The first strikes happened in Europe - as far as I know - around 1850 and the main reason was the same as the one that occurred in ancient Egypt, more than 3000 years ago "we are hungry".
Right now, here in France, all the public transport has come to a standstill, trains, subways, buses.
The reason for this is quite clear: these transport people have a special pension scheme. They retire at 50 or 55 and get a pension equivalent to 100 percent of their last salary. The money for this comes from taxes meaning from all those other working people who retire at 60/65 and get 50 to 70 percent of their last salary.
During the electoral campaign, The newly elected French president promised to end this situation and now he is trying to implement this. Thus the strike.
In Germany we have a strike of the train conductors, freight trains and passenger trains. Those conductors created first a trade union for themselves and now ask for a 30 percent rise of salary. The German Railway refused, thus the strike.
Has this anything to do with "we are hungry"? I don't think so. This is pure blackmail carried out by a group of people who happen to own something like a "joker".
On the French and the German telly, I see the faces of these trade union bosses. I see glee and triumph there, kind of "fuck you, we shall overcome". "We'll get you, shell out the money or kick the bucket."
That is what I see on their faces. If the country comes to its knees, they don't care. They want the money and pronto, a soft life for their members, featherbedding paid by others who work harder and longer.
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Hi Georg,
ReplyDeleteIt is 'heartening' to see that this disease of mass blackmail is universal!
We in India have got so used to it that most of us have begun to believe, with some resignation I suspect, that it is the birthright of trade unions or similarly grouped people to virtually hold the country to ransom.
I don't know how responsibly European politicians react to such acts. Here they usually cave in. After all, they don't have to pay from their pockets!
"retire at 50 or 55 " and get 100% pension!! wow!
ReplyDeleteretire at 50 and expect the rest of the people to pay for their largesse! unbelievable. I never liked the idea of Unions. Unions have become the 21 century mafia.
Don't they ever stop and think that if they become too demanding, the same business, that they expect to pay their 100% of pension, may go bankrupt by their unrealistic demands,and then they would not have any one to work for let alone retire at 50 and get paid 100% .
I think they need to read Ayn Rand's "Atlas shrugged" to really understand how business works.
I support the GDL strike and so do most germans:
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.hr-online.de/hr-info/2007/10/19/bahnstreik-deutsche-dafur-deutsche-dagegen/
These guys (train conductors) are underpaid. Manfred Schell is a great guy and I wish him the very best - we need more trade union leaders like him. See an interview with him:
http://img.stern.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/unternehmen/:GDL-Chef-Manfred-Schell--Ich-Mehdorn/602138.html
Btw, "Those conductors created first a trade union for themselves" was over 100 years ago - in 1867.
This was my son, another fervent blogger. It seems we do not share the same opinion about these strikes.
ReplyDeleteGeorg
wow! strike is over! it appears Sarkozy is the winner now...No?
ReplyDeleteAre you going to write about the Arab you youth setting Paris on Fire again..what's the beef now?
Hallo Frieda,
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting again. Is this a little push to write something more and a little bit faster?
Yes, you are right, the strike is over but not the game. They are only discussing it behind closed doors.
To use American English: pork barrel deals are probably on the menue. We shall see.
As to the suburbs: this goes on and one, but is out of the limelight.
As far as I know, these people burn about 15000 cars/year without this being worth to be mentioned.
Cheers
Georg
"15000 cars/year without this being worth to be mentioned."
ReplyDeleteare you serious?? if these were Christian kids, we would have seen them on TV more often....How sad.