Would I be a scab

To get that support you pay your monthly subscription. I wasn’t aware that there was some document that you signed when joining up that says “do as we all say or else you join scab nation and are exiled to the realms of Siberia!”

Actually, binding strike ballots will be in the T&Cs. I'm guessing you haven't read them? Or perhaps you're a member of a union that has non-binding striking? Which will also be in the T&Cs

It really does look as though a lot of people have lost sight of what it means to be in a workers' collective (ie a union), the core philosophy and the benefits it brings

(PS: medical defence insurance can be done separately from union membership, so there's no need for HCPs to join a union for that reason)

If you’re a union member you have to respect the result of the ballot ie not work if a majority have voted to strike. You’d be just as unreasonable to go in as a colleague would to stage a wildcat strike if they had voted to strike but the majority didn’t

You have to cross it, you are taking unauthorised absence if you don't. Union A's members who are not striking have no legal protections if they refuse to work because union B are on strike.

In Wales a cab driver was killed when a concrete block was dropped onto his car.

It's possible to be appalled by this manslaughter, if not murder, and at the same time believe that union members should strike when their union votes to do so.

You do realise that in a democracy people vote and then everyone has to accept the majority's choice. You cannot refuse to follow laws passed by the Tories just because you voted for a different party claim that Scotland is actually independent.

OP's union democratically voted to strike she should join them

In Wales a cab driver was killed when a concrete block was dropped onto his car.
We were horrified as he was the father of a young family.
The attitude from people from the valleys (they were doing PhDs) was
"Shouldn't have been taking a scab to work"

You shouldn't cross a picket line if you are a member of another union.

When sheep encounter a wolf, they band together for collective protection. A lone sheep is easy prey.

Ummm, she's in a union and when the union votes the right course of action is to go along with the vote or to leave the union.

She's free to leave the union and this seems like the appropriate course of action in this case.

It's not about being a sheep or not it's about making a sensible decision to support the union or leave, both are totally reasonable decisions. I have done both in the past!

It’s no way to speak about human beings wanting to feed their families.

😂😂😂

If you don't like the term scab, what term would you suggest for somebody who actively undermines the collective action of their colleagues in their pursuit of better wages and/or conditions?

My dad went back 1 day before the strike was officially called off - but then everyone knew it was imminent. Jesus the amount of trouble it caused. My mum worked at the WMC, the amount of abuse she got and arguments she got into due to him being labelled a scab. He’d been out for a full fucking year. We used to go up to the primary school for our dinners. This kind of language makes me so angry especially when it’s banded about by people who know precisely zero about the effects it can have

Agreed. My community was torn apart by this tribal thinking.
There were names above the door of the local WMC of men who broke the strike and are subsequently banned for life. Their children were starving.
People were killed in the strikes because of the attitude towards “scabs”.

FFS 🤦‍♀️ I haven’t read all the thread, but growing up in the 80’s my dad was a miner. You have absolutely no idea the connotations with the word scab! All these people saying yes you would be a scab are ignorant shits

grow up

I won't be striking even if my union does. I have my own reasons mainly related to the patients I have.

Yes, you'd be a scab. Even if you left the Union, you'd still be a scab. Undermining the collective action of your colleagues, who will be forfeiting wages to fight for better pay and/or conditions.

Unfortunately, as current employment law stands, you'll still get whatever benefits those who lost wages may win for you.

it doesn’t work like that and you know it.
non union members also benefit. And you can not ask payroll to reduce your wages anyway when they are set by the public sector/government, can you?

So will you refuse any benefits your union may win by the strike…..I doubt it somehow.

The point is that, by agreeing to join a union, you agree to support their pay disputes, not undermine them. Someone who didn't join didn't agree to support the pay disputes and is effectively agreeing to take whatever pay they are offered.

It is comparable. Considerable column inches were devoted to how the EU Referendum was advisory. The govt didn't actually have to trigger Article 50 until after the Parliamentary vote forced by the Miller case, which probably wouldn't have been brought to court if the Govt hadn't tried to trigger Article 50 in the first place.

Yet Parliament voted to respect the results of the advisory referendum even though many MPs were personally against it, because they respected the democratic process that led to the outcome and the stated decision of the British people.

In the same way, it's entirely reasonable to expect a union member to abide by the union's democratic decision, even if they personally disagree with it.

100% this

No it’s not.
If you make people leave unions for not wanting to join every union approved strike, you’ll end up with smaller and weaker unions.
If you say that members who do not agree with and participate in strikes do not deserve the pay rises, should they happen, why should anyone else who hasn’t agreed with the strike qualify for the pay rise?

I'm an ex teacher and was always told that if your union called a vote and then strike, you should strike as its what youve 'agreed' in membership of the union. When I was teaching there was a union that would never strike and I know several teachers joined fir that exact reason. Since then lots of changes with different unions joining together etc.
Current dates for future teacher strikes are causing a lot of concern for DH and friends who still teach. Towards the end of term is very much an enjoyable and very busy time for schools with trips, sports days, faryres, performances etc and staff realise the effect this will have on the kids if they have to be cancelled, with very little time to rearrange. Concerned to yhe point that they are considering not striking however if others in school do then events will still.probably be cancelled anyway.

Who gives a damn, just do what you want to do.

If you strike, will you get paid? Likely not. The union won't be paying your bills.

I think people are brainwashed when it comes to unions. They are usually nothing but bullies.

Well if you actually tried to make a comparable comparison, but your example makes zero sense.

Actually come back with a comparison that is not comparing apples to oranges and I can comment, other wise you don't look very bright.