UK Post Office Workers

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 13 Oct 2007, 08:26

http://klongwalking.blogspot.com/2007/1 ... rkers.html

Excellent Blog

The Post Office workers have never been very militant. In 1971 Thatcher pushed them into a national post strike and beat them after 47 days. Tom Jackson was then their leader and a moderate left with nowhere else to go. Thatcher's government was in training for what was to come later with far stronger unions.

Fast-forward 36 years and we have Gordon Brown, New Labour and the ex-Saatchi and Saatchi spin doctor, Adam Crozier, doing it all again. Suddenly after years of not hearing it we are now told what "Spanish Practices" are. Come on Brown, if the worse you can say is they start work too early and then finish early then, no matter what spin you put on it, it is you and Crozier who are the aggressors.

Of course if your economic policies are Thacherite like Brown's then the destruction of basic infrastructure like the postal service is OK... but what about the Minister of Health? Alan Johnson, it's no good making statements about NHS administrators when old work colleagues of yours are in so much trouble. Didn't you ever benefit from these Spanish Practices? Isn't it about time you resigned from this government or are you totally without principles?

Post by **baldrick** » 13 Oct 2007, 09:04

Thatcher wasn't PM in 1971 though - wasn't it Ted Heath then?

Rob Ray · Post by **Rob Ray** » 13 Oct 2007, 09:23

The tories were elected in 1970.

strangler · Post by **strangler** » 13 Oct 2007, 09:53

'Spanish practices' eh Adam? Where are the PC brigade when you need them?

fujitsu · Post by **fujitsu** » 13 Oct 2007, 09:56

but whats Thatcher-Brown gonna do next ?? NHS ? police ?? armed services ??? christ knows what service / business will be next. so much for the workers party

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 13 Oct 2007, 09:57

I think he meant 81

http://www.fandmpublications.co.uk/page ... meline.htm

1981 Margaret faces a series of strikes and South London went up in flames as rioting spread through Brixton in April. In July, rioting broke out in dozens of cities across the country most ferociously in Liverpool prompting the reworking of the old folk saying, red sky at night, Toxtethâ€™s alight. IBM released the first personal computer for sale in October.

Post by **baldrick** » 13 Oct 2007, 10:16

But the six week postal strike was in 1971 - think he's had a bit too much spliff

Post by **britwrit** » 13 Oct 2007, 10:23

Than again, was it as big a loss as everyone says? I read somewhere they "only" got an eight percent pay rise after striking. Of course, they were offered seven percent and were striking for 15 but still...