Unions

Poll: Unions

Total Members Polled: 123

Fully paid up member comrade: 17%
Reluctant subscriber: 8%
Not for me: 48%
Non-unionised industry: 27%
Author
Discussion

LimaDelta

Original Poster:

8,421 posts

247 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
quotequote all
After reading about the poor dear working too hard in McDonalds and seeing plenty of mentions of Trades Union (particularly re NHS work), I was wondering how many people belong to one these days. Why do people still bother?

Mojooo

13,291 posts

209 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
quotequote all
LimaDelta said:
Why do people still bother?
We are going through many changes and they have ensured the changes are not as bad as they could have been.

They have also raised many valid points and questions during which has meant some changes were not carried through as they were not well thought out.

I woudl hate them if I was a boss no doubt but our management do engage with them and publically say they value their input (whether they eman it or not...)

That aiso, they are also useful for workplace issues for individuals. Maybe if the McDonalds girl had a union rep they coudl actually step in and make McDonalds follow the law.

thetrash

1,860 posts

235 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
quotequote all
Why the comrade on the end of the first one?

mrmr96

13,736 posts

233 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
quotequote all
thetrash said:
Why the comrade on the end of the first one?
Because it wouldn't be a PH poll if the options weren't prejudice to the OP's view.

ArmaghMan

2,791 posts

209 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
Where is the want to join but not allowed by employer option?

mph1977

12,467 posts

197 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
ArmaghMan said:
Where is the want to join but not allowed by employer option?
unless you are a Police Officer or Serving Military it doesn;t exist.

an employer cannot stop you from joining a union or using their representative services in discips etc .

attempting to prevent people from promoting union membership is also very dodgy legally

if you get a critical mass the employer can be forced in recognising the union(s) in question for collective representation and negotiation.

RCBRG

603 posts

170 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
my employer has a big history with unions, and there is still a strong presence, but i havent joined, and im struggling to see if its actually worth it anymore?

andym1603

1,885 posts

201 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
Don't have a union as such, they are not allowed. However I am a fully paid up member of an Association which is as toothless as a hen. It is a necessary evil just in case their services are required.

A reluctant subscriber.

mph1977

12,467 posts

197 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
RCBRG said:
my employer has a big history with unions, and there is still a strong presence, but i havent joined, and im struggling to see if its actually worth it anymore?
it's good insurance for HR issues, complaints and disciplinaries and if you are professionally regulated , the amount you pay even over a life time of membership of a union or professional association wouldn;t go very far paying for briefs directly .

santona1937

871 posts

159 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
The rise in employee abuse ( zero hour contracts, pay issues, low wages, imported labour, outsourcing jobs etc etc) and the demise of unions are directly related.

mph1977

12,467 posts

197 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
santona1937 said:
The rise in employee abuse ( zero hour contracts, pay issues, low wages, imported labour, outsourcing jobs etc etc) and the demise of unions are directly related.
however even in heavily unionised among the substantive contract holders the unions are not interesteed in reaching out to the zero hours and agency staff ...

KingNothing

3,337 posts

182 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
I'm only in it for use of their lawyers if I ever need them, one thing that does bother me though, is that scumbag orginisation the labour party are funded by union members subs, I can't remember if I checked the box to say I wanted my fee's to not fund them, didn't really care much for politics when I joined up so wasn't bothered, I'm slightly bothered by it now.

Mojooo

13,291 posts

209 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
The Union I am in is against 0 hour contracts.

IMO oen of the main things holding back people joining unions is that if the union fights to save something every employee benefits. ifi t was the case that only union members benefitted then i bet a lot mroe woudl join

from a pay and conditions perspective - where i work at the moment there is no incentive to join as the union will still do the same regardless.

mph1977

12,467 posts

197 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
quotequote all
KingNothing said:
I'm only in it for use of their lawyers if I ever need them, one thing that does bother me though, is that scumbag orginisation the labour party are funded by union members subs, I can't remember if I checked the box to say I wanted my fee's to not fund them, didn't really care much for politics when I joined up so wasn't bothered, I'm slightly bothered by it now.
not all unions are labour affiliated and as you point out those that are tend to have both an affiliated and a general political fund, chcecking and/or changing where the 'political' part of your subs go shouldn;t need any more than a call or email to the membership admin people.

interestingly enough Unison has seen a loss of membership in Nursing since the RCN opened full membership to HCAs and APs - as the thought of a none party political representation organisation dedicated to Nuring is more appealing than being bunged in with all and sundry , even if it does make the forced cough louder ...

egor110

17,675 posts

232 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
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The union i'm in is asking it's members to vote for a no strike clause in the new year, seem's a strange thing for a union to suggest to it's members.

DukeDickson

4,975 posts

242 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
Is that really all that removed from all too many dumb-assed & at least mildly incompetent directors?

There's still an awful lot of 'tard level short-termism emanating from both sides, if viewed impassionedly.

santona1937

871 posts

159 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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mph1977 said:
however even in heavily unionised among the substantive contract holders the unions are not interesteed in reaching out to the zero hours and agency staff ...
Absolutely. THe Unions have been terrible at doing anything other than helping themselves, no understanding of social issues, reaching out to the unemployed and disadvantaged, those on zero hours contracts etc etc.

I am strongly in favour of unions but they are their own worst enemies.

hairyben

8,516 posts

212 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
quotequote all
They're an unfortunate necessity in many industries in this country where basic respect and decent treatment is asking too much.

As an apprentice I felt I effectively had no choice but to join the AEEU after disaplinaries for rather pathetic reasons, purely game-playing by those higher up. (The shop steward actually initially represented me as a "colleague" but it'd have been poor form not to reciprocate)