Bob Crow dies

[Borachio]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26527325

Rail Maritime and Transport union leader Bob Crow has died at the age of 52 of a suspected heart attack.

Leading the RMT from 2002, Mr Crow became one of Britain's most high-profile union leaders.

Union, industry and political figures have been paying tribute to him.

London Mayor Boris Johnson, who often clashed with him, said Mr Crow had "fought tirelessly" for his members. Labour's Ed Miliband said he had been a "passionate" campaigner.

The prime minister's official spokesman said David Cameron offered his sincere condolences to Mr Crow's family and friends.

And Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said Mr Crow had been a "fighter and a force".
'Really fought'

Mr Crow was elected general secretary of the RMT in 2002 following the death of former leader Jimmy Knapp.

Under his leadership, the RMT's membership increased by more than 20,000 to 80,000.

The union's president Peter Pinkney said Mr Crow's death "represents a huge loss to the trade union and labour movement both in this country and internationally".

The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Crow "was, some argue, the most successful union leader in terms of securing jobs and pay for his members".

This man certainly won't mean much, if anything, to non-UK posters, but Bob Crow was something of an oddity: a real and effective champion of the working man in Britain.

After Thatcher effectively hobbled the unions following on from the miners' strikes in the 1980s, unionism seemed to become a largely spent force. Bob Crow was the exception.

The only comparable figure in recent history was Bill Morris, general secretary of the TGWU until 2003, when he became a Baron.

 

[Quackers]

"Champion of the working class"


This is the guy who earned a wage of like..100k?! And still lived in taxpayer-subsidised housing. His actions in the running up to the Olympics were deplorable. What was it...a bonus for each driver because their train carried more people? Jeeze.

Anyway, still a bit young to die. RIP.

 

[Borachio]

I was born in a council house, as far as I’m concerned I will die in one.

Bob Crow

 

[Silurian]

100K for managing an organisation with 80000 members, not excessive.

RIP

 

[Quackers]

100K for managing an organisation with 80000 members, not excessive.

Agreed, but his presence in social housing denies someone who actually needs it. I'm certain he could have bought a property in London, or rented.

 

[Borachio]

Indeed he could have done. And you have a point about depriving someone else of social housing.

But he chose to remain in council housing as a sign of solidarity with others who don't have any choice about where they live.

I wonder what other things he may have done.

 

[Silurian]

Agreed, but his presence in social housing denies someone who actually needs it. I'm certain he could have bought a property in London, or rented.

He could have bought the house and made a killing.

He would have been unable to afford many ex council houses on his salary.

 

[Quackers]

Sorry, you're trying to justify that someone in the top few % of income earners should live in a council house?
What about people who actually need it? You know, there are homeless people in London right? What about them bro?

 

[Silurian]

Sorry, you're trying to justify that someone in the top few % of income earners should live in a council house?
What about people who actually need it? You know, there are homeless people in London right? What about them bro?

Well he did actually need somewhere to live.

Do you think that they should have replaced all the council houses that were sold off to the residents. Do you think they should have sold council houses to people who could have afforded to buy or rent elsewhere and rather than used the houses for homeless people.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Agreed, but his presence in social housing denies someone who actually needs it. I'm certain he could have bought a property in London, or rented.

If this is the best line of criticism the Right can dig up to throw at Crow, then I will stop worrying.

Seriously, you guys waste so much time slandering and demonizing labor leaders...for supposedly doing something similar to the things YOU agree with! Your best criticism is that he lived in council housing instead of buying an expensive London flat and completely removing himself from the plight of the people he defended? I think it's incredibly admirable that the man, despite being able to afford a life of luxury apart from the average Joe, chose willingly to live a life not too different from one of them; to live in the same places they do, to put up with the same crap they do. That's what a strong man does.

You're just angry because he didn't "bourgie up" just because he was making that kind of money. I've always loved the British loyalty to political class: born working class and never forget it! An American would have done just want you suggest: bought an expensive flat in the nice part of town and romanticized about how he "came up from nothing" as if what he were doing now was remotely admirable.

 

[Quackers]

Well he did actually need somewhere to live.

Do you think that they should have replaced all the council houses that were sold off to the residents. Do you think they should have sold council houses to people who could have afforded to buy or rent elsewhere and rather than used the houses for homeless people.

Hey, stop trying to change the subject.
Now, justify why a man who earns 100k a year should live in accomdation built for poor people.

If this is the best line of criticism the Right can dig up to throw at Crow, then I will stop worrying.

Seriously, you guys waste so much time slandering and demonizing labor leaders...for supposedly doing something similar to the things YOU agree with! Your best criticism is that he lived in council housing instead of buying an expensive London flat and completely removing himself from the plight of the people he defended? I think it's incredibly admirable that the man, despite being able to afford a life of luxury apart from the average Joe, chose willingly to live a life not too different from one of them; to live in the same places they do, to put up with the same crap they do. That's what a strong man does.

You're just angry because he didn't "bourgie up" just because he was making that kind of money. I've always loved the British loyalty to political class: born working class and never forget it! An American would have done just want you suggest: bought an expensive flat in the nice part of town and romanticized about how he "came up from nothing" as if what he were doing now was remotely admirable.

Total bollocks as usual Cheezy.
You can carry on justifying why a very well off man is living in quarters which are assigned to the worst off in society it just demonstrates how uncaring you are for the working class. I have more compassion than you.

Yeah I'm mad because he didn't "bourgie up"

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Total bollocks as usual Cheezy.
You can carry on justifying why a very well off man is living in quarters which are assigned to the worst off in society it just demonstrates how uncaring you are for the working class. I have more compassion than you.

Yeah you keep telling yourself that. That's why you're demonizing a working class champion for taking up a, 1, uno, ein, council flat that might have gone to another family. How many lives did he improve because of his efforts? How many people don't have to live in council flats any more because they were able to win higher wages and better benefits because of his advocacy and leadership? There's little that motivates someone to help others climb out of a bad situation more than experiencing it for oneself.

But no, he did one thing you don't like, better jump in and demonize him for it. You know, to prove how compassionate you are. What a joke.

 

[Quackers]

Another weak argument bro.
He can do his trade union stuff AND pay for his own accomadation! Is that an impossible thought in cheezy wiz world? Obviously, you would prefer that a well off man should be institutionally advantaged over the working class. Very compassionate bro.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

This line of argument by you is so incredible, I refuse to believe it is real.

 

[Silurian]

Hey, stop trying to change the subject.
Now, justify why a man who earns 100k a year should live in accomdation built for poor people.

So are you saying that people who earn 100k a year should not live in accomdation built for poor people.

 

[classical_hero]

He had the money to live in his own house, so why didn't he?

 

[Quackers]

So are you saying that people who earn 100k a year should not live in accomdation built for poor people.

As long as the property remains in control of the council and is designated to be occupied by working class people who would struggle to afford to live in private sector accomodation than of course Bob Crow is in the wrong.

According to his wikipedia he is living in a council property.

Again, explain to me why Bob Crow on his salary is justified to live in council property designated for low income people?

 

[ParkCungHee]

You're just angry because he didn't "bourgie up" just because he was making that kind of money.

Nah, because if he'd done THAT then he's no friend of the working man because he's just a limousine liberal.

 

[Borachio]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/dec/13/bob-crow-strikes-rmt-union

Hmm. I'm not sure he wasn't just playing the establishment game all along.

 

[PhroX]

I find it interesting that the OP descibes him as a "champion of the working man", when all he ever seemed to do was to stop people working....