Joining a Union - worth it?

Status
Not open for further replies.


Idlewild Mackem said:
The organisation I work for is making a lot of cuts and there are redundancies and all sorts on the horizon - I'm pretty safe (as safe as I can be anyway) for two years due to being on a funded programme, but it's got me thinking, is it worth joining a union? If so, what one? Is anyone on here already a member and has it helped in any circumstances that have come up with employment?

I've been looking at Unison's website and for £1.30 a month or whatever it seems pretty logical to make sure I'm part of one, but can they really make any difference if things were to take a change for the worse and you needed support against an employer?
Click to expand...

Is it true that all union reps have to be scousers?
 
Eddie Hitler said:
We had redundancies a few year back and the useless twats were nowhere to be seen. I had a mate who was sacked and it was a given that he would get his job back when it went to a tribunal BUT, the useless twats never turned up to defend his case and he was sacked. I could go on and on. They simply have no pull or power now.
Click to expand...
You've got shit union reps. You are allowed to vote for others.
 
Definitely join a union. They'll help you in all kinds of situations from contract changes to disputes and disciplinary stuff.
 
In my life, I've never known a union to help with anything.

My wife is in one - she receives comms that try to say its a legal requirements for being a nurse - it bloody isn't.
Nobody even votes on things like strikes, which makes them utterly toothless.

My grandad was in the union, fat lot of good it did him anarl.


Id be all for a union that actually did the right thing. But they seem to be self-interested far too often, and too weak the rest of the time.
 
If you are employed in the public sector I would say yes. In large private sector firms then their influence can often be a lot less and they work hand in hand with management where they do have representation very often.
They certainly don't bare their teeth as they do in the public sector.
If you are in a small private sector firm then their involvement may stretch to no more than giving you advice and you will get access to good legal advice. Don't expect them to be bringing the public sector out in support of you should you get into a dispute at work.
Their powers have been eroded since the Thatcher government however Blair and his ilk hardly did anything to redress this. In all of this if you have a good local union official then they can be worth their weight in gold. Sadly there are some shite ones out there too.
 
Eddie Hitler said:
We had redundancies a few year back and the useless twats were nowhere to be seen. I had a mate who was sacked and it was a given that he would get his job back when it went to a tribunal BUT, the useless twats never turned up to defend his case and he was sacked. I could go on and on. They simply have no pull or power now.


True dat
Click to expand...
Do you know the names of those that never turned up.
 
spitfire said:
If you are employed in the public sector I would say yes. In large private sector firms then their influence can often be a lot less and they work hand in hand with management where they do have representation very often.
They certainly don't bare their teeth as they do in the public sector.
If you are in a small private sector firm then their involvement may stretch to no more than giving you advice and you will get access to good legal advice. Don't expect them to be bringing the public sector out in support of you should you get into a dispute at work.
Their powers have been eroded since the Thatcher government however Blair and his ilk hardly did anything to redress this. In all of this if you have a good local union official then they can be worth their weight in gold. Sadly there are some shite ones out there too.
Click to expand...
Agree with this.

Also worth noting that if you're in the public sector any pay rises (remember them?) that you might get have been won by the unions.
 
PTR said:
In my life, I've never known a union to help with anything.

My wife is in one - she receives comms that try to say its a legal requirements for being a nurse - it bloody isn't.
Nobody even votes on things like strikes, which makes them utterly toothless.

My grandad was in the union, fat lot of good it did him anarl.


Id be all for a union that actually did the right thing. But they seem to be self-interested far too often, and too weak the rest of the time.
Click to expand...
Maybe it depends on the union and also the workforce.If the union is full of soft shites who only join if they are in a bit bother and then leave it when everything sorted then the union have no chance.The union I'm in take no shit and the workforce is pretty much behind them and will stick up for themselves.
 
I stopped paying into a union about 8 years ago after an issue I had with an employer, the union did very little to help and in fact I think it made the problem worse, I've spoke to loads of people who seem to have had the same experience as me..now I'm on the out side looking in, it looks like the union bosses are the ones who are driving around in big cars and eat out on expenses paid for by the workers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Back
Top