Back to the 1970s

Mike Hosking writes:

Looks like we are heading for a winter of discontent.

Nurses, IRD, MBIE, Burger King, Events Cinema, teachers, principals – have I missed anyone yet?

Thousands upon thousands are currently spending their hard earned time and energy working out whether they want to take some form of industrial action. It has been many a year since we have seen this sort of pending disruption in our workforce.

In 2016 there were three strikes involving 430 people, those are latest numbers, and if you go back over the past bunch of years it varies year to year – but the indisputable statistic that smacks you between the eyes is the simple truth that we got on with life and turned up to work.

Yep we were almost strike free for many years.

Not that there aren’t a few who probably deserve a better deal. But here’s your cold hard truth: Unions don’t get it for you.

I have never once seen an offer of 2 per cent rejected by a union, a strike to follow, and the employer brought to their knees and a new offer of 9 per cent. It doesn’t happen.

That would be an interesting area to study. When there has been a strike has there been a settlement significantly more generous than what was on offer before the strike?