Trade unions

[Guineveretoo]

Re: Trade unions

not necesarily ... I think it's good that people get to see differing views and get to make up their own minds

Except all I was trying to do was to be informative, not political!

In the context of this thread, I don't think people should join trade unions to fight anti union legislation, nor to bring the Government to its knees. This is an employment forum, where people are asking for advice when they get into trouble at work. I think people should join trade unions to protect them at times of such need, and to provide them with help when they are in trouble.

[sean5302]

Re: Trade unions

Let's take your points in order. There is no need for an online spat. I prefer reasoned discussion.
The NHS employs 1.4 million people, the vast majority of whom are under-utilised and overpaid. That is purely down to poor management and union pressure. It is the worst health service in the Western world if we look at health outcomes despite costing 8% of UK GDP. It's £1.4Bn per year, not the approximate £2Bn per week that Channel 4 likes to quote. Labour flooded the NHS with money and the outcomes got even worse.
How can teachers be overworked when they only work 185 days per year; their work involves sitting in a classroom and the day is only 9 to 4pm? Try telling that to a steel worker or a manual worker in a factory.
Council workers are normally only interested in their own pensions. Customer service isn't a priority.
Scargill was the one who wrecked UK mining. He couldn't care less what taxpayers had to fork out. I see he still lives in his union grace and favour flat in London, paying nothing for the privilege. Margaret was THE best PM we've ever had. She sorted out many of the public sector lame ducks. I wish we had her today.

Yes. If this is your idea of an info thread, you'd be better on the BBC site, or Russia Today or similar. Natalie Bennett's views and evaluation of the country's finances might suit you too, in the Green Party.
Remember that every single penny paid to people in the public sector comes only from taxes levied on the private sector employees.

[Guineveretoo]

Re: Trade unions

Are you denying that trade unions provide advice and support to individuals with problems at work?

That was what this thread was supposed to be about.

[scott2310]

Re: Trade unions

I wish my place had a union as the employers take the pi.... And when I show up demanding rights at work they think I'm a trouble maker ...... Funny thing is all the workers in my sectoion come to me as I'm clued up and search everything and now the managers are explaining the decicions to me ...... Shame I'm not fully clued up to give definate answers but that's what here's about ...... Looked to see what Union i should have under those links but nothing came up for my sector ..... Anyone knows hmwho it is for warehouse workers??

[Guineveretoo]

Re: Trade unions

I wish my place had a union as the employers take the pi.... And when I show up demanding rights at work they think I'm a trouble maker ...... Funny thing is all the workers in my sectoion come to me as I'm clued up and search everything and now the managers are explaining the decicions to me ...... Shame I'm not fully clued up to give definate answers but that's what here's about ...... Looked to see what Union i should have under those links but nothing came up for my sector ..... Anyone knows hmwho it is for warehouse workers??

I know that Unite have lots of warehouse workers in membership, and so do USDAW.

Look at the website of those two, and see what you think. Unite is the biggest union in the UK, and has lots of workers spread across lots of sectors, including warehouse workers. it was formed from the merger of several other unions.

USDAW is the union for shop and distribution workers, so it also has warehouse workers in membership.

It sounds to me as if you are already working like a trade union rep, which is admirable, and I hope you continue to do so, but it would be better to do it with the backing of a union, who would provide support and training to you, and also provide you with protection, as being an official union rep allows you to say things on behalf of your members in an official capacity.

If you can't decide which one to go for, or need more information, please feel free to get in touch with me via PM, and I will try and help you track down the right union!

[Kati]

Re: Trade unions

How can teachers be overworked when they only work 185 days per year; their work involves sitting in a classroom and the day is only 9 to 4pm? Try telling that to a steel worker or a manual worker in a factory.

I'm sorry Sean ... even I have to disagree with you on this one. My other half was a teacher for many years (and one of his daughters is now too) - and I know first hand how hard teachers work. Their day is not only 9am to 4pm, there's always preperation to be done for lessons, marking to be done, extra training (so they are not behind with what they need to know) etc...
This all has to be done outside of school hours, so that they do not cut into the time they are actually at work. Extra curricular activities are on a voluntary basis (teachers are not paid overtime for organizing a football team or a drama club). Working in a school does not mean sitting behind a desk all day - there's 'playground' duty, dinner duty, meetings, counselling those pupils who need it, mentoring, sorting out the bullies and the bullied.

[Kati]

Re: Trade unions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_o...Allied_Workers info on usdaw for [MENTION=39955]scott2310[/MENTION] :tinysmile_twink_t2:

[wales01man]

Re: Trade unions

Scargill lined his pockets during the strile and up to a recent court case took the union for loads is this the type of person Union members should be paying.

[sean5302]

Re: Trade unions

Scargill lined his pockets during the strile and up to a recent court case took the union for loads is this the type of person Union members should be paying.

Look at Bob Crow. £160,000 per year from union members but he continued to live in a council house.
Look at Len McCluskey. Union chief Len McCluskey has pocketed a £5,000 pay rise while thousands of his members struggle with wage freezes. The powerful Left-wing Unite boss saw his package jump to £140,281 last year – just short of the salary paid to David Cameron.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...y-freezes.html

Only a fool would want to pay for this lot.

[des8]

Re: Trade unions

The fact that YOUR OPINION is that union leaders are overpaid scroungers or whatever is not a valid argument against the value of unions.
If membership agrees with you they can vote them out of office.
And as for blaming unions for all the ills that beset the country...............................

And I am not, nor ever have been a union member.

[sean5302]

Re: Trade unions

The fact that YOUR OPINION is that union leaders are overpaid scroungers or whatever is not a valid argument against the value of unions.
If membership agrees with you they can vote them out of office.
And as for blaming unions for all the ills that beset the country...............................

And I am not, nor ever have been a union member.

Well, as I've aged I suppose I've become more opinionated.
The point I tried to make was that 90% of union members are employed in the public sector. Only 10% in the private sector.
When I look at the public sector, I see what I've written above.

[des8]

Re: Trade unions

And I see in the private sector no job surety, zero hours, minimum wage which is below living wage level,
plus Bankers on massive rewards for causing problems paid for by the most vulnerable of society.

[sean5302]

Re: Trade unions

Agreed.
My daughter is a senior manager in a massive, blue chip corporation.
They moved her over to Belgium a few years ago and she was telling me something about their wage structure.
An hourly-paid UK worker gets an average £568 per week, whether pushing a brush or operating a machine.
The same worker in the Czech Republic, doing the same job, gets £115 per week.
The same worker in China gets £33 per week.
The same worker in India gets £11 per week.

By definition, the minimum wage is above what employers would wish to pay for the work in question.
If UK workers won't even accept that and want "the living wage", where do you think their jobs will go?

[des8]

Re: Trade unions

So are you suggesting British workers should be bidding for the jobs at £10 per week so they under cut India?
I'd rather see the unions (the workers united?) fighting for a living wage.
Look at the workers situation before they united and brought pressure to bear on bosses and governments ............. would you really want to go back to that?

[wales01man]

Re: Trade unions

If it is so much cheaper to take the work abroad they will You n would be in business to make money only the best bosses care about the workers profit is the name of the game.
I would like to see full employment in the UK with a living wage for all