Doncaster MP says strike leaders should feel “awful for the misery they are causing”

Nick Fletcher MP criticised trade union leaders for the ongoing strike action taking place in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

The RMT trade union for rail workers will strike throughout this week, plus from December 24-27.

Royal Mail workers, nurses, ambulance drivers, driving examiners, border force and highway workers also have strike days planned over the festive season.

All are related to issues of pay, working conditions and job protection.

Nick Fletcher MP, who is Doncaster’s only Conservative representative, criticised the rail strikes in a post on Facebook: “Victim mentality is their watchword. Always blame someone else for their own misfortune when really it is them and reminding the public at every opportunity of the pit closures.

“Unions, picket lines are back and demands of 15 per cent pay rises that will only fuel inflation and that they want the rest of the working population to pay. Government money is all our money. Please remember that.

“Unfortunately we have good people led by unions abusing the upper hand that they have at present.

“The first Christmas clear of a pandemic, the first Christmas to see loved ones properly, the first Christmas to visit a city, the first Christmas for our cities to thrive and businesses to grow.

“Yet the unions say no for all the wrong reasons.

“They say no to Christmas. They say no to our seeing our loved ones. They say no to business and they say no to recovery.

“The union barons should feel awful for the misery they are causing and the wage packets of their members will suffer too. It’s not a win-win. It’s a real loss for everyone.

“Don’t get me wrong. I believe in unions. Unions can do good things. They can be a force for good if led properly. If they don’t abuse the upper hand when they have it.”

His post received mixed feedback in the comments.

Some agreed with his sentiments: “Well said Nick. It’s a political game to bring government down as in 70s/80s and the public are being brainwashed into believing how poorly paid these workers and postal workers […] will kill their jobs just as the miners did.”

“As you say Nick great industries where decimated by strikes and unions and hardly any of them are here now , stark reminder , history will repeat itself and our children and grandchildren will hopefully learn from this , striking decimated and kills the business , negotiation and common sense only way.”

Others however criticised his view and supported the strikers: “A bit rich attacking average working people and unions fighting for a decent pay rise and working conditions during a cost of living crisis, when MPs have had 8 pay rises in last 10 years from £66,396 to £84,144 plus expenses.”

“The whole system is collapsing while u all just sit back and blame the people who are propping it up at cost to themselves [and] their families…..!”

Nick Fletcher’s full post can be read here: Facebook