ducking out

[James Curry]

Curious Vic is the same quote in the Guardian? Daily Mail readers 2 million bigots probably about right enough Vic.

[vic mcclymont]

Of course Mr Christie you were there and quote verbatim what was said

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James, right to read the Guardian Left Wing nonsense and its anti UK stance

[happy daze john in oz]

One thing that reduced the union involvement here in Oz was enterprise bargaining.
Employers sat down with employees, sometimes with union reps there, and came to an agreement that suited both sides.

When employed at the Uni we did one for the catering staff, but this was different.
The shop steward did not want any union reps there, just me and the human resources manager.
We came to a deal and a few days later a union rep turned up, was told by the ex shop steward to do the impossible to herself.
She was not amused.

This is the best way to get an agreement that suits both sides, leave the union out of it.

[j.sabourn]

#33 John let me emphasise my previous statements for the needs of unions . My case is only the one I can quote but it could happen to anyone. After the Piper Alpha it was getting on for a year before I was ever summoned to the more or less the end of the enquiry during which time I was on 4 different ships, and my one and only very short visit. During that time of waiting for this what usually can be called a look for someone to blame mainly via newspaper reports which are as far from the truth you are ever likely to get , and listening and reading survivors comments taken out of context no doubt. I went finally to the enquiry , but went ready to shoot for bear and was I believe the only person to appear on the stand with a legal council .I was assured by the union I did not need but I insisted and they supplied which I would never have been able to afford myself. Any stupid questions that were fired at me by the tribunal which consisted of trade union representation of the dozens of different trades on the enquiry bench I was able to blast a few of them with grape shot before Lord Cullen released me from the chair after 10 minutes , and was free to go. I was not going to take any stick from such a motley of thick layabouts not even seamen. I was aware that within the first week after the disaster that our wonderful media had already pilloried a mechanic on duty at the time , and was in no mood and still am not ready to listen to the guesses and surmises of incompetents themselves. Unions if nothing else are there to help their members in possible legal situations ,not there just for causing strikes and trying to get high personal profiles for themselves. Wages and money I have found in my 50 years at sea I either accepted or I went elsewhere. Cheers JS

PS I’m still putting sun cream on, on Xmas day. JS

[j.sabourn]

#34 Let me also state here that the only union member that I knew on the Silver Pit was myself. Most of the stand by boats would not accept the NUS and paid what they wanted which believe me was very little , the only way I could bring their plight to light was through the good auspices of Numast which at the time had to go through their own media the Telegtaph. The ordinary media ignored . Most of the survival cases were due to these men in total 15 . Nothing like the poor aligned truth of the so called real disaster was. Even today I would not put pen to paper or make statements that would be construed the wrong way purposefully . The media as far as I am concerned on the Beaufort scale would be minus one . JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Apart from the NUS I have only belonged to one other union.
That was the one at the UNI, not much of one but when it came to the down sizing bit they were very good to all of us who took the option.
Negotiated very good rates of payment so no complaints.