Oh that's right........& those huge corporations outsourcing jobs to foreign countries are pro human interests?
Most of these people work for private companies making a mint off the Olympics. Drivers will have to deal with thousands more people who won't speak English driving packed buses. Getting $900 extra for the Olympics with the added responsibility seems fair. Companies will charge $10 for a beer and $50 for fish and chips, 3 times normal yet think the workers should work for minimum wage. Strange so many think companies that will make millions extra are being mistreated paying workers $42 a shift more when their work load will be enormously increased is unfair. Bet they'd demand more if they were required to do the same.
Most that are in here bashing don't understand that and would be bitching at the top of their lings if their work load increased by 4 times. Oh and they probably believe in the trickle down theory too
The only thing trickling down is that sh*it the Libs dump on your dumba**. Union workers are a bunch of pussy whiners. Always looking for a reason NOT to work. PHUCK UNIONS!!
BK it also appears you are whining as well.
Pot meet kettle.
BK enjoys killing himself while making others rich.
Well, you don't like it quit. I work for Disney as a bus driver, delivering guests throughout the parks and resorts. Lot of the guests are from foreign countries and I manage to get them to where they want to go and I don't get payed any extra for this. Unions are cry babies and people that belong to unions are fools. Wasting your dues for their pleasures.
Not even a close comparison, Olympics is about 100 times bigger.
Yeah Jay....But does the Olympics last FOREVER?? You are an IDIOT.
No it does not but do you think its fare for the workers to have to endure 5x workload increase for the same pay? Their increase is just during the Olympics it's not FOREVER either
Jay
I like your reasoning, All the union contracts in the US needs immediate revisions due to the economic slow down and those contract wages should now be lowered to match the work load and not wait for the end of the contract. No more $40/hr busy work pushing a broom around for the high paid line worker.
Jay,
What is a fare (sic) workload? By your reasoning, bus drivers should be paid more when the busses are full. Take your reasoning to it's logical conclusion and they should be driving for free when the busses are empty.
Or hiring temporary help throughout the Olympics....to keep things running smoothly, not kill their own employee's, but that would take more away from their profit. Oh yes....unions are so horrible. While I've never met a "broom pusher" that makes $40 per hour......I have met a salaried employee who thinks they make $35 per hour. After a 60-70 hour workweek, they make nothing close to that.
Except working at Disney, that's your normal job and workload. Imagine if you were driving a city bus in, oh, I don't know, Phoenix, and suddenly had to deal with Disney passengers for three weeks.
I'm thoroughly convinced some people will never get the concept of what Unions have accomplished for the little man over the course of their existence.
Look, if you don't like unions, don't join one! If you enjoy getting screwed by the corporations by putting in time and not getting paid for it, by all means do what you do! If you think the bus drivers are being unreasonable by asking that they get paid what everyone else seems to be getting paid, via bonuses, then that's a you problem. Not a union problem! And I'm not a union member nor do I want to be a member, but I do have an appreciation of being able to negotiate and get paid what I deem is fair, damn what anybody else thinks, and for that, I thank the unions for making that possible.
Its a different type of Union over there moron, do your research oh and read the whole story not just the first line.
What are you?? A union parrot?? ..... Want a cracker?? dipstick.
No it just raises my eyebrow when morons speak about S&%t they don't have a clue about but then again trying to explain it to you is a total waste of breath
Then do us a favor...HOLD YOUR BREATH until we become as intelligent as YOU. Okay, exhale. Uh oh....you held it far too long..we are now about 60 IQ points ahead of you.
Never said that I was intelligent (just normal), I just understand what I read and don't come in here bashing something I know nothing about.
But you did....you bashed everone who disagreed with you. You are obviously a Union supporter, and I detest them and what they represent.....NOTHING.
Jay,
Educate me, oh wise one. Please point me to the paragraph (or even sentence) in the article that compares and contrasts British unions with American unions.
Hell, Mayor Daley made sweetheart deals with the unions in Chicago for the Olympics that we DIDN'T GET! Gotta love the "Chicago Way"-just pay off the blood suckers with taxpayer money.
Just don't forget where your President is from and hope he wants to buy you off with $$
Too Late!! Half the Country is on Food Stamps, Welfare, SNAP, Free Housing, 166 weeks of unemployment benefits, "Shovel ready jobs that weren't so shovel ready", Medicaid, and a host of of other goodies. Obozo is giving my money away to any bum who will vote for him, and he wants me to worry about Mitt Romneys' wealth??? What a joke the POS POTUS is. And his Union backers are dwindling in numbers by the minute.
Ok once again the European Union is different style of union than here in the states.
There is NO difference....they will shut down a COUNTRY to serve their own GREEDY needs. Show us the difference. Handwriting is on the wall.....Unions will continue to LOSE Public support because of their LEADERS and their LEADERS SOCIALIST Policies....and ACTIONS. If Union Members would get their heads out of their as*ses they would see that they are being raped by both their leaders and the DimoCrap Party and PROTEST or STRIKE against THOSE CLOWNS.
Yeah thanks to Reaganomics and the trickle down theory and 8 years of Bush and two useless wars costing this country 1.5 trillion dollars and counting they have totally wrecked this country.
And your wonderful POTUS Obama and his cohorts used that as a leverage to REALLY wreck the Country. "Let no CRISIS go to WASTE'"!!! What a destructive attitude. And the Obama-ites have fallen for it hook , line, and sinker...FISH all. This man's policies and UNCONSTITUTIONAL actions have put us in a hole we may never rise above again...And all for his cause of "Wealth redistribution". You are a stupid liberal lemming.....have a soft landing, numbnut.
At least in the US, government agencies are not the only employers whose employee's have formed unions. Most major grocery store chains, at least in my area, employee's are unionized. You should probably check yours out since you're so against unions.....you wouldn't want to be supporting them. Probably don't want to drive an American made car either. A bad employee is a bad employee....union or not.
I am Union and things like this give us a bad name and a bad appearance to our public. The Union workers should be going all out to perform at thier highest levels for the world to see Union people get the job done. I know corrupt company's use every tactic to cut our pay and benefits at every turn and there is no shame as to what they will do. We have a Governor in Wisconsin who thinks while he lives the good life on taxpayer money the true workers gain nothing. But, we Union people somhow are going to have to rise above all that and show we are better. good day
Truth you have to remember it's a different style of Union over there too, since most of everything in the public sector is Government controlled
different union -- same attitude. Gimme gimme gimme.
"Gimme gimme gimme"? Why should anyone get paid for only 8 hours of work when they put in 12 hours? That's greed!
Bull s%it. do you know why the congress and the unions are pushing to get the minimum wage to $10.00.....................almost all government union contracts base their raises on the minimium wage. pure greed
Well the Greed starts when Bus fares increase x3 for the Olympics, workers are seeing almost everyone getting a temporary Olympic bonus and are expected to take a 5x work load increase and their greedy company offers them nothing. Their increase amounts to less than 50.00 a shift
And just HOW MUCH have your lame as* Union buddies invested in these COMPANIES they work for??? Your analogy of 5X work load increase for a bus driver and the other Unions is absolutely ridiculous. Don't like the policies of who you work for?? Then phucking quit and start your OWN company. Simple, see???
Actually I own allot of stock in the company I work for, Started buying it 30 years ago I also own stock in a two of our competitors. The 5x workload isn't fact, but considering the language barrier extra assistance and the fact that the city will be a virtually grid locked with the large number of people I'm pretty sure it's not far off, also given that London's streets are stressed at regular levels
This quote from a Unite union rep speaks volumes: “They’ll end up working longer and finishing their shifts later,” the spokesman said. “They have to manage the entire bus; they have to often help passengers; they have more demands on them from passengers; they have to help a lot of people who don’t speak English.
“Our members are going to be ambassadors for London. They are going to be keeping London moving during the Olympics,” he added. “In such exceptional circumstances, they should have their extra contribution recognized financially … they shouldn’t have to be doing extra work for free.”
so basically, they're going to have to do the job for which they've been fully trained, and do each and every day. the bit about 'doing extra work for free" actually made me laugh out loud. it's a certainty that they are getting paid for every minute on the clock, and likely a healthy stipend for overtime hours. all at a time when UK unemployment remains above 8%, with some locales much, much worse.
Look, I've no problem w/ a little extra something going into paychecks in appreciation for a job well done. but the workers/unions should've negotiated an excess profit-sharing plan well in advance. Everyone's PO'd because of how/when these actions are taking place, putting the country in the media crosshairs for all the wrong reasons. therefore these actions are unfair and uncool (and so are very un-British), I think that there should be post-Games repercussions against striking unions & workers.
Ohhh, another article about crybaby union workers. how unique.
BK has it all figured out. Its the greedy Unions bankrupting everything. I just want to know what Union some of these CEO's belong to. GE's CEO Jeff Immult knocks down 20,000,00 dollars per hour and his board of 6 chairman all earn over 10,000.00 dollars per hour. They pay thier emplyees 10.00 to 13.00 per hour with no benefits because "thats the only way they can stay competitive". They also pay no Federal Income Taxes and recieve tax breaks and incentatives from Kentucky and Louisville.
These guys belong to a nice Union now. Then we have the Wall Street Union members they are really shafting us big time. And the Baker Unions raising fees on everything. These damn Unions are bankrupting America trying to get a living wage and decent health care benefits for their members while the CEO's stash their cash in off shore banks, see Mitt Romney.
One more thing BK rhymes with BJ and I bet thats what ol BK does for his bosses.
Truth BK will never understand it, He is either in Management hoping to get a CEO position that will never come or he's mad at himself for not being apart of something that fights for his and his family's future or he's retired and is mad at himself because he can't make a living on his so call company retirement.
With BK's irate babbling and his unintelligent comebacks, I think the latter is the case,
Well that is what Unions do suck the blood out of ever company . Unions are a bunch of selfish SOB's
Bama I got one for you, It doesn't matter what I make, the company I work for charges 274.00 for one hour of my work, my total hourly package or cost to the company is 72.00 an hour (that's everything) now explain to me how I am bleeding my company dry? My company like about 90% of large corps have a monthly profit ratio of 61% to cover overhead ( offices, managers, CEO's, Presidents and VP's and so forth) Seams to me we are a little top heavy. Now I could care less how my company chooses to do business and I'm here to make them all they want but by no means am I or most other Union workers bleeding a company dry.
Jay sounds to me like I should go to work with your company.
you damned idiot.
Bama,
i got one for you to suck, i thought you were trolling.
Bama sounds like an Aubarn troll!
Roll Tide
IBEW 481 Baby
My thoughts would be to take the "Reagan" approach and fire them - too many people looking for work to put up with this crap. I would like to add that some of these comments are pretty assinine.
And just imagine some of the jobs that could be out there if some of these companies hired a little extra help instead of paying these top execs their ridiculous salaries and making 7 employees do the job of 10.
True colors coming out. A bunch of petty opportunists. It's what you get in a society filled with the entitlement mentality.
You should get paid for the work you put in. Why wouldn't you be "entitled" to that? The opportunists are the ones taking advantage of the ones stupid enough to work for free.
The Olympics are supposed to be about the athletic ability of the YOUTH of the world, and it no longer is that at all. It's all about money and greed. Maybe it's time to STOP the Olympics completely, until there are ethics and values in place. The true Spirit of the Olympics is Dead at present.
How about we just ban the UK from ever hosting the Olympics again if they can't provide the proper environment?
Idiot
American workers to the delight of the GOP have accepted the ideal that they are cattle , that they should be happy for any wage above minimum and should be accepted as a blessing . all the tax breaks and loopholes given to the rich so they could creat jobs is and always has been a scam .
We all know nice guys finish last and should be the first thing taught to kids in school . If one wants to be succesfull today you have to lose some morals and think about #1 only .Saying that where is the outrage towards the developement companys that are moving people out to collect rent at rates ten times normal during the games and then tell the people thrown out they have move back in afterwards or they will be sued .
WE would never have had unions if the Coal , Railroad and Steel barons had at least treated their workers like humans , but people like BK don't seem bothered by facts such as railroad stats the say 250,000 workers died in a 10 yr span , And there are owners today that if not for laws would accept those same deaths without concern . You only see unions where capitalists have put their greed for excessive profits above human dignity .
I worked in a skilled trade and was good enough that I would get offers from other companies and they all claimed that they would match or beat union pay and benifits , twice I left union jobs for non union jobs and got screwed , they never helped with education and never payed as promised and the 401k got sucked up as the companies playing shell games like claiming bankrupcy and then reopening under their kids initials . Strange that they could charge $145 per hour for my skills and then claim they could not make any money if they paid me 20% of that number
And you should know that the only pension that has paid as promised is the union plan . the unions have paid for their past sins and their book are open for all to see which is more than you can say for the likes the crooks on wallstreet who have stolen billions from middle class, These are the crooks the Gop thinks we should trust with the moneys we paid in as taxes . And you know what , they have unions too , their called board members and their shop stewards work on K street in DC
Amen, Nicely put
Well put!!!
Sounds like your should go open your own business and run it to success with Union workers since you think the Company who employs you has no overhead. Step up, put your money where your mouth is, open your own business, pay yourself whatever and then come show us your profits.
I work in management for an IBEW contractor. We run about 400 men and women and pay them a wage they can live on. And our owners are doing pretty well also.....+ 30,000,000 in profits last year..... Next!
Who wants to go to London to be subjected to left-wing Luddites who do everything they can to ruin the experiences of travelers, calling lightning strikes on Bank Holidays, Christmas, Boxing Days, and now the Olympics unless they get an extra pay packet? If you have to be there, be sure to thank them as you pass by showing them two fingers if they look British, a one-finger salute if they appear not to be British, and both if you can't tell the difference. They don't give a darn, and will no doubt spit at you, but it will make your fellow sufferers feel better.