Blame the Members
Surprise, surprise!
Scotland’s local government trade unions are going to recommend rejection of the latest ‘improved’ pay offer from the council employers.
In trade union circles, this is a discredited and cynical strategy – but a well worn one as well - that always comes into play when union leaders have painted themselves into a very tight corner.
So, the new offer of a 3% pay increase for 2008 followed by a 2.5% pay increase in 2009 – will be put to a ballot of union members.
Union leaders will now be calling for the offer to be summarily thrown out and for strike action to be escalated – but with their tongues firmly in their cheeks.
Not only is this completely bonkers – it is completely dishonest into the bargain.
Why?
Because union leaders are now hoping and praying that ordinary union members do exactly the opposite of what they recommending them to do – by voting to accept the offer and abandon any further strikes.
Seems crazy, right?
But at that point union activists and union bosses will pronounce that the rank and file membership just isn’t up for the fight – so, lo and behold, union ‘leaders’ won’t have to face up to their mistakes and yet another dismal failure.
The bottom line is that the campaign of strike action has achieved nothing for the lower paid – and the ‘improved’ offer is being paid for by lost wages and pensions payments – i.e. the money saved by the employers during strike days.
In reality, union leaders will then be left blaming their own members for the way things have turned out – instead of asking some searching questions about their own tactics and strategy.
Scotland’s local government trade unions are going to recommend rejection of the latest ‘improved’ pay offer from the council employers.
In trade union circles, this is a discredited and cynical strategy – but a well worn one as well - that always comes into play when union leaders have painted themselves into a very tight corner.
So, the new offer of a 3% pay increase for 2008 followed by a 2.5% pay increase in 2009 – will be put to a ballot of union members.
Union leaders will now be calling for the offer to be summarily thrown out and for strike action to be escalated – but with their tongues firmly in their cheeks.
Not only is this completely bonkers – it is completely dishonest into the bargain.
Why?
Because union leaders are now hoping and praying that ordinary union members do exactly the opposite of what they recommending them to do – by voting to accept the offer and abandon any further strikes.
Seems crazy, right?
But at that point union activists and union bosses will pronounce that the rank and file membership just isn’t up for the fight – so, lo and behold, union ‘leaders’ won’t have to face up to their mistakes and yet another dismal failure.
The bottom line is that the campaign of strike action has achieved nothing for the lower paid – and the ‘improved’ offer is being paid for by lost wages and pensions payments – i.e. the money saved by the employers during strike days.
In reality, union leaders will then be left blaming their own members for the way things have turned out – instead of asking some searching questions about their own tactics and strategy.
