4352807

Re: Right to strike?

May 22nd, 2008 01:54 AM

Every employee has the right to strike though it must never endanger other people. This means that certain sectors can have a more radical strike then others. There are various level of striking, workers can go on a full strike, offer the service they provide for free (for example: bus drivers allowing people to board without ticket) or by minimizing capicity (most townhall staff on strike except for the few desks that have to be open such as the desk to report the birth of a child, which has to be done in a day or so by law).

So yes, the police can strike by not handing out tickets, not providing officers for an event such as a football match and so on.
Same with the militairy, if they aren't in a combat situation or something simular important they can just strike.
Same with docters, they can refuse general support (though they should be available if immidiate healthcare is required, but emergency services generally take care of this).

Strikes are a last resort though, one sould first try to find a solution by having the unions talk, writing letters of complaints and such, then one can treaten to go on a strike and only after that one can strike. The severity of the strike should be justifable and depends on the exact circumstances.

4352820

Re: Right to strike?

May 22nd, 2008 02:05 AM

That was an issue in Finland at last Autumn. A large number of nurses threatened to resign en mass if their wages wouldn't be raised by some 20%: by resigning they would circumvent the legislation ordering them to maintain minimum service level while in strike.

The people's sympathies were on nurses' side. The government was blamed instead when it didn't support the wage raise and it quickly prepared legislation for the parliament which would force the resigned nurses to work. Eventually the nurses and employer union reached an agreement: 16% raise in four years agreement period. No nurse resigned and no compulsion legislation was taken to the parliament.

It's a tricky question. On the other hand it's also a question what is really appreciated and what should be appreciated. People don't live with sayings "you're doing important job" and if there aren't competitive wages compared to education the job requires, who will stay in the job?

By all means I think that even doctors, nurses, police, border guard, military etc. should have the right to strike but only if the minimum service level can be guaranteed. For example there are enough doctors and nurses at work to take care of acute cases & surgeries, emergency section etc.

4352972

Re: Right to strike?

May 22nd, 2008 05:14 AM

The level of competent policing in England has taken a big hit over the last ten to fifteen years, it's not surprising. The police get screwed over in terms of job satisfaction, in that the people they arrest even for serious things like assault tend to get rather pathetic sentences, in the equipment they're given (their radio system is now so inefficient that it tends to interfere with large quantities of traffic and actually has of all things a transmission delay, on top of which it actually costs so much since the government sold the airwaves off to private enterprise that many areas are in danger of running out of money) in the support they're given by the CPS and other government services including the moves they're taught for self defence being somewhat pathetic these days. Some areas have had to get rid of real policemen in order to hire the community support wardens that the government now says they must have.

Frankly the government in England is a company that will keep screwing people and services over until something gives or it runs it into the dirt. We need our police to be able to strike, the alternative is to go even further down this road our government has embarked upon.

4352983

Re: Right to strike?

May 22nd, 2008 05:24 AM

Exactly.

Normally the hospital/health board/government will find an agreement with the doctors. If that can't be found, doctors have tried rolling strikes (one hospital per day/one city per day/50% of doctors per day) and so on.

In the case of the doctors strike, the Minister of Health intervened (as well as sacked a District Heath Board, and ordered and investigation on another), and muscled the DHBs into an agreement. Popular support tends to swing really heavily behind the doctors (and likewise for police etc) for better conditions and pay, becuase of the nature of the job.

4353587

Re: Right to strike?

May 22nd, 2008 01:35 PM

In Canada, some institutions cannot go on strike, like EMS, Public transport...

4354247

Re: Right to strike?

May 23rd, 2008 04:44 AM

Really, here in Belgium the public transport strikes about 10 times a year creating massive traffic jams and general nuiscance.

I think everyone has a right to strike, in the case of doctors or police there are ways provided to strike by means of "minimal service" meaning they can strike if they can supply the minimal of services to the public.