Why are the unions so powerful in Europe?

Question

I hate it. I live in Britain and all they do is strike all the time, why doesn't our govt do something and make them illegal, we have the Conservative party and the Liberal Democrat party in a coalition, why don't they make unions illegal? This year all they have done is strike, BA airport strike, then volcano(not really the unions fault), then post office strike, now tube strike and london firefighters strike? why? for a 1% increase in pay, for a 0.5% increase in pay? they are so selfish, I hate unions. what do you think? share the same grief?

Answer 1

I was in a union for a year, WORST job experience of my life. They take your dues for obviously ill- intended reasons.

Answer 2

Just look back at history to see wy Unions were ever necessary. Children as young as 4 years old made to work in coal mines for 12 hours a day for a penny in old currency. The working conditions of some employers was unimaginable. Employers are still unscrupulous today and unions are still a necessity. If you dont believe that, just look at what some employers are willing to do. Many will take on illegal workers and pay them far less than the minimum wage. Many employers do not have adequate health and safety measures and some flout the rules on working hours, sickness, holidays and breaks. Unions are there to represent their members and to enforce employers to abide by the law and protect workers rights and safety. The fact that we are seeing more strikes is due to the fact that employers are seen to be unfair and not treating the workforce with dignity or respect. Remember that without the workers, a business is nothing. If a business is doing well and making a good profit, the workers SHOULD get a decent salary increase for all their hard labour. Making unions illegal would not stop strikes as the workers could individually walk out over any given dispute and banning unions would not prevent further industrial action taking place over serious issues on which the majority of workers felt aggrieved.

Answer 3

That's why Europe is going down the tubes.

Answer 4

thats why Europe stinks