Bob crow negotiates a great deal for his union members,

[Anna B]

In a capitalistic system it's the law of the jungle - survival if the fittest, kill or be killed.

 

If you're not fit, don't have money, and no influence then you're stuffed.

 

You'd better get used to it.

[Gordonb]

Ah yes the Olympics, you conceed it highly likely then they would have blackmailed their employers in the run up to the games with threats of strikes?

 

If £50k is the 'decent' wage, what was they on before, and would you have described it as 'indecent'?

 

Average wage of £46k plus 29 days hols plus bank hols.

[WeX]

They'd still have some way to go to match the £1 trillion screwed out of the tax payers by the rich banks, the £2.4 bn per year extracted from tax payers by the commercial sector in procurement fraud, the PFI handouts, the handouts to property developers (Sevenstone, Park Hill) and so on. Corporate welfare is huge, they are milking us for everything we've got.

 

I don't see the connection between tube drivers and rich bankers but I'll run with it. The money given to the tube drivers is not going to be given back is it, but the money given to the banks is to be and already has been to a degree, given back, with interest. Of those who have not paid back or have been partially privatised, we do not own a % of the drivers or have the ability to sell it off either.

[Mr Bojangles]

And to those drivers Fred Goodwin "earns" more every time he takes a ****.

That doesn't mean they should be earning the same as a Police Chief Inspector for pressing a couple of buttons every mile.

[Guest sibon]

To a lot of hardworking people on low incomes, £50k puts those drivers in another class.

 

What is wrong with them earning as much as they can?

 

Surely they are only getting paid the market rate. Well done Bob Crow, it looks as though you have earned your salary by negotiating this deal.

[WeX]

Average wage of £46k plus 29 days hols plus bank hols.

 

While the average UK earnings per individual is only £26,000 pa.

[WeX]

Although, as long as the London council tax payer is paying for this I see no problem.

[mj.scuba]

Average wage of £46k plus 29 days hols plus bank hols.

 

Thanks Gordonb

 

I find these claims of 'a decent wage' rather false, they were not exactly on a pittance before.

[Anna B]

The only influence the little people have is sheer strength of numbers. They need to remember that, and band together. Unions are as good away as any. Bob Crow is a good example of what we can achieve when we stick together.

[Mr Bojangles]

What is wrong with them earning as much as they can?

 

Surely they are only getting paid the market rate. Well done Bob Crow, it looks as though you have earned your salary by negotiating this deal.

Perhaps, but their market rate is based to a large extent on their ability to damage the capital when they strike.

 

I can see them being worth a few percent more than a hus driver - their job may have (potentially) more responsibility, but is certainly less taxing.

Should all bus drivers be on about £50k? Should floor sweepers in the Undeground be on £45k?

 

Unions damage commerce when they manage to bully employers into overly-inflated wages, and the end-user suffers.