Kmflett's Blog

Do you remember the strikes of the 1970s? It’s keeping The Times awake at night

You may old enough to recall the strikes of the 1970s. If so you’ll know that the strikes of 2022 while the largest in recent years, are not yet on that scale.

The Times however is seized by a concern that the 1970s are returning. In February 1974 Tory PM Ted Heath called an election on the basis of who ran the country, the Government or the unions. The electorate backed the unions.

Earlier in the week the paper claimed that Communists are behind rail and post strikes. Harold Wilson claimed in 1966 that a tightly knit group of politically motivated men (one of whom was John Prescott)were behind a national seamen’s strike. The world has moved on. Communists are of course still active in the labour movement but they are not directed by Putin who is very far from being a Communist.

The Times refers to the PM as ‘reasonable Rishi’ (Editorial 9th Dec)because he wont meet unions ‘inflation busting’ wage claims. It has clearly missed that food price inflation is well over 10%. It also claims that union leaders are orchestrating strikes to bring down the Tories. It might be noted that Tory class warriors are orchestrating attempts to resist industrial action democratically voted for in secret ballots by union members. And union leaders don’t get a vote..