Cable Forum - View Single Post - Summer-Autumn of discontent

**Chris** · 22-08-2022, 11:50

“<insert season> of discontent” has become a tabloid cliche as tired as suffixing -gate onto the latest political scandal. The reality is that the winter of discontent and the Watergate scandal became emblematic of trade union strife/political sculduggery because they were exceptional examples of their type.

I doubt anyone old enough to actually remember the industrial relations of the late 70s through to the mid 80s (and the winter of 1978-79 in particular) would agree the present situation is at anything like the same scale - nor could it ever become so, as trade union membership is a mere fraction today of what it was, and the country’s essential services are no longer operated by any of the large, State-owned utilities or other corporations that could be brought to a complete nationwide standstill at the whim of a single Trade Union Baron.

Having said all that, the breadth of industrial action now underway in the UK has no recent precedent and there are interesting times ahead.

22-08-2022, 11:50	#3
Chris Trollsplatter Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: North of Watford Services: Humane elimination of all common Internet pests Posts: 38,211	Re: Summer-Autumn of discontent “<insert season> of discontent” has become a tabloid cliche as tired as suffixing -gate onto the latest political scandal. The reality is that the winter of discontent and the Watergate scandal became emblematic of trade union strife/political sculduggery because they were exceptional examples of their type. I doubt anyone old enough to actually remember the industrial relations of the late 70s through to the mid 80s (and the winter of 1978-79 in particular) would agree the present situation is at anything like the same scale - nor could it ever become so, as trade union membership is a mere fraction today of what it was, and the country’s essential services are no longer operated by any of the large, State-owned utilities or other corporations that could be brought to a complete nationwide standstill at the whim of a single Trade Union Baron. Having said all that, the breadth of industrial action now underway in the UK has no recent precedent and there are interesting times ahead.