Global Secondary Picketing For Climate Change

(guest post by J R Ewing)

I have to admit to a dislike for the School Strike for Climate Change movement.  Firstly because it’s not actually possible to strike from school – it’s not employment.  You don’t get paid.  Thus really it should be described as “bunking off for climate change”.   Of course these days in the UK (probably thanks to Tony “Education, Education, Education” Blair) education is so important that one’s offspring bunking off can incur a parent a fine of £60, which rises to £120 each if you do not pay within 21 days.  Yes, one’s children bunking off is equivalent now to such great social evils as driving in a bus lane.  One wonders how Greta Thunberg would have got on in a society where her activities are so criminalised.  One is suspicious of political movements that target school children.  Still who needs to go to school when one’s parents are an opera singer and an actor who can pass on such skills as creating a lot of pointless drama and self-publicity…?  

Furthermore even if you’re an adult and you engaged in the Global Strike for Climate Change movement …well, it’s not really a strike is it?  No one’s withdrawing their labour for better pay.  You know most of the people on these demonstrations wouldn’t have the bottle to actually withdraw their labour from their employers because they might get handed their cards so we have the farcical situation of the TUC negotiating with unions and employers to get time off for workers to attend the “strikes”.  Not much of a strike if it doesn’t inconvenience anybody, is it?  These people hanker after the glamour of industrial action but one suspects very few of them would actually take any … because the workers don’t have any real say anymore.  That and it might involve self-sacrifice. 

Secondly - and possibly more importanly - if people want to protest about climate change why does it have to be cloaked in the language of “strikes” at all?  Or is that my first point repeated?  Hum ... but...  The idea of standing up to the boss is very emotive but, of course, there is no real boss to stand up to here – it is the people disputing with the people.  Indeed, calling something a strike when there is no actual labour dispute identifiable is bordering on the illegal practice of secondary picketing.  Note to any flying climate change pickets – you’re only allowed 6 people on a picket line which I presume makes all these rallies completely illegal in their entirety.

Still, in a world where we seldom see the operatics of large scale industrial action anymore perhaps these pseudo "srtikes" give people a sense of power that is sadly lacking in the 21st century since most post-modern day industrial relations are usually just a lady one has never met before in HR handing one one's P45 in an envelope and asking in a soft voice if there's "anything (she) can do to help"?  Top tip: the answer is not "resign so that we can pay my wages out of your salary".

I’m not sure either why ordinary service based businesses are responsible for the perceived sins of those of us who’ve actually worked in the evil behemoth that is primary industry.  Couldn’t they find a power station or nodding donkey to picket?  Okay it might be difficult to picket an oil rig in the North Sea but there are plenty of land wells in Iraq.  Now that would be a day out…

In all my years in primary industry the only time I remember anyone picketing a refinery was when the government put up duty on petrol - then they were round there faster than you can say "Maggie Maggie Maggie!  Out out out!" (see here)

Somebody said on twitter that strike does not have to mean industrial action but I think if it came to it that might be disputed ...

Protesting is legal but mass picketing isn't legal in the UK - Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act 1927 (brought in after the General Strike). 

Secondary picketing was banned by the late Mrs Thatcher under the Employment Act 1980. 

And a secret ballot before srike action was made mandatory by her later legislation - the Trade Union Act 1984.  This might explain why the Unions feel they have to negotiate with employers for time off to protest... as they may be liable to a fine if...

Not that this is right but it is so ... so I say so ... there's a reason strikes generate so much legislation - it's because they are about not working... and if there's one think the government really doesn't want... it's us to stop working.