Show some strike action solidarity with the RMT today.

The RMT led rail strikes began today. Ignore media narratives attacking them, show some support, it could be you next. The rail strikes began today, solidarity with all those workers taking strike action and solidarity with the RMT leading the fightback by workers, for workers campaigning against insultingly low, way below inflation pay offers, poorer conditions and redundancies. The fact is, due to the pandemic and austerity before that, rail workers haven’t had a pay rise in 3 years and not all of them are well paid drivers, some are low paid, minimum wage workers too, unable to get by, relying on foodbanks to be able to eat. It’s a failure of society that anyone is in this position, but it’s the reality of the Cameron and Osborne Big Society mantra, that things boomed for those with wealth and poverty for those without. Wealth inequality in this country has now become so severe, there’s no more to take, there’s no more room to squeeze and that is why I believe this strike action will prove to be a catalyst for a lot more, with other industries, other sectors considering not only taking strike action themselves, but co-ordinating it with each other too. A General Strike. Not only have the rail workers not had a pay rise in years, they actually want to increase their hours for no extra pay, effectively a pay cut! 500m in profits the rail companies make, the top executives are on salaries in the millions, how can that be right? Why can they not take a pay cut? Why is demanding a pay rise that actually matches inflation such a big ask? Anything else is a pay cut! This strike action is the culmination of 2 years of negotiation failure, aggravated by the lack of Tory government intervention when they have a specific role in enabling talks to take place these days. They’ve been the biggest obstacle yet are all over the news talking sh*te about the RMT and the rail workers, refusing to meet with the unions, instead threatening the railways with even more job losses, legislating to ban the right to strike and siding with the fatcat bosses all the way. These are ordinary working class folk, who like all of us, just want an honest days pay for an honest days work and are being told they aren’t worth it. If you aren’t with them, showing solidarity, showing support then you’re part of the problem, not the solution. They don’t want to disrupt your lives, but theirs are on the line and they won’t back down without a fight for what is rightfully theirs and ultimately if you rely on the railways in your own life, the loss of services, fewer staff, risks to your safety through the use of lower paid, poorly trained staff, that is going to impact your lives for the long term. Some short term pain now will benefit you as well as later if the unions win a good deal for their members, so back the strike workers, join them on the picket if you’ve a strike near you, beep your horn, give them a wave in passing, bring out the cake and cups of tea, because today it’s them, but if they don’t win, tomorrow it might be you they come for. Don’t be angry with the unions, join them.