I see some busy fingers have been at play again;-)...I wonder who 😉

There were many many families where they not only  lost their jobs, but lost their homes, car, even marriages because certain areas were so dependent on either coal, steel or other manufacturing, there was little else. Most of the smaller firms in that area also depended upon those industries for their living too. Just because they weren't yours or my families, doesn't mean to say they were any less real.

Emotive tales are many and stretch beyond immediate family. I recall one whose task as part of management was to facilitate closure. As he said he never felt intimidated, bullied or threatened during this time. Usually it was a case of driving into the work gates to meet a solemn row of faces, lining each side of the entrance, some children. Most already feared what you were about to tell them. There was no crowding, no shouts in fact according to his account it was mostly silence.
There were very few other jobs locally, and once the purchasing power of what must now be called 'spongers' went down after they had lost their jobs, many other unrelated firms simply didn't survive  either. A few firms had made an 'enhanced' living whilst the times were better. One area was called BMW row...not it's real name, but one it had locally, for less than scrupulous employers out for as much as they could get.

I am sure there have been cases of demarcation which are usually trotted out to demonstrate 'ancient' restrictive working practices,which were part of that era's downfall according to some;  funny though as I still see them but they are enforced by employers not unions to generate more revenue, but I seldom hear these mentioned. Two or even three call out charges from different trades or professions usually help pay for that oft needed villa, or 6th car to add to a collection. Some companies take full  advantage of legislation to line their own company profits which of course is entirely different naturally.

Most proprietors that fit this profile that I have spoken too are quite unabashed about their natural right to get as much as they can out of consumers and the system, and sometimes a great deal more, simply by exploitation. Strange but had they called themselves a union some might have been more critical,but as a company of course, this is just good commerce.So no double standards there.

A slight aside but it brings to mind two more recent instances; a second opinion was needed on a particular document a while ago and a very notable firm of notaries was used. Cost about 3.5k. Worth? well they had dotted two i's and added punctuation but the reviewed draft contained no other amendments.
Vet bill ( yes others do get them ) for one pooch on a weekend stay, over 4k. That included no special treatment or surgery just some AB  and a vet nurse looking in, likely on min wages from what I understand. Are they all like this?..of course not, neither were all unions but despite prefaces by some, they go on to suggest they were and it's all lumped one way to suit a political agenda. The realities are and were, a bit more complex. What Thatcher did was to encourage such simplification by  presenting a simple world with simple solutions however meaningless or incorrect. Sound bite politics easily digestible requiring little thought, and often not much more than drivel.
The 70's wasn't the easiest period for most of the worlds economies with large sudden increases in oil prices, pay freezes ( agreed with unions in many cases ), some of which came under strain towards the late seventies.

I wonder if Mark will take time off from reading F. Forsyth novels on how to stage coups and plunder some minor countries wealth to be there on time?Hopefully someone else will drive the poor lamb, as I doubt even with sat nav he would manage.
Nothing like a bit of nepotism and family sponging