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Now brings the next question. Supposedly I were a member of a trade union and they organized a strike, but I don't want to like, I don't agree and I voted not to have a strike. Then what if the strike still goes on because I'm in the minority.
You would still probably have to go on strike.
I have to?
Yeah, because you belong to that union, if you belong to that union, you've chosen to be with them. If the majority of your union colleagues agree and think should go on a strike, then you have to join them.
明白了, 所以就是说实际上即使你不同意, 但是你们工会里大部分的人都投票同意了, 你还是得必须参加罢工.
Exactly.
It's a little bit like for example, if a country goes to war, if you don't agree with it, you can't exactly just say I don't agree, so I'm not gonna do anything.
So that's the analog you'll be using. Yeah, I see, I see. So it's almost like a mini government type of thing.
It is. The unions are designed to act as a balance against management.
I see. It’s a check and balance system.
Exactly.
其实是为了制衡这些employer. We know that in theory, but in practice, do they really have that much power? You said the London transport system, they have some very powerful unions. I've actually heard about this. Yeah, because quote on quote, if they don't reach a settlement, they go on prolonged strikes. They can hold London hostage because they stop running the underground. Pretty much. 整个伦敦就瘫痪了。
Exactly. And if the government or the local councils, if they continue to basically disagree with the unions or to stop negotiating, then it looks bad on the government.
But I do... in real life, imagine myself as just a resident in London, if I have to commute to work, I have to take the underground, the tube every day.
Oh, you probably will be very angry.
I'll be very angry, but if I feel like I probably won't necessarily feel angry about the company or at the company, I probably will think all these people going on strike, they don't really have any consideration for others and they are asking for unreasonable amount, does that happen?
Yeah, a lot.
So people are not necessarily just other normal, just general public. They're not necessarily siding with these unions.
No. In some cases, they don't side with the unions. One of the things about the transport unions is the they do actually annoy a lot of people.
I would assume so.
Because lots of people believe that, for example train drivers get a lot of money and some actually do. They got very good at paying conditions and when they complain about it, other people will just go, well, what are you complaining about?
If you already getting way above average salary, you're still complaining because you can hold the entire city hostage. Then that's not going to be...
But a strike will only work if you have the sympathy of the public. So if the public don't agree with the strike and they get angry, then the unions have less of a case and it makes the employers stronger.
Okay. So eventually this will all be in the court of public opinion.
Pretty much. So a good example is with the doctors and nurses. When they went on strike, they were very clear on the news about what their demands were, what they wanted. And of course people supported doctors and nurses.
Yeah, of course. So lots of people were pressuring the government into siding and agreeing with the unions.
I think you mentioned a very important point.
You have to be very transparent, very open about what you want, what the conditions are. Yeah, for example, I remember watching news about the NHS strike, the medical workers strike. Then some of the nurses are coming out to tell their story saying how much their take home wage is every month, 每个月到手多少钱.
Yeah, and we're talking about single mother working long hours getting paid above average, and it is that money having lived in London, I know that money is not enough, exactly, to support and your kids, let alone l
