Trade Union membership

[Zubrman]

Employers are not allowed to descriminate because of union membership by law. A strong recruitment campaign after a few meetings after work should spread the word.
The TUC can offer advice too.

This is when Solidarity is needed. Easier said than done though.

Seven years ago there was only a 17% membership of our union at my workplace of 54 people and I started recruiting. We now have over 86% and are really strong now.
Unions offer a lot more than just a diary nowadays. Free legal aid, discounted insurances and free training for lots of skills are commonplace.
Some members have been in for over 40 years and never needed any help and some have benefitted from compensation payouts in their 1st year!

 

[DaveH]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdOCWUgwiWs[/youtube]

 

[Kenny Powers]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the thread so far. I wont cancel my subs for the forseeable future, even though i'm pretty sure my union have fucked me over big stylee :(

 

[mackenzie]

This is when Solidarity is needed. Easier said than done though.

Seven years ago there was only a 17% membership of our union at my workplace of 54 people and I started recruiting. We now have over 86% and are really strong now.
Unions offer a lot more than just a diary nowadays. Free legal aid, discounted insurances and free training for lots of skills are commonplace.
Some members have been in for over 40 years and never needed any help and some have benefitted from compensation payouts in their 1st year!

Excellent work I have to say!

A Union is only as good as its members, and you have done a great job.

 

[Ronnie the Rep]

a union isn't always the answer, I am fortunate to work for a really great company who look after their staff. The guy who owns it would rather close it down than have a union in and in reality we don't need one anyway because it would take away the flexibility we have to deal with staff as individuals

 

[Ghandi's Flip Flops]

Even though i had bad experiences with unions, and wouldn't go near one, a lot of it depends on what sector you work in. If somebody worked in public sector then i would probably advise them to join their union.

If you work in the private sector and are good at your job and experienced then don't bother. Only join one if your young, inexperienced, lazy or shite at your job.

I've worked contract on and off for 15 years, and some of the laziest employees i've seen are union reps. I worked at one company where even tho they allowed the reps 2 hours a week 'union business', one of them thought he didn't have to do any work and spent all his time doing 'union business'. After 14 months and numerous warnings the company finally got rid of him. Didn't surprise me at all, when 6 years later i found out he was a national figure for another big union.

 

[mackenzie]

a union isn't always the answer, I am fortunate to work for a really great company who look after their staff. The guy who owns it would rather close it down than have a union in and in reality we don't need one anyway because it would take away the flexibility we have to deal with staff as individuals

Ronnie, the key word there is "fortunate."

And why would any boss rather close their business down than have a Union in it??

Is it because he knows he could start again whilst not giving a sod about those who work for him?

 

[kronkonite]

Been a rep for 25 years it's harder to be noticed nowadays
dealt with many issues that would never have been resolved in favour of the member without union membership

Hard work but very rewarding

 

[Ronnie the Rep]

a union isn't always the answer, I am fortunate to work for a really great company who look after their staff. The guy who owns it would rather close it down than have a union in and in reality we don't need one anyway because it would take away the flexibility we have to deal with staff as individuals

Ronnie, the key word there is "fortunate."

And why would any boss rather close their business down than have a Union in it??

Is it because he knows he could start again whilst not giving a sod about those who work for him?

quite the reverse, he is the most generous caring person I know, he's deffo a better man than me. He would consider a union as an infringement or maybe an infection would be a better word. We only put employment contracts in because it's the law - nobody has ever needed one. He would shut the thing down then start up without a union and employ the same staff if he could. You are right that I am fortunate, maybe his enlightened methods are the future

 

[mackenzie]

Been a rep for 25 years it's harder to be noticed nowadays
dealt with many issues that would never have been resolved in favour of the member without union membership

Hard work but very rewarding

Bet you haven't got a big fancy car or ludicrous expenses have you?

;-)