ENOUGH with the strikes already!

France has a reputation for its worker strikes. People all over always hear about the strikes in France, for trains or transport or whatever, and we all think "Jeez, just go to work already".

Then I come to Norway, and damn, every summer it's the same thing. Strikes strikes strikes.

One summer it was the grocery transport workers. They protested for weeks and it got very hard to get groceries (especially toilet paper!) for a while there. Empty grocery stores are a depressing thing.
The guys who fix the elevators went on strike at the airport and the elevators did not work for months.

The airport traffic controllers strike frequently, as do the workers at SAS/Braathens. NICE when you go to the airport and it's chaotic.. Lately there have been problems with the security folks at the airports and the lines to get through security are LONG.

There are strikes for groups I am not sure who they are.....Like these guys.

And strikes for: TV workers. Soccer players. Ferry drivers. Phone company workers. Musicians. But now?

Now I'm pissed. The bank workers want to strike, and there have been crazy lines at all the ATM's because everyone is running to get some money before the threatened strike.

Right now I just have no sympathy. Norwegians are among the highest paid in the world, and striking for anything other than really heinous worker mistreatment is just not on. Shutting down the country's financial economy? Denying me access to MY money and EVERY financial transaction? You better be treated like a slave before you shut me down.....

And yes, I was in a union, once, and I fucking hated it. The rules of this particular union were so stifling it prevented any individuality or self-motivation in job performance, because it was all about seniority and nothing else. I understand worker's rights, but sorry, these guys are taking it too far. Here's an interesting article about this same topic by a very smart Norwegian.

Now, it's a beautiful day and I get to spend part of it standing in line at an ATM. Grrr....