Cost of living crisis
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“Your reformist view of the world clearly only covers the warm South. Those of us beyond Lancaster and Sheffield presumably are used to be be bloody freezing, so they know how cope with fuel poverty.”
If those living north of Lancaster and Sheffield can’t be arsed to campaign and struggle on issues such as ‘fuel poverty’ and the like, what hope is there for your pipe-dream? 🙂
Yes, something should be done about it !
The trouble is that, when you analyse what he is saying, it’s that they are organising a campaign to bring pressure to bear on the government to do something.
Of the 5 demands, only the first — a real pay rise — could be delivered by the unions. Two of them — end food poverty and a decent home for all — can’t be achieved this side of socialism. That leaves Slash Energy Prices and Tax the Rich, which a government could in theory do. In theory, as it is highly unlikely that any government would tax the rich to subsidise energy prices for ordinary people.
The other thing is that we know that at the next general election the unions behind this campaign are going to be calling on workers to vote in a Labour government, even if they don’t think much (in fact don’t expect much) from Starmer and those around him. Starmer is probably not worried by their campaign. It will mobilise people to vote Labour without him having to take responsibility for any of the demands made.
We know that a Labour government is not the answer or even a beginning of an answer. In the end it will be no different from a Tory government, as capitalism can only be run a profit-driven system in the interest of the profit-takers.
The unions would be better to stick to getting a real pay rise for the members if they can — and, ideally, denounce capitalism for being unable to solve the provide it causes for workers and their families.
“We could face the prospect of pubs being unable to pay their bills, jobs being lost and beloved locals across the country forced to close their doors, meaning all the good work done to keep pubs open during the pandemic could be wasted.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/pubs-mass-closures-energy-bills-b2155348.html
Let’s see how those living north of Lancaster and Sheffield react to that possibility.
Yes Lizzie45, everyone north of Watford spends their time in the pub, apart, of course, from when they’re cleaning out the pigeon loft, exercising their whippets, making black pudding and saying “whey aye pet”
I wonder if you would be as comfortable stereotyping disabled people or people of colour in such a lazy way.
The trouble for the unions is if they don’t make demands that are seen to be on the behalf of the general public such as government action on the price crisis, they are accused of being selfish and greedy, concerned solely about their own members.
I saw a video where the speaker didn’t care how the government intervened, by an energy cap or grants paid from a windfall tax or any other method.
As the CWU leader said in one interview, in their pay demand they want it be seen as the benchmark wage for all non-Royal Mail delivery workers to aspire to.
And I believe ample research shows for the non-unionised, the higher the union pay is it has a knock-on general effect, something that they should be emphasising as a benefit for all workers and not just the unionised.
And you Northerners and Southerners should think about the Islanders and in particular, the Shetlands who really should have control over THEIR oil ;-p
By April 2023, the average energy cost per year for a household will be ÂŁ10,300 in Shetland compared with ÂŁ5,136 for the UK. This October, it is predicted to be more than ÂŁ7,000, compared with less than ÂŁ4,000 on the mainland.
What struck me was watching this video was the absence of SWP and SPEW banners in the crowd. Can it continue to avoid their influence?
You clearly don’t “know nothing about me” to quote a phrase, if you think that your puerile comments hit a nerve.
I’m just thrilled to see that you’re as ignorant about culture and geography as you are about politics.
But I suppose it’s better for you to take the Boris Johnson “throw a dead cat on the table” and distract the discussion, rather than discuss your increasingly exposed political position.
Thank you so much for your insightful political discourse, your delightful bons mots and for sharing your sparkling intellect (sarcasm alert, sarcasm alert)
Five people share their views on the Don’t Pay UK campaign, which launched in June, and explain why they will join the protest, or not.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/aug/12/people-give-their-views-on-dont-pay-uk-fuel-bills
I hope the Don’t Pay campaign takes heed of the Poll Tax non-payers and will organise flying pickets to the homes of those who refused to pay fully ready to block the bailiffs and the accompanying police.
That will be the inevitable next stage. Along with being blacklisted for any future application for finance borrowing.
How they stop the arrestment of wages, I am not sure.
John Lewis and Waitrose are offering staff free food from October to January to help with the cost of living.
The meals, during work hours, are for permanent staff as well as temporary and agency workers.
A four-hour shift could choose one meal – breakfast, lunch or dinner – depending on the time of day, an eight-hour shift could choose two meals, long distance lorry drivers would pre-order packed lunches. Those working in smaller convenience stores without a canteen would receive salads or sandwiches,
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62742305
Will it catch on? Will there be a campaign as big as the free school dinners?
The slave owners in the southern states of the USA also fed their slaves for free.
If it catches on, the employers will surely use it in wage negotiations to say that you don’t need so much of an increase as you’re getting free meals from us. As bourgeois economists themselves like to emphasise, there is no such thing as a free meal.
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