As much as I like your sense of humour, trying to heap the blame for this despicable behaviour on the govt of 30 yrs ago has got to be the biggest joke of all.

If these scumbags had one single ounce of decency in their bodies they could drop their Olympic blackmail threat at the drop of a hat.

so why arent you shouting about a union that can call a national strike when only 10% of members voted. Considering they only represent about 55% of the staff what mandate do they have to call a coffee meeting letalone a national strike ??

as to the whys and wherefores (woeful that they are) of a legal contract, there should be performance levels agreed. Failure to comply/meet should result in loss of bonuses. It is a simple contract - made worse by those who have an axe to grind for poliitical reasons

any news as to when Milliband is going to get his nose job carried out ??

Can you give us the benefit of your wisdom? Why did your preferred govt. not repeal any of this legislation? They had a massive majority and could have done anything they wanted perhaps even Blair knows when he's on a winner.
Would you like to return to the pre Thatcher days? Dead bodies and rubbish piling up on the street. Three day week, no electricity? Beer and sandwiches in No.10 and everything cosy, you are living in the past and need to move on.

I wasn't the one shouting about the perceived lack of democracy in union strike ballots, someone else was. I explained the reasons why legislation introduced by successive Tory Governments made them less democratic, not more so as they had claimed.

And I'll say again, if a party represents less than a third of the electorate as a whole (which judging by the results of the last General Election, the Tories do) what mandate do they have to govern the country, 365 days a year? I see Osborne is now hopping up and down saying he'll introduce new legislation to impose a minimum turnout figure on union strike ballots, if that's not double standards I don't know what is.

If the Border Force agency staff who are not union members don't choose to take part in the strike, that's up to them. I bet they don't turn down the pay rises negotiated on their behalf by the unions, though. Freeloaders never do.

Because Blair and Nu Labour were the Tories in a not very good disguise, of course! If everyone in the country had been as happy as you obviously were with the Tories' performance, how come he got that massive majority anyway?

I'm looking at all this purely as a student of history nowadays, anyway. The Con Dems will be on their way soon enough, not that it matters to me as I'm not there.

Unfortunately your attempts to divert attention from the threats of these scumbags to the politics of years gone by have simply cut no ice.

Its little wonder that the reputation of unions has sunk to an all time low and the policy of causing increasing disruption in the name of better off members who have already been dealt an excellent hand, at the expense of those who really need assistance, simply slides them further down the plug hole of public opinion.

Actually, it's all a plot, masterminded by French air traffic controllers, who can't find any good reason to strike this year and disrupt everyone's holiday plans..... they were getting desperate after the volcano thing only lasted a short while

Lynn as a student of history perhaps you will be interested in

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/...recked-economy
and that Clegg is so desperate to be at the head table irrespective of the sutabilitiy of himself and his people
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/...h-Ed-Miliband-
is it small wonder the likes of the Border Force think they can do what they like when little squirts like that think they have something to offer the nation - irrespective of how much they must prostitute themselves to remain up there with a title.
I know a few in business like that

Yes I saw Cleggy's comments reported elsewhere, what a tart. Obviously enjoying the trappings of power (although actual power has he none) and desperate to cling on to them by any means possible. Miliband and Clegg (is there a smiley for holds head in hands?).

My point earlier in the thread said why should the trade unions be expected to behave any differently from politicians, bankers, tax avoiders et al, but Dick Dasterdly says two wrongs don't make a right. That probably applies to financial institutions and the super rich holding the country to ransom by threatening to relocate elsewhere when they think they might have to pay some tax, as well. It's OK for them but not for the workers, how dare they think they might have any leverage to achieve what they want?

I despair at the paucity of heavyweight political talent these days, though. IMO the cult of celebrity and 'personality' in politics is to blame. The guy with the whitest teeth, the least bad haircut and the prettiest wife wins. Imagine if Churchill were to stand for election now - a fat, bald guy, terrible clothes, heavy drinker, suffers from depression. The focus groups would give him short shrift.

And voter apathy too - that's the biggest enemy of democracy, be it within trades union membership or the electorate as a whole. People seem more inclined and interested in voting for the outcome of the X Factor or Strictly Come Dancing. I'm convinced that in the not too distant future the UK will have Simon Cowell as PM with his latest boy band as the cabinet. Maybe Nigel Farage is a step in that direction already, people just enjoy seeing him being rude to foreigners just like the judges are about talent show competitors.

We're all doomed, I tell you.

Two wrongs have never made a right, but someone has to take the moral high ground - but that will never be the unions. Led by stuffed shirts who want to be politicians but failed the interview, full of indignation and resentment, give themselves huge salaries for little work, chaffeur driven car, expensive house to live in for free, Armani suits, big gold watches.
It may impress the little old lady cleaning or slaving away over a hot kitchen stove but really is infantile.
I remember my father coming back from work saying another "meeting under the tree", the idiots want us to go on strike/work to rule. Come down here and tell us what to do, but if we stop work the managment will rub their hands with glee, no salaries to pay, at a time when there are no orders. We are lucky we aren't all on short time or laid off completely.

Voter apathy comes from being asked to vote but the result is ignored.
How the hell do you think Red Robbo kept his position in BL for so many years, it is retards like that that contributed to the downfall of manufacturing in the UK.

Once a union member is laid off they are not wanted, they have no rights, but when they get back in work again and don't rejoin the union no one seems to bother either - there's more cannon fodder to pay subs to keep their "leaders" in luxury.

Come the revolution...............

Strike called off,obviously to avoid causing themselves even further embarrassment.

Excellent, what's the next rant about? Tube trains? Olympic traffic lanes?

Trolls maybe ?

If you find any, let me know.

Well One Big Troll on here said I'm a Troll...should I be proud?