By Donna Sheridan
STRIKING? Childish I call it. Causing major disruption to millions to make a pathetic point. Why can’t they protest in a way that doesn’t affect anybody?
Teachers, for example. We’re always hearing that their day doesn’t end at 3.30pm, that they’re marking books all evening at home. So why don’t they do their striking then?
If they were picketing in their own homes at evenings, weekends and during school holidays they’d have my full backing, which I’m sure would do more to sway the government than any amount of closed schools.
The same goes for train drivers. Instead of losing everyone’s goodwill by refusing to drive trains, why not make announcements? ‘The next station stop is Wolverton, and a public sector pay freeze has meant a real terms wage cut of 15 per cent for us.’
Commuters would certainly listen and then lend their weight to the cause, perhaps with an Instagram post. You won’t get that by cancelling trains. If anything that makes commuters like them less.
And nurses, instead of sullying their angelic hands with industrial action, could wear a special uniform that would really catch the eye, perhaps in bright red. Like when kids wear yellow to raise awareness for mental health or bullying or whatever.
Simply refusing to work until you get more pay? It’s a bit primitive, isn’t it? And frankly smacks of blackmail. If my son refused to do his homework until I increased his pocket money I would certainly not give in.
So come on, strikers, use your imaginations and find ways of registering your displeasure that don’t involve causing any inconvenience to your bosses, your customers and society as a whole. Then you’re sure to get what you want.
