More people should be protesting

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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All the news of strikes, wildcat strikes, and last minute negotiations to prevent more strikes, brings back talk of the winter of discontent.

The problems at the northern oil refineries have been rumbling on for a few months and tube strikes are a regular part life for the London commuter.

The plan to privatize the Royal Mail was never likely to get off without any opposition - especially since you only have to check your latest utility bill to know privatisation doesn't necessarily bring with it better service - or more competitive prices, never mind job security.

But it is clear that while there are some spots of unrest, there will not be a summer of discontent.

Across Europe, there have been massive protests with France leading the way as rising fears of yet more unemployment has sparked unrest amongst a class of workers that apparently feel they have nothing left to lose.

Students in Germany have been striking and even staff at the European Central Bank held strikes over pay and pensions contributions.

With unemployment on the rise, banks being bailed out at a high cost to the taxpayer and directors that nearly brought the country - never mind their companies - to the brink of collapse walking away with a nice pension of a few hundred of thousand per year, there is plenty to protest about.

And then there is the uneven approach of government intervention; rescues for bank boards but not their staff and help for car workers but only bureaucratic nightmares for small businesses looking for help in these hard times.

But even as millions lose their job or are faced with lower pay, shorter hours and for some - at BT and British Airways - the prospect of working for free or being loaned out, there has been hardly a peep.

Admittedly, Rob Macgregor at Unite has been pretty critical of the fact that former board members are sitting on piles of cash while their staff are out on their ear.

But he's pretty isolated.

Mostly representatives for bank workers and even the once vocal journalists' unions are busy negotiating to maximise voluntary redundancy and to minimize job losses.

Most service sector staff aren't unionised and don't have a history of protest.

The manufacturing sector is on its knees and its once strong unions have lost their teeth. In most industries, workers are desperately hoping to cling onto jobs and are keen to work with employers on initiatives to keep a salary - even a lower one.

Of course, the threat of redundancy with a high mortgage and other debts sitting over them means many daren't put themselves in the firing line.

But this doesn't explain why millions of people who have seen their retirement nest egg decimated by the credit crisis, bad management decisions and the collapse of house prices are being quite so agreeable.

And what about the expenses scandal? Sure people decided not to vote, but is that really all the protest the UK can manage?

And why the quiet over news that the inquiry into the Iraq war - which once drew millions onto the streets of London - is to be held in private at the request of the former Prime Minister? Surely that kind of abuse of the political system deserves some kind of protest.

Britain has never been known for its vocal masses and there is obviously some relief that the financial Armageddon we had been warned about is not happening, but many households are clearly feeling the squeeze.

So why aren't they speaking up more?

[John Wood]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone can advice on a reliable redundancy insurance please?

John