Cause For A Strike?
You know London? Our fair and thriving 21st century capital city? The global center of financial excellence and top tourist destination? The city that is so good we only had to name it once?
Well, our vibrant metropolis is just recovering from another bloody nose - delivered by the iron fist of a union so powerful and thuggish that it makes Rocky look like a pussycat. The RMT, the union representing Britain's Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, has just brought London to its knees with strike action that was all encompassing and pointless.
Basically they all but shut down our subway system. These underground trains are the veins that pump life around our city. They carry around 4 million people a day to work, to the theater, shopping, to hospital, to airports. Without them we are literally crippled.
And the reason we suffered this brutalization? Well the RMT would tell you it was a valid attempt to secure pensions and jobs for their members. The short story is that the private company tasked with maintaining the network, Metronet, has gone bust.
The union wants to make sure that all its workers get new jobs and good conditions. Fair enough - I hear you cry. But that's exactly what they were offered and 2 other unions faced with exactly the same reassurances were happy to stay at work.
The problem here is the RMT's controversial leader, Bob Crow. A militant bully with no regard for discussion, this man thumps first and asks questions later. His first call always is to strike.
Our new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown - himself a socialist - has condemned the action taken by Crow and his followers. Even our mayor, a former leftist firebrand himself, 'Red' Ken Livingstone, has come out against this vile and disproportionate action.
London lost 100 million dollars in the one day the subway didn't run. Surely it must be time to ban strike action in an area that forms such a vital part of our economy? An added bonus would be to see Mr. Crow as powerless and flaccid as he makes the rest of us.
By Petrie Hosken