Here in Birmingham the refuse collectors have been on strike for most of the year and there looks to be no end in sight. Meanwhile doctors have also resumed national industrial action this week. That will put many Christians in a difficult position. Is it right for them to join the strike or not? My… Continue reading Should Christians go on strike
Tag: Strikes
Foundations for a Christian perspective on current issues, challenges and controversies around UK healthcare
I spent the first two articles making some observations about two specific examples of the issues and controversies we are currently facing when talking about UK healthcare, the Junior Doctors Strike and debates around funding and privatisation when it comes to the NHS. Now, let’s step back a little and think about how we view… Continue reading Foundations for a Christian perspective on current issues, challenges and controversies around UK healthcare
The NHS, strikes and Junior Doctors’ Pay
One of the issues which keeps coming up with regards to recent NHS pay disputes is that Junior Doctors are able to seek better pay and conditions outside of the NHS, whether through leaving healthcare completely or by moving to another country where pay and conditions are better. I understand that over 10000 medics have… Continue reading The NHS, strikes and Junior Doctors’ Pay
Starting to think through the UK healthcare crisis from a Christian perspective
With NHS strikes having been in the news recently, I think it’s good for us to keep stretching our thinking about the issues involved. I’m going to do this over a few articles. My reason for doing so, is that I think Christians should be concerned about what happens in terms of society around us. … Continue reading Starting to think through the UK healthcare crisis from a Christian perspective
What do you think about strikes and industrial action?
I’ve been trying to do a little bit of ethical and pastoral thinking around the question of industrial action and strikes recently. Whilst this was a significant issue during the 1970s and 80s, it really slipped down the agenda over the following decades. However, it looks like we are entering a period where we can… Continue reading What do you think about strikes and industrial action?
How do we think Christianly about the junior doctors dispute?
After Easter, Junior Doctors in the NHS went on strike as part of an ongoing dispute concerning pay and working conditions. I appreciate that there will be diverse and passionate views about the strikes among my readers. Those views will reflect personal experience of the NHS, whether or not you personally know junior doctors. My… Continue reading How do we think Christianly about the junior doctors dispute?
Out of scope? Do your beliefs affect your views on controversial issues like Strike action?
This last week, Junior Doctors have been on Strike over pay and conditions. This is against a backdrop of significant and increasing industrial unrest not seen in the UK since the 1970s and early 80s. We’ve seen teachers, train drivers, bus drivers postmen and nurses take or consider industrial action. More strikes and other forms… Continue reading Out of scope? Do your beliefs affect your views on controversial issues like Strike action?
What did the Unions ever do for us?
This is a question I’ve seen asked a few times over the past few weeks as rail, mail and NHS strikes have started to bite. The response from those supporting/defending union action has been to argue that Unions and Strike action have played a significant role in labour reforms in the UK including better pay/conditions,… Continue reading What did the Unions ever do for us?
On crossing picket lines: Taking sides isn’t a binary choice
I saw a tweet the other day where the person argued that for a worker to cross a picket line meant that they had taken sides in the dispute and that they could not ignore the point that all decisions have consequences. Well, yes, in a sense. Of course it is true that when we… Continue reading On crossing picket lines: Taking sides isn’t a binary choice
The nurses strike or Matt Hancock on I’m a Celebrity? When you don’t have to choose between two ethical issues
I saw this tweet the other day. It’s a classical example of poor reasoning and poor ethical thinking. We sometimes refer to this as “Whataboutery.” A person expresses an opinion on a moral issue. They are then told that they should not be expressing views about that issue because issue x is far more egregious.… Continue reading The nurses strike or Matt Hancock on I’m a Celebrity? When you don’t have to choose between two ethical issues
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