Unions?

[RF Lighting]

Just wondering if anyone on here is a member of a trade union?

Things are looking a little bit dodgy at work, and a friend of mine has advised joining a union to ensure I get a fair deal if redundancies come up or my boss tries to get shut of me another way.

I was just wondering what unions people are members of, what experiences you've had with them and also what sort of price you're paying.

I'm an electrician btw if that makes any difference.

TIA.

 

[mikric]

I am a member of GMB, joined for the same reasons as you about 3 years ago, found they were good and the rep even attended all meetings with employer etc not sure if it helped but I am still there and 2 of my colleagues were made redundant. Think I pay £11.50 a month.
Never belonged to a union before but found them to be very helpful,they even got me my retention back from Persimmon Homes held for over 6 years, think I also get free legal advise.

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

Been in the Union (now Unite) since apprenticeship, been Shop Steward, money steward, Branch Treasurer/Secretary, delegate to Conferences, National Committees. My name is NOT Fred Kite (google that name if you are too young to have seen the movie 'i'm alright jack').

Now that I am self-employed have retained full membership out of habit really.

Have met as many 'Tories' at all levels as 'loony lefties', one cannot judge on basis of membership. Really.

What did I get out of it?, confidence to tackle what can seem unsurmountable difficulties, a belief in teamwork achievments, Union=Team. The importance of having a voice at all levels of industries/professions. An opinion, mine, that UK management is shyte.

oh, and King Arfur was right to tackle the closure of the coal industries, shame his tactics to not ballot his otherwise loyal troops cost them the battles and then the war......, talk about "lions led by donkeys" !

DH

 

[kirkgas]

Just wondering if anyone on here is a member of a trade union?

Things are looking a little bit dodgy at work, and a friend of mine has advised joining a union to ensure I get a fair deal if redundancies come up or my boss tries to get shut of me another way.

I was just wondering what unions people are members of, what experiences you've had with them and also what sort of price you're paying.

I'm an electrician btw if that makes any difference.

TIA.

do you not think it is a bit off just to join the union now that you might need their support, you could/should have joined when you were an apprentice and paid your dues since then, and hopefully never needed their support, but benefited from their negotiated pay rises every year,

 

[^woody^]

IME, unions, and more specifically the union reps/stewards pursue self-serving interests above the interests of the general workforce

And again IME, the unions are still stuck in the 70's with their confrontational "them and us" attitudes, rather than working in a more harmonious way to improve the business

OK, the local rep may be a source of knowledge and advice, but he probably knows nothing more than anyone else can find out for themselves.

I can't see how union membership will get you a better deal if redundancies loom

 

[joinerjohn]

I was a works convenor at a place I worked in 1990. The group had made the decision to close our factory down. I was in there first thing Monday morning and actually negotiated a better redundancy package for the workforce. Management didn't have to agree to any of it. They only had to pay what was dictated by law at the time, but agreed with me as I'd made such a good argument for better redundancy terms.
By the time the area union rep came to see me, he couldn't believe that I'd negotiated a better settlement.
One year me and the other shop stewards had negotiated a 5% wage rise, when regional wage settlements were only 3% at most.

IMHO, there are a few shop stewards who are self serving, but these are few and far between. Shop stewards have to be elected by the membership and that same membership can call for a change of stewards, if their not happy with any of them.

 

[Mw Roofline]

In the news today that tube drivers threatening to strike on the Royal Wedding day, it being a bank holiday. This is the demand:


"Aslef is demanding three days' pay and a day off in lieu for working bank holidays. London Underground managing director Mike Brown said: "Tube drivers already have very fair levels of pay and get around seven weeks holiday a year, including allowance for bank holidays.

"The Aslef leadership is tearing up long-standing agreements that cover pay and annual leave and demanding even more - triple time and another day off.


So in essence they want four days for working a bank holiday, on top of their 7 weeks paid holiday. And this for just pressing a big button.

Unions have absolutely no touch with reality.

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

Maybe its a good way to get the 'day off' enabling loyal royalist tube workers to join in the national celebrations for this luvverly young couple instead of having to go in?

Or, a question of 'supply and demand'

As I do not intend to be doing anything royal wedding related at all that day, in fact I would prefer to earning rather than spending, DILLIGAFF?

Nah, thought not.

DH

 

[Nige F]

Just wondering I'm an electrician btw if that makes any difference.

TIA.

You need to join Unite . I was a member for a time when Eric Hammond was in charge . They served me very well

 

[RF Lighting]

do you not think it is a bit off just to join the union now that you might need their support, you could/should have joined when you were an apprentice and paid your dues since then, and hopefully never needed their support, but benefited from their negotiated pay rises every year,

In hindsight that would have been great, but all the time I was at college I never saw or heard any mention of any union. I was never told about them by any of my employers or colleagues and I have never seen any mention of them on any site I've ever worked on or in any trade literature I've read.

I had no idea what the point of them was or what they could do for me until I was chatting to another electrician in the pub the other night who is a fully paid up member.

Now I know this, I would like to join and start paying into the system asap.

Thanks for all the advice as always chaps. The only one I had heard of was amicus, who are now part of unite, so I will definately look into signing up with them.

 

[Bahco]

I can't see how union membership will get you a better deal if redundancies loom

Spot on there as the company will only pay the legal minimum which is 1 weeks pay for every yr served up to a max of £380 per week.

 

[ursamajor]

If you are concerned about the threat of redundancy have a look here on the gov site and then ask if the union if there is a better negotiated one in place.You can't be discriminated against if not in a union,or you shouldn't be.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/redundancy.dsb

 

[Nige F]

do you not think it is a bit off just to join the union now that you might need their support, you could/should have joined when you were an apprentice and paid your dues since then, and hopefully never needed their support, but benefited from their negotiated pay rises every year,

In hindsight that would have been great, but all the time I was at college I never saw or heard any mention of any union. I was never told about them by any of my employers or colleagues and I have never seen any mention of them on any site I've ever worked on or in any trade literature I've read.

I had no idea what the point of them was or what they could do for me until I was chatting to another electrician in the pub the other night who is a fully paid up member.

Now I know this, I would like to join and start paying into the system asap.

Thanks for all the advice as always chaps. The only one I had heard of was amicus, who are now part of unite, so I will definately look into signing up with them.

Not heard of the EETPU then that was what it was called - for you sparks and us plumbers - became Unite Join up to Unite so I can get more out of my pension with them only 3 years to go Seriously tho`. they are good and exellent on Health + Safety issues and training

 

[denverking]

I have always felt that one should become a member of affiliated union to your work.
That not only brings a collective aspect from you and your fellow workers to try and not win the day but allow Management to realise you will not be prepared to go up the chimney at least by yourself.
A union of like minded personell although you will have your differences at times, can have a direct agenda towards these management people that seem to scrabble over each other to gain not only ego but a standing in the whole corporate aspect of trying to be clever than the majority of employees.
An example I was a member of the GPMU 8 years ago and as I created a mistake within my work, I was sacked. First time in my life not making a mistake but being sacked, within 24 hours I was contacted by M.D. to come in and discuss returning to company! Reason?
My fellow workers were in the union and felt I was not one of those wasting people that wanted the Dole, and they all on block refused overtime for the following weekend. That is a collective voice and as they say a union is only as strong as its members.
All I say is that you can be an individual within the union, but also you can be part of a big family that recognise injustices happen from employers because they only worry about the end product and that is their position and profit. Not you or me that had to be forced.

 

[geraint]

I have always felt that one should become a member of affiliated union to your work.
That not only brings a collective aspect from you and your fellow workers to try and not win the day but allow Management to realise you will not be prepared to go up the chimney at least by yourself.
A union of like minded personell although you will have your differences at times, can have a direct agenda towards these management people that seem to scrabble over each other to gain not only ego but a standing in the whole corporate aspect of trying to be clever than the majority of employees.
An example I was a member of the GPMU 8 years ago and as I created a mistake within my work, I was sacked. First time in my life not making a mistake but being sacked, within 24 hours I was contacted by M.D. to come in and discuss returning to company! Reason?
My fellow workers were in the union and felt I was not one of those wasting people that wanted the Dole, and they all on block refused overtime for the following weekend. That is a collective voice and as they say a union is only as strong as its members.
All I say is that you can be an individual within the union, but also you can be part of a big family that recognise injustices happen from employers because they only worry about the end product and that is their position and profit. Not you or me that had to be forced.

*******s....