I actually agree with the Conservatives on ...

....this law they want to pass where essential service employee unions must have at least 40% of those eligible to vote voting in favour of a strike for it to be legal.

I disagree with Corbyn who describes is as "illegal, illiberal immoral". It isn't really an attempt to "silence working people" since 40% isn't even a majority.

I know this Govt was elected on far less than a total majority (as are most Govts these days due to general apathy) but in the case of unions you can (and do) end up with a small majority of activists in a militant union voting for strike action and then picketing forcing people to strike with all the animosity and problems that can cause. A few activists can wreak havoc causing major problems for other union members and the general public

In reality, the fault lies with apathetic union members who cant be bothered to return ballot papers that unions have to send out. If they feel strongly enough then all they have to do is get off their f*t Ar*es fill in the ballot paper and send it in instead of whinging about the Govt taking away rights they don't currently bother to exercise.

There are enough real issues of workers rights erosion like zero hour contracts without being sidetracked by this piece of nonsense.

Corbyn is fighting the wrong battle with this one.

 

I'd make it 50% personally and the only option on the vote would be yes. there would be no vote option which would mean that those not voting are essentially voting no. Automatic no vote unless you physically vote yes would be my policy. It is like organ donation now, unless you physically opt in (vote yes) the assumption is no.

Though I'd love it if the organ donation system was reversed

 

I'm sorry, what percentage of the eligible electorate voted for this Conservative government?

 

From the 66.1% of the UK voting population who got off their arse to vote:

36.9% voted Conservative, 30.4% voted Labour, and 32.7% voted for the smaller parties.

 

err ...did you read the OP?? It is irrelevant other than it shows the level of apathy of the general pubic. Two wrongs do not make a right!

 

Exactly, 25% of the eligible vote. When they have a mandate over 40% they can start telling unions they need one too

 

Unions have asked for similar voting techniques used by govt /council/ mayoral elections like postal votes etc,but for some reason have been denied,
Govts can rule with the majority of voters not giving them their mandate but will not afford other democratic bodies the privilege of proceeding with a majority.

 

That's totally nonsensical and in no way relates to the OP

 

So all activists are militant then? Nowadays, TU members have more of a say in the direction their union goes in more than they ever have. My Union isn't attached to a political party and feedback from the grass roots membership is paramount before any decision is taken. Just love how people's take on democracy changes to suit their view. I agree every member should vote, it's annoying when they don't. I also find that the majority of those that don't tend to agree with the T U, otherwise they'd vote against. Why should the non- voters be counted as being against their Union, is that democracy? We can't have workplace ballots, or even digital voting, as it's seen as 'dangerous and not trustworthy. Yet, the Tory London Mayer elect was elected this way.
The TU Bil going through Parliament is nothing more than another attack on people's working rights. Typical Tories attack a democratically elected tax-body that represents the ordinary worker,. Wonder which tax avoiding/evading global company is currently lining the Tory coffer at the moment.

 

That's around 24% of the total electorate. Hardly close to a mandate I agree. However, a vote for strike is yes or no. The problem with Govt elections there are multiple choices so to get a clear overall majority would be nigh on impossible and we would end up with a coalition situation every time and we know how that went! Perhaps we should void an election unless you get 90% turnout and the only way to do that would be to make it law that you had to vote (rather like completing the the census was legal requirement.

I can never understand those who moan about the Govt in office but could not be arsed to vote in an election (although these days you vote more against a party you dont like than for one you do) It is disrespectful in any case to those that fought long and hard for the vote.

 

What about MPs? Should they get 50% of the vote to get in?

 

It went Democratically !.

 

So what about the EU referendum or Scottish independence. They are/were straight yes/no choices. They don't need a fixed percentage of the eligible vote to be binding

They are seeking to impose principles counter to our democratic system because it suits their purpose.

 

I take it mathematics isn't your strong point as there are multiple choices on ballots for a general election. Are you seriously saying for a Govt to be elected they must get more votes than the combined total of all the other parties. Strewth!! Perhaps we should bring back intelligence testing for voting rights.

 

Apathy of the general what?

 

Oops!!http://bbs.barnsleyfc.org.uk/images/smilies/redface.gif Right set of c*nts they are an'all Freudian slip?? Don't understand one or two on here who think a Party should need more than 50% 0f the vote to be elected (which is more than the total of all other parties. I still maintain no one should be moaning at Governments for trying to bring this in as it is their own apathy that has brought about a number of strikes as it is well known that those with the loudest voices and the most passion will vote.

Personally I would make voting a legal requirement in both union ballots and general elections as it is our forefathers who fought long and hard for the vote and workers rights and people through sheer apathy are seeing their rights and freedoms being eroded. It isn't like the 30s Germany and the Teamsters in the US who got their way through intimidation and bullying, it is simply people who blame the Government when they themselves could do something anout it i.e. by voting.

 

There's democracy and then there's democracy, you could give a case for a one party state being democratic.
It's the way a democracy is conducted that makes us free iMO not the vote itself

 

ANYWAY WHO CARES COYR!!!! IN 6TH PLACE currently....

Come on!!!!!:d:d:d

 

I don't think anyone is saying a party should get 50% of the vote to form a government. People are pointing out that they are trying to impose something that runs counter to our current democracy. See my post on referenda. I'd rather they worried about the failings of our own electoral system personally and introduced proportional representation, scrapped the proposed biased boundary changes and got rid of an unelected second chamber. But they won't.

I also think your very misguided in characterising trade unions as being in the hands of a few radicals, and am delighted a Labour leader is actually standing up for the labour movement.

 

I didn't actually say tardes unions are in the hands of a few radicals but you cannot deny that in some strikes -in all fairness most of it quiet a few years ago - there was intimidation on picket lines. Those with the loudest voices tend to get their way when others stand by that is all I am saying . That is a flaw in the democratic system which I agree is failing and failing badly. It is increasingly difficult to distinguish between one self serving group of politicians and another. On the unelected 2nd chamber there have been a number of occasions where they seem to have been more in touch with popular opinion and scuppered the Government when they have been rushing through ill thought out legislation. Agree though all these life peers, cronies and C of E people unelected and unrepresentative should probably not have any place in a modern democracy. The other big issue is that manifestos are not worth the paper they are written on theses days. Promises and pledges are soon forgotten so even when you vote you have no idea what you are going to get