Three points:
1. I agree with Legios about the role of the army - every thing you say is correct.
I think I was being unclear and a tad over-emotional. The only reason I noted that the army should be brought in is actually to replace the strikers.
For instance, when the customs agents in Poland went on strike, the economy just STOPPED. Literally. Delivery of goods just stopped because everything was stuck on the border or in airports.
In this situation, the police would arrest and remove the striking customs workers - but then what?
The Army would be needed to replace them on a temporary basis. The same with hospitals - the police don't have trained doctors - at least not a lot of them.
When doctors and nurses strike, risking the lives of patients - the army could replace them with military doctors and military nurses on a temporary basis.
Of course , obviously it would be better to avoid such extremes.
Legioss made a correct point about the legality of a strike as well - most strikes in Poland; the recent ones at least - are dubious and questionable in terms of legality.
For instance the recent postal strike was initiated by a Union with ties to the opposition party. All the other postal unions had reached agreement with the government about pay raises and this one union still went on strike anyways - because their agenda was purely political: to make like difficult for the party in power; to fomment social unrest - to wreck things and hope the public would blame the government rather than the strikers.
But the public in Poland, composed mainly of working poor, farmers, merchants and the like - has very little sympathy for workers who have government contracts and guaranteed incomes and STILL go on strike.
As to prices and profits - well - I would gladly, if you like, conduct a more in depth discussion of the issue of profits, prices and regulation - but sometimes one just has to allow for the fact that reasonable people can disagree
As to my moving to the UK - no chance! I prefer Vodka to beer, and while it is true that initially I was on the fence about staying here, now I've built a fairly happy life and have lots of plans.
But that said, I would love to finally go back to the UK for a visit
Perhaps I should attempt to tie it up to some sort of Transforce/Autoassembly get together?
Though at present I'm in the midst of kick-starting my own business, so vacation travel has basically narrowed down to "stepping outside for a bit of sun on occasion"
Pete
