UK Coastguard Industrial Action

[KeithH]

This seems to have dropped off the news in recent months. Has the industial action stopped? Was there a settlement, or has the "credit crunch" meant that they have little hope of success?

If they were bankers, who had failed to do their jobs properly, they might have qualified for a huge payout.

 

[Searush]

The whole world continues to ignore them as far as I can tell. Now is no longer a good time to fight for pay or rights, there are far too many ready (and in desperate need) to take over if anyone chooses to try taking action.

 

[matelot]

actually, there arent yet - the rise in unemployment has so far been small. phoney war and all that.

 

[Searush]

[ QUOTE ]
actually, there arent yet - the rise in unemployment has so far been small. phoney war and all that.

[/ QUOTE ]

That depends where you are & what industry you are in. Lots of short time/ lay-offs & redundancies in the Midlands & Merseyside. Plus a big reduction in available job opportunities. I have seen figures of 500 people for every job advertised. I work with "hard to employ" volunteers, their chances of getting any job at present are less than zilch.

Lots of empty commercial properties too, might be plenty of work for personnel managers downsizing, or accountants administrating, but everyone else is walking a tight line.

 

[philip_stevens]

Princess Yachts axes up to 450 jobs

[ QUOTE ]
phoney war and all that.

[/ QUOTE ]

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[matelot]

unemployment latest figures are 6.3% which is an increase of 1% over the year. by contrast its 12.6% in Germany. so 93.7% are in employment.

when I say "phoney war" what I mean is that the very large majority of people have not yet been affected and large numbers are better off thanks to falling mortgage rates. spending power in the economy has for the moment gone up. so distressing as it must be for the workers at Sunseaker, they are not representative.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Unemployment figures may only appear to have increased by 1% but that is permanent staff. There are 10's or probably 100's of thousands of contractors and agency staff who have been released, who do not register or qualify as unemployed, and are chasing far fewer opportunities.

 

[davidwf]

Given that where I work we are just waiting to see who are the unlucky 20 that are being made redundant at the end of March it's anything but Phoney here. Workforce is only around 100 UK staff so its a big cut.

I also know that BT have dropped several hundred contract staff over past few months and plan to lose many more over next couple. So I guess its not a Phoney war to them either.