Questions and Answers

I'm a bit confused by this fuel strike business - as ever the news coverage seems to leave more questions than answers.

Now Unite claims overwhelming support for strike action - but the figures reported in some of the newspapers - don't necessarily agree with the union's interpretation:

Turners - 94.4% in favour on a turnout of 81.8%

Norbert Dentressangle - 74.8% in favour on a turnout of 71.3%

Wincanton - 68.4% in favour on a turnout of 71.9%

BP - 60.2% in favour on a turnout of 85.8%

Hoyer - 59.7% in favour on a turnout of 79.7%

DHL - 55.4% against but the turnout is not given

Suckling - 85% against but again the turnout is not given

So what appears to have happened is that two out of the seven refineries seem to have voted against strike action - without detailed figures being given for the turnout in these two areas.

What I would expect to see are figures for the number of ballot papers sent out - broken down by each refinery - and the number of ballot papers returned. 

Because that's the only way to gauge exactly what's going on at each depot - and across the industry as a whole. 

The other thing I don't get is that the union says the dispute is not about money - as such - because drivers get paid around £45,000 a year.

Apparently the dispute is about achieving standards across the industry as a whole - which suggests that the problem (whatever it is) - lies with some of the employers but not all of the employers.

In which case why call a strike across the whole industry - if the problem is not industry wide.

So we shall see what happens.

But it would certainly help to understand what's going on - if the press and media asked some intelligent questions - instead of just accepting things at face value.