More Strike Ballots
The civil servants union - PCS - is the latest to vote for strike action on 30 June 2011.
PCS officials reported that 61.1% of those balloted - voted in favour of strike action - based on a turnout of 32.4%, i.e. less than 1 in 3 PCS members
In other words a clear, but not huge majority of 60/40 - with fewer that one member in three bothering to vote at all.
So around 1 in 5 PCS members (22%) have voted positively - to support strike call from the union leadership.
Not the strongest of mandates from which to launch a major strike - it has to be said.
I listened to the PCS general secretary - Mark Serwotka - try to excuse the poor turnout - for which he blamed restrictive rules which allow only for postal voting.
Now this suggests that the trade union were lobbying hard to change the rules - while a union friendly Labour government was in power for 13 years.
I wish that were true - because there is a need for a serious and proper debate about trade union democracy in the 21st century.
But the truth is that union bosses don't really want to open up this particular can of worms - to a critical debate.
Because it would put a much wider range of issues under the public spotlight - including Labour party affiliation and the use of union political funds.
PCS officials reported that 61.1% of those balloted - voted in favour of strike action - based on a turnout of 32.4%, i.e. less than 1 in 3 PCS members
In other words a clear, but not huge majority of 60/40 - with fewer that one member in three bothering to vote at all.
So around 1 in 5 PCS members (22%) have voted positively - to support strike call from the union leadership.
Not the strongest of mandates from which to launch a major strike - it has to be said.
I listened to the PCS general secretary - Mark Serwotka - try to excuse the poor turnout - for which he blamed restrictive rules which allow only for postal voting.
Now this suggests that the trade union were lobbying hard to change the rules - while a union friendly Labour government was in power for 13 years.
I wish that were true - because there is a need for a serious and proper debate about trade union democracy in the 21st century.
But the truth is that union bosses don't really want to open up this particular can of worms - to a critical debate.
Because it would put a much wider range of issues under the public spotlight - including Labour party affiliation and the use of union political funds.
