How Low Can You Go?

Two more trade unions - the GMB and UCATT - have announced that they are to join a national strike on 30 November - over planned changes to public sector pensions.

The GMB said yesterday that members had voted four-to-one in favour of a strike - but curiously did not release the details of the number of ballot papers issued and returned.

The GMB web site says that this information will be issued - 'in due course'.

But the turnout claimed by the GMB was 33% which - if correct - means that only 26% of union members have actually voted to support industrial action.

Meanwhile the building workers union - UCATT - also announced that its members would strike - on the basis of a 27% turnout.

Apparently 15,231 UCATT members were balloted - out of which 3,417 voted to strike and 692 voted against.

An 83% majority of those who voted - but only 22% of the entire UCATT membership.

A GMB spokesperson tried to explain away the poor turnout - by claiming that this was down to  a large proportion of lower-paid members - having not signed up to the pension scheme.

Which is a very odd thing to say.

Because if large numbers of GMB members are not affected by the planned pension changes - then they cannot be party to the industrial dispute - in which case why were they being called upon to strike in the first place? 

Both the GMB and UCATT are affiliated to the Labour party - of course.

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