(30 Oct 2023, 3:00 pm)RobinHood wrote I think it is in the interests of the wider debate and public knowledge that this information is out there. I think it should be known, frankly.
Once upon a time, strike action was unpaid and therefore a risk vs reward position as a last resort (ignoring the politics and rationale around why or if it should even got that far to begin with..!)
Being paid to strike, (tax free too), basically means there is absolutely nothing/minimal financial position to lose in the plight of getting a better deal and therefore why wouldn't you continue to reject forever and a day?
Most people will be 'assuming' that this is unpaid and making a support judgement from that assumption. However, once it becomes more widely known, expect public support to drop like a stone - as it will 'appear' to be a zero risk strategy, in that the only people being hurt from this are the passengers.
We've seen exactly the same thing play out in other locations over the past few years. I'm surprised GNE haven't been 'informing' people about the daily payments in their own press releases.
I don't have any issue with it being known - I'd imagine the majority of people will be aware.
I have an issue with the BBC headline 'Union pays bus staff £70 per day to strike' which then softens when you click in to 'Unite paying striking staff £70 per day'
They are not paying for them to strike. It's a payment that your union dues entitle you to - there is no financial gain from striking, they are still losing money in terms of overtime and the actual wage - it's not a huge amount coming up to Christmas. It's just lazy centre right journalism.
And we keep talking about the court of public opinon, it doesn't matter here.