Strikes could bring unhappy new year for Britons

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5B ... =0&sp=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has avoided damaging Christmas strikes among airline staff and postal workers but those and other disputes linger and could make the 2010 election year even more turbulent.

A court ruling on Thursday blocked plans by British Airways cabin crew to strike for 12 days over Christmas, bringing relief to hundreds of thousands of passengers who feared having their holidays ruined.

However, the Unite union, Labour's largest financial backer, plans a fresh ballot among airline staff angry over job losses and changes to working practices.

Similarly, a dispute between state-owned Royal Mail and its 121,000 workers could flare again in the new year after the Communication Workers Union called off a series of strikes in November to allow further talks.

Workers feel that their terms and conditions are being eroded as businesses seek to cut costs in Britain's longest recession on record. Public sector employees fear the impact of government efforts to rein in a record budget deficit.

The RMT union said more than 100 electricians working for a contractor on London's underground rail network would strike next week in a pay dispute. British drivers on Eurostar trains to continental Europe went on strike on Friday, but Belgian and French workers ensured a normal timetable.

"WINTER OF DISCONTENT REVISITED?"

Postal strikes pushed the number of working days lost to 175,000 in October, the highest monthly figure this year.

The government, in power since 1997 but trailing in opinion polls ahead of an election due by June, will want to avoid damaging headlines in the run-up to voting day.

Labour has bitter memories of 1978/79 when a series of public sector strikes left rubbish piling up on streets, the so-called "winter of discontent" helping to propel Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher to office.

Labour grew out of the union movement and the unions remain its primary source of its funding. Commentators said that the Conservatives were likely to try to make political capital out of any threatened strike action.

"I'd be very surprised if the Conservatives don't pick it up and try to run with it, but I'm not sure how credible it is," said Steven Fielding, professor of political history, at Nottingham University.

Other commentators agreed that reforms introduced by Thatcher in the 1980s to weaken union power would help Labour to limit the damage to it from any strikes.

"The big change that has happened since Margaret Thatcher's time is a removal of government from industrial relations. The legacy of Thatcher's approach could bizarrely be beneficial to Labour," said Justin Fisher, professor of political science at Brunel University.

Fisher said he saw serious damage to Labour only if strikes spread to key public sector services like rubbish collection or workers enjoying strong public support like nurses or firemen.

However, Fisher said this winter's disputes were a taste of what could be expected when the next government gets to grip with a budget deficit of more than 12 percent of GDP.

"Come next autumn, you will almost certainly see widespread industrial action in parts of the public sector where spending is not protected," he said.

[El-Bandito]

Trust me this is all GOOD. Could be the shortest Tory government in british history. 2010 May-2010 Nov.

[norbert]

Trust me this is all GOOD. Could be the shortest Tory government in british history. 2010 May-2010 Nov.

they can't reclaim the Falkland Islands again to get themselves out of a hole . They'll capitulate over Europe and will see through Cameron .

Ironically there's people in the CLP's that think Cameron is beatable but McRuin persists with all this " we are so , so clever " Third Way nonsense instead of something more radical .

It will be interesting to see who becomes Labour Leader after 2010 , they may go for a Cruddas / Harperson ticket .

That article is pretending to be neutral but like most it's sh** stirring for the Tories . Better than the usual hysterical rubbish though .

[fishtank]

"British drivers on Eurostar trains to continental Europe went on strike on Friday, but Belgian and French workers ensured a normal timetable."



Thanks for the solidarity.

[clashcityrocker]

"British drivers on Eurostar trains to continental Europe went on strike on Friday, but Belgian and French workers ensured a normal timetable."



Thanks for the solidarity.

Wonder whose trains got stuck for hours.It might have been karma.

[DGP1]

"British drivers on Eurostar trains to continental Europe went on strike on Friday, but Belgian and French workers ensured a normal timetable."



Thanks for the solidarity.

Wonder whose trains got stuck for hours.It might have been karma.

That along with all the cancelled flights means that the universe does have a sense of humour