So does that mean the unions are going to admit their members shouldn't hold the country to ransom because they feel they deserve even more outstanding pay and conditions that make the private sector seem like scrooge.

Those that are worth more money go out and get a job that pays it. Those that are not join a union and strike

...we stop getting asked for tax, and they stop posting CDs full of personal info to everyone in their address book.

Not seeing the downside here.

Would we even notice? based on the 'service' I have had from HMRC they might as well not be there.

This can be the catalyst to the nation-wide action in which we stop paying ANY tax until the ID Card scheme is dead and buried.

If they don't want to ask for the tax i'm more than willing to not pay it, especially if it's going to be spent on a totalitarian control scheme riding on the already frayed shirt-tails of the ill informed publics' hysteria regarding "terr'rism and immigrants".

I welcome the revolution.

Do you really think the government will stop collecting taxes just because the taxman are on strike? If they have no way of calculating or collecting individual taxes, they'll just send the police round to every home to collect £112 in cash every week (the tax on the average weekly income) from every man and woman over 18. Failure to pay will result in a late payment charge. The charge will be 40,000 volts and delivered via Taser(TM).

(yes, I know charge isn't measured in volts, I'm sure that will be of great comfort while the police are playing Pacemaker Roulette with your charred body.)

1st the postmen, now the police, fire brigade, tax men are talking about striking. Why don;t we ALL go on strike, seems half the population already has it planned it the next few months anyway! Then people can threaten to come off strike and actually DO SOME WORK! - The horror of it!