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*Shakes head* that's really sad. The old argument of 'holding children/patients/victims of crime/etc" hostage by demands for fair pay and conditions is something that really winds me up. It's the argument that's always levelled at the teachers, nurses, the rank and file police and prison wardens, firemen etc by politicians over here too. We recently had the first ever wildcat strike by prison warders, who had finally had enough of being told their requests for fair pay and more attention to safety would not be considered.
One of the worst effects of the Thatcher years (and I must confess it has continued apace under my own party) on unions was losing the right, in many parts of the public sector, to collective bargaining. It has declawed many of the most potent unions and has tended to particularly damage pay and conditions for teachers.
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