Just in case anyone has had their heads in the sand, there is something much scarier than ghosts or skeletons approaching.
Strikes, strikes, and yet more strikes. Whilst the English Tory government engages in some kind of horrifying, self-gratuitous, auto-erotic cannibalism; approaching governance in the same way a preying mantis approaches sex (pick which ever side of that analogy you like, they both work) the whole of the UK is struggling. The rail workers have been striking since what feels like the year dot. They’ve now reached the point where they’re taking it in turns as the absence of even a single union will cripple the network across the whole bleeding island. Something i’m becoming increasingly aware of as I write this by hand while hiding from the rain under what can only be described as the world’s mankiest roof and waiting an a train that, much like the 5 before it, will probably be cancelled.
The posties in the CWU have been at it for a while too. The nurses are about to start. UCU, many of our lecturers and other vital staff at unis across the UK have voted in favour. The teachers are being balloted at this very moment and it is expected that they too will vote in favour of industrial action. Retail workers have even been talking about strike action as well, those fortunate enough to have unions anyway.
It’s not hard to see why this is happening. We’ve all seen the increases in, well… all of our bills. Staple foods have gone up not just the more than 10% rate of inflation we’re currently getting hammered with but in some cases as much as 60%. While wages have remained static. Plunging untold thousands into in-work poverty.
Yes they’re inconvenient. Yes they disrupt your plans. Yes I’m getting rained on while i write this because of strikes but i still support them. When unions fight for better conditions for their workers, historically everyone has seen the benefit of their hard work. So support the strikes, no matter how annoying they get, because it’s your future they’re fighting for.
“Some of the pickets at the main entrance to the University of East Anglia during today’s strike” by Roger Blackwell is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
