I get frustrated with the perennial reaction to strikes. This week the tube network in London was all but completely shut down for 24hrs as RMT and TSSA Union members fought back over the decision by London Underground to cut 800 jobs across the network.
The media's perceived reaction? - "Misery" and "Travel Chaos". Worse than that, the strike is "Damaging to our Economy". 'Misery' and 'travel chaos'? Those signifiers don't fit with the scenes of calm stoicism I experienced on my morning commute. A 6 day long Chinese traffic jam - now that's what I call 'travel chaos'.
How ironic too that the striking tube worker receives an ounce of blame for damaging the economy when the generally received wisdom is that the rich 'City Banker' type caused this recession in the first place. The result, of course, this government's perceived necessity for cuts which has had its effect on both public and private sectors.
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Yet what chars my heart more than this even, is the utter selfishness of some of the general public's rhetoric. Of course the strike is an unwanted inconvenience but, for the majority, it is merely that - an inconvenience. Surely we can suffer one day of inconvenience for the sake of those who are trying to protect their livelihoods?
Those who, through their presence in maintaining the London Underground network, allow us to reach the office from our suburban havens in the first place. Reading headlines such as "Londoners defy Tube strike" is incredibly depressing. We shouldn't be defying the strike but supporting it! If not as an act of selflessness then in order to ensure we receive a better service as commuters for the foreseeable future. It's not in our interest that 800 jobs are cut, let alone London Underground employees!
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