The Lurker

Sweeping chimneys was an industry; using small kids to sweep chimneys was just an aspect of that industry.

I agree regards the environmental aspects of coal and I’m in no way arguing that we should be reopening the mines; even if it were possible; but if the British government had taken a more protectionist stance and not bought in foreign coal then the industry and communities that depended on it could, perhaps, have had a managed decline rather than a catastrophic collapse.

So Henry Ford single headedly dragged British working conditions out of the Dark Ages? There are many examples of business owning philanthropy; especially within the Methodist/Quaker communities but these are isolated examples. Nationwide improvements in pay and working conditions were achieved by Labour uniting to remind Capital that the relationship is symbiotic and that no business works without the people on the shop floor; something which successive generations of business owners; both private and state have to be reminded.

I was referring to 'Labour' in the political/economic sense; not the Labour Party.

So your solution is what? Just take whatever erosion of rights and conditions are thrown down by a management structure that couldn’t strategise it’s way out of a paper bag? Downing tools is the only weapon in Labours arsenal when Capital tightens the screw; if we were genuinely ‘all in it together’ and the same changes were being made at every level of the CS including MHK’s I’d agree that the postal workers shouldn’t come out but I doubt very much that will ever happen.

No; they got a look in because the encumbent government of the day embraced globalisation and cheap coal/steal at the expense of whole communities that their class created in the first place without a thought or care for the economic consequences for those families who depended on those industries; inadvertently creating the benefit culture and disenfranchising most of the north of England.

I’ll agree Scargill was a zealot but if you think British heavy industry disappeared for any reason other than right wing Home Counties ideological greed you’re a fool.

You’re absolutely right; all the factory/mine/shipyard/dock/etc owners decided that they would voluntarily reduce their profit margins because Tories are such lovely generous souls.

Paid holidays; sick leave; end of child labour; not being summarily sacked on a bosses whim; reasonable work/life balance; ending dangerous working conditions....... Industrial action or the threat of it has done almost as little for us as the Romans.

Perhaps apocryphal but I heard they did sub-2hour crossings during WW2. Maybe a U-Boat pen on the Calf could persuade them to go a bit quicker?

I always thought (although with nothing to actually back it up with) that both boats were capable of making the crossings far quicker than they generally do but the sailing times were set for fuel efficiency.

On a vaguely related topic; I've noticed recently that roadworks (Port Erin and the QB) seem to be staffed by 'Wattling Street' workers. Is this a move towards subcontracting road works here or have the DOI just bought a job lot of branded signs and hi-vis from the UK?

The 1950's called; they want their attitude back.

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=44308&headline=Couple guilty of theft from landspeed record fund&sectionIs=NEWS&searchyear=2018 Interesting one from Court; I hope this doesn’t overshadow the groups achievements.

I wasn’t criticising the burden of proof; it’s the legislation that’s weak.