Cameron the Heathite?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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David Cameron has derided the prime minister for not displaying the courage and leadership needed to take on the striking postal workers and win. This morning Ken Clarke pledged that the next Tory government would privatise the Royal Mail. If the Tories mean it, they will need to display the "strength" of Ted Heath, and not the "weakness" of Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Ted Heath and David CameronThe Tories would do well to remember that the CWU could line the walls of their HQ with the scalps of politicians who took them on, and lost. Only Heath beat them.

Mrs Thatcher flirted with privatising the Royal Mail before shunning the idea.

In 1992, John Major and Michael Heseltine - then the president of the board of trade - were forced to scrap their plans to privatise when a dozen or so Tory backbenchers rebelled, threatening to wipe out the government's Commons majority of only 14.

Hezza's New Labour successor Peter Mandelson backed away from his plans to privatise the post in 1998 after the CWU leader roused the Labour conference to oppose him.

Ten years later, Gordon Brown brought back Peter and his privatisation plans only to abandon them both in the face of massive backbench hostility.

Team Cameron have to go back almost four decades for the last politician to defeat the posties. Ted Heath withstood a seven-week strike, after which postal workers settled for less pay than they'd originally been offered as the union had run out of strike funds to make up for their lost wages.

Of course, if Gordon Brown wins this dispute, it might help Cameron privatise the Royal Mail if he becomes prime minister. It might, of course, make that victory less likely.

[ExSG]

If my memory is correct that strike started in support of underpaid and ill used workers in a film processing plant and the postmen got caught up in it by refusing to handle the post. Despite the glorious John Taylor and his 'blue army'' they were dark days for postal workers and nearly bankrupted the Union. I recall many senior postmen telling me they would never support an all out strike again.

I may be wrong but the closed shop possibly saved the Union from extinction.

Its also another example of how all out strikes can go horribly wrong.

[mailman71]

If my memory is correct that strike started in support of underpaid and ill used workers in a film processing plant and the postmen got caught up in it by refusing to handle the post. Despite the glorious John Taylor and his 'blue army'' they were dark days for postal workers and nearly bankrupted the Union. I recall many senior postmen telling me they would never support an all out strike again.

I may be wrong but the closed shop possibly saved the Union from extinction.

Its also another example of how all out strikes can go horribly wrong.

we went out for better wages butgave them about 2 months notice we were going which meant every office was cleared,after 7 weeks people were skint so were forced to go back,the way the union are doing the strikes now is better.

[fishtank]

If my memory is correct that strike started in support of underpaid and ill used workers in a film processing plant and the postmen got caught up in it by refusing to handle the post. Despite the glorious John Taylor and his 'blue army'' they were dark days for postal workers and nearly bankrupted the Union. I recall many senior postmen telling me they would never support an all out strike again.

I may be wrong but the closed shop possibly saved the Union from extinction.

Its also another example of how all out strikes can go horribly wrong.

we went out for better wages butgave them about 2 months notice we were going which meant every office was cleared,after 7 weeks people were skint so were forced to go back,the way the union are doing the strikes now is better.

You are right this is a more affordable way to strike.People live a lot closer to the edge now and would never survive 7 weeks,how many postman had morgages under Heath?The council could wait for there money,I dont think Loyds or RBS will.

[norbert]

If my memory is correct that strike started in support of underpaid and ill used workers in a film processing plant and the postmen got caught up in it by refusing to handle the post. Despite the glorious John Taylor and his 'blue army'' they were dark days for postal workers and nearly bankrupted the Union. I recall many senior postmen telling me they would never support an all out strike again.

I may be wrong but the closed shop possibly saved the Union from extinction.

Its also another example of how all out strikes can go horribly wrong.

we went out for better wages butgave them about 2 months notice we were going which meant every office was cleared,after 7 weeks people were skint so were forced to go back,the way the union are doing the strikes now is better.

one may be the Grunwick Strike in 77 ? , The Tom Jackson strike against the Tory Heath Government may be 1971 ?

[ExSG]

Yes, Grunwick was what I meant - I nearly said Grattons

I didn't realize Grunwick was during my time - I started in '75. Sad, bit its an age thing

[IWW Fellow Worker]

Yes, Grunwick was what I meant - I nearly said Grattons

I didn't realize Grunwick was during my time - I started in '75. Sad, bit its an age thing

I remember it well. The boss at Grunwick was George Ward and the police were scum, as usual.