Cameron vows to end funding for workplace union salaries

Quite right James.

The people involved in the destruction of workers rights, their safety and their dignity are not from the working class. If you look at them they are from well financed backgrounds, private schooling, including the people involved in the development and delivery of the various reports to implement those changes against the working class citizen of our nation. Take a look at the speed and involvement of the reports into health and safety alone and you will see they were short, sharp and to the point in time, effort and delivery. I believe the agenda was set prior to the reports being commissioned and the end result was part of the initial brief to the wrters. But all our ranting and contribution will change nought, this government is still blaming the labour government for its ConDem failings 18+ month on. In a couple of years elections will take place to decide on a new government and whoever wins will blame the previous government for its failing the circle goes on. I still cannot understand why the govt blames public spending and wants to make cuts to pensions and services with no decrease to the amount we pay, surely they did maths at school, you can only spend what you receive. It was the banking system that put us in the mess we are in today yet it appears to be forgotten as we allow them to receive bonus after bonus. Make them pay and make them pay hard.

NWO!

As a taxpayer, I should pay only for end-of-line services rendered. I should not be paying for the political machinations of people within the supply process. Stripping out specific funding for trade unions within the supply process is an easy win - and long overdue.

But have you noticed that paying for trade unions within the supply process during the past 10 years has NOT stopped career managers from ripping off the taxpayer with their six-digit salaries, platinum parachutes, golden boots and other such jollies?

What's that sound? Oh yes, it's sound of a force of conservativism not wanting to rock the boat.

It's clear that from the taxpayers perspective, trade unions have had their snouts deep in the same trough as self-serving senior managers in the public sector, to hell with the taxpayers (they can just keep on paying, yeah? Money grows on trees, right?)

The sad fact is that we have a Goverment which is in thrall to Industry , the CBI and the Insitute of Directors. The Lofstedt report have given carte blanche to the Government to start removing key Health and Safety protections and any idea, no matter how outlandish, to remove or undermine workers rights is keenly grasped. It will come round but how many of us will suffer both physically and financially befrore we see a reverse of this trend.
By then Mr Cameron and his cronies will be long gone but the damage will be done

Martin,

You've made a very valid point there. Tipping the balance too far either way is always going to effect the relationship between employer and employee. As for a Victorian revival, I think we're certainly heading towards that. Apprentices on less than minimum wage (under the threshold for NI contributions so cannot build up any pension etc), fees for Tribunals, watering down of employment rights, attacks on health and safety legislation, savage cuts in the HSE, the list goes on and on.

I also agree with your comments Wayne. Maybe buying shares in whips and beeswax is the way forward?

My experience and understanding is that workplace representatives are unpaid, with maybe negociated facility time, the only exeption would be paid time off for union training, if their employer agrees.
Branch officials can claim travelling expenses, but many end up with a paycut due to reduced working hours.
Paid officers are paid by the union they work for.
I appreciate that this is my experience and there may well be other senarios.

Many employers understand the scenario employees face (with regards to lack of jobs) and crack a grin along with their freshly beeswaxed whip!

"Its my way or the highway!"

What ever happened to good relations and open consultation between employer and employee? I wonder if we are heading towards a victorian revival era in employment.

:-)

Very good John - I think I'll nick that!

Hear, hear John.

"I think the idea of full-time politicians working in the public sector on political business, rather than serving the public – I don't think that is right and we are going to put that to an end."