I’m a union rep in the civil service dealing with casework - AMA

[HopelessHannah]

Hi - I’ve been working as a union caseworker for years, and just when you think nothing can shock you, something comes along that does.

If you were my Union Rep I'd be none too impressed by you coming onto a forum inviting randoms to ask you anything about the work you do.

appauling unprofessional and possibly breaches your union regs.

@daisychain01 I just thought it might be helpful to people to know what we deal with. I’m obviously not going to mention specific cases or identify anyone.

Since you agree, I’m wondering if you felt able to express your views at work? What are your thoughts about how unions have behaved on the women’s rights vs trans wishes issue?

@JoanOgden I would say that we see a higher number of cases where they have a strong case against the employer. Those who try it on are usually the ones who join a union when they are in trouble, not before.

@Fishinthesink yes, I’ve been involved in pay negotiations, and like you, we’ve managed to get a better deal for staff. But it’s never good enough!

Do you ever rep someone who you secretly think is obviously a piss-taker and deserves whatever is coming?

I say this as an active public sector union member, who sometimes wishes the union would remember that they also rep me, managers who has to deal with a lot of piss-takers!

@Whenindoubthugitout I’m paid by the civil service but have a certain amount of facility time to deal with union casework. The amount of training depends on what you do - the Treasurer and Comms people don’t do casework, but anyone who does casework has to do the basic and advanced courses before we let them loose. Also a basics of employment law course. There are lawyers employed by the union who are our first port of call.

Yeah, but are the lawyers gate kept but people higher up the union chain, or can you actually call them and get advice?

i see so many union reps not getting support they need.

When it comes to poor performance issues, why do the unions provide so much support to those failing to perform to an adequate standard and none to those in the management chain, also union members, who are practically broken by the impact of that poor performance on them as a manager?

I have two colleagues going through this at moment. The impact on them is disgraceful and the support from the union - who have not given any because they are prioritising the person failing to perform adequately over the two suffering as a result - has been shocking. I would not be surprised if they end up signed off sick as a result of what they have been put through - both by the union, and by the colleague who is performing poorly.

I’m genuinely curious as to the unions position on this.

I’m genuinely curious as to the unions position on this.

Oh that's easy.

Workers good, management bad

@GoldenBraceletnot at all, I’m a deputy head of department, and a lot of my time is spent supporting managers who have poor performing staff. I will say that we see a lot of poor managers though - who instead of managing and supporting new entrants, stick them on PMP after a few weeks in the job. We are failing to provide decent training to managers to enable them to do their job. It’s a tough process putting someone on performance management and seeing it through, but it needs to be done. I’ve dismissed a number of staff myself.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks a number of union reps become reps because they are poor performers themselves and think this offers them protection from dismissal. Ours used to be dire, but over the past three years we have managed to move these people on (they usually join another union), as this gives the union a bad reputation.

@Whenindoubthugitout we have direct access to the lawyers but often have to push very hard to get them to take on cases. It’s a huge pain in the arse and they seem very slopey shouldered on occasion.

But what do you do as a union rep? Why does the union not support those who are good workers and instead support the piss takers?

Your role as a deputy head of department is rather irrelevant as is poor workers joining a union, as this is about what the unions do (or do not do) to support those who are actually competent rather than instead support those who should, being honest, have been fired months ago. You’ve not answered my question although that is perhaps an answer in and of itself.

My union rep is the most GC person I know. I love her

@IDasIX yes, often. And I am quite blunt with them that I agree with the line manager that they are under performing. I ask them to take a long hard look at themselves, and their performance, and ask themselves if their manager might have a point. Sometimes this is a wake up call but often it isn’t. We had one woman who put in a formal grievance against every manager she had, for discrimination. None were upheld. We refused to represent her any more.

Yes, but assuming they are also civil service employees, they also have a duty to be impartial, to consider all protected characteristics and to apply the law as it is, not how they (or Stonewall or the union) want it to be. If they cannot do that, and instead prioritise their beliefs, they shouldn't be civil servants or union reps.

I left my union because they said they would not support me if I was disciplined for speaking about the protected characteristic of sex and I told them why I was leaving. They didn't care and instead sent me a reply focussing on how vulnerable our transwomen colleagues are.

I wrote a long post about GC and trans issues which doesn’t seem to have posted. We have one rep who is trans. They are quiet and get on with the job and don’t push the trans agenda at all. But we wouldn’t ask them to take on a case where there would be a conflict of interest (we don’t rep for friends or people we have worked with either).

I don’t think the unions have covered themselves in glory at all over the trans issue, to the detriment of women’s rights. So we need to provide some challenge from within. The problem is that our branch committee has been predominantly men and it’s only over the past year or so that this has changed.

@SigourneyHoward you asked about Sandie Peggie. I’d have offered to help her, of course. I’d have listened and would have asked for legal advice at an early stage.

Lucky you but you're very much in a minority.

I also have a great union rep from Unison (we are an ALB) who is supporting me through the murky waters of a regrading request. She’s awesome. And also GC like me.

Is it worthwhile becoming a union rep and does it put a black mark against your name with your employer? (I’m considering getting more involved with the union.)

Incidentally since 1995 female membership in Unions has risen by 134,000 to 3.7 million so presumably many women think it's important/ useful.

Do you ever get involved in cases where members haven’t been selected for voluntary severance?
I only ask as having served many years I, along with many others, applied for this. All of the people who were approved were lower performers, or had poor attendance records. My application was refused as I was considered business critical ( or some such term).

Even though I understand the rationale,
I still bristle at not getting several years pay.

If you're a TU rep, you represent the member when they request it. So if a manager is on the receiving end of bad behaviour from an under-performing line-managee, and they feel they're not protected from it, they could raise a grievance. At that point the TU can support them.

You can't just sort of go around being vaguely supportive when that's not your role and it's something you squeeze in around your job (and in the CS there are usually other things to support you as a LM).