Strikes how do unions work?

[alasangne]

I've never been in a union there isn't one for my profession. How do they work? Are all the royal mail post people automatically put in a union when they join? And if they don't want to strike do they have to or the union fires them?

I'm a nurse. I'm in unison. I'm not sure what is happening yet in my trust with the unison strikes, I need to check if the ballot results are out. RCN nurses are striking in some trusts, but not mine as they didn't get enough votes.

I don't think you legally have to strike, at least not in my union. Morally it's a different story...

No nobody legally has to strike. But when you join a Union you are fundamentally agreeing to work as a collective to achieve what the majority votes on. To vote yes and not strike is a really low thing to do imo. I knew people in our strikes that voted against the strike but still went with the majority and went on strike. They’re the impressive ones.

Can you just choose to work from home if you're able to instead?

Like a half arsed strike, I'm not doing a full day's work kind of thing?

No. You’re either at work or you’re not.

But if you’re not a union member I’d definitely not strike. You’d have no union protection if there was any problems. Just join the union if you want to support them.

Yep I didn't vote for latest action but I will strike if that's what happens. Bit unfair not to when I'd benefit from any payrise if it was forthcoming

In my job it's a mix of TUs, RMT, TSSA, Aslef and on the buses, Unite have some members.

I'm in the RMT, who will strike if there's no other option. Evening Standard calls us hardliners. Ha! The RMT rep most station staff, cleaning staff and the people you don't see like Track maintenance. We've not been militant since Bob Crow passed away. Mick Lynch knows how to deal with the media, he's very good at it, but he's no communist.

TSSA used to rep the ticket offices, but now they rep generally those people who don't like striking. They hold out a lot longer before agreeing a deal or taking IA.

Aslef are the main union for train operators though some belong to the RMT.

Unite take anyone.

I pay £23 a month in subs. For that I get a free diary, freel legal advice, access to a credit union, and assistance from a rep in employment matters. I've had my money's worth, believe me.

I don't go to meetings but they are where members raise issues. There is a hierarchy before it reaches the assistant General Secretaries. Matters can be acted on locally, regionally or nationally. If no agreements are settled then members are asked to vote for IA. And that's when the General Public find out the poo has hit the pan, and likely to cause them inconvenience. Before Royal Mail employees, members of the CWU went on their first strike, they had been negotiating with the CEO for a year. In my job, on the tube, we have similarly been trying to get a deal for 18 months. We don't just "walk out" like some media will lead you to believe.

I also vote for the union executive and I vote for who sits on the Pension Fund.

If there is a strike called I get an email, and a text. I also keep up to date on Twitter. Not everyone takes part, either because they aren't in the union or because they are, but don't agree with why the IA is needed.

Secondary Action: This is illegal. Also, you are only allowed six members on a picket line. We can talk to people about not crossing the picket line, but we can't prevent them from doing so.

If you can join a union do. The more people in your workplace with union membership means greater bargaining power when talking about pay, terms and conditions.

They have to join the union, it’s not automatic. But there will probably be a union rep who will try and encourage new starters to join up. If there is a recognised union they will bargain for the whole bargaining unit’s terms and conditions so non members still benefit from union negotiated pay increases etc

you don’t have to strike as a union member but it’s frowned on to go in when your colleagues are going without pay to try and improve your pay and conditions.

The union can’t fire you as they don’t employ you.

They might refuse to cross a picket line and in a practical sense union often don’t know who are members

Employers often don’t know I mean

Yes strike days are removed from length of service

You can choose to cross the picket line or not, but presumably you’ll benefit from any union negotiated pay rise that the union agree with the bargaining unit.

You're conflating two issues

The strike is binding.

BUT there will be negotiated agreement for certain members in certain roles to continue to provide key services. Those will be centrally agreed.

You as an individual don't get to choose. It's collective action, with collectively agreed critical-cover exceptions.

My husband is a postie. He's not in the union but was also on strike. Was able to join picket lines etc. You can work on strike days but don't expect to ever have any friends at work or be treated nicely/helped out ever again by colleagues. Here they have been moving people to the next towns depot if they want to work on strike days so you're not walking past your colleagues to get in. In November, his wages were also docked for upcoming strike days a week early (paid weekly), strike was then cancelled and it's been a faff getting them to pay him. He's been working his day off to make up for the short fall in wages.

I would just be cautious believing anything you read in the mainstream media that is released by RM at present. Simon Thompson is peddling a load of lies and is destroying the company.

You either strike or you don’t, wfh isn’t striking and neither is working to rule.

The history of trade unions is interesting. At school, we did the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Transported to Australia for daring to organise themselves

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolpuddle_Martyrs

We also did the Peterloo Massacre

Workers killed by soldiers for daring to hold a rally.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterloo_Massacre

I think UK schools should focus on the fight for worker's rights and the battle for social change over the centuries.

There is 'Made in Dagenham' - about the fight for equal pay for women.
Loads of films related to the Miner's Strike

I think Sunak wants a fights with the unions.

(Not a good look if he wants to keep the Red Wall)

Ours did as our union subs were taken from our wages..

This isn't true. You can legally decline to cross a picket in your place of work (assuming you are of a profession that could have legally striked had you been a union member) and be considered on strike on the same terms as those in the union.

All the nurses I work with apart from 1 are striking.

she’s not known as being a team player.

@SkinnyFatte Also, you are only allowed six members on a picket line.

This is guidance, and not legally binding. It is from the Picketing Code of Practice, produced by the government (who have an interest in reducing the impact of strikes) not by unions. We do not have to limit the impact of our own strikes. Those who wish to peacefully picket can continue to do so.

I'm in a teaching union. We pay quite a lot in membership fees but it's inadvisable not to be in a union as they will support you if you ever find yourself in a situation of, eg false allegations being made against you.

We have been balloted for strike action. I have never gone on strike before but have voted yes on this occasion as things have never been so dire in my 20 years of teaching. There is a general reluctance amongst teachers to go on strike, at least in the primary sector where I work, due to a feeling of letting kids down. I work in a small school but there are only a few of us voting to strike. Most agree with the principle but say they cannot afford to lose a day's pay. It makes it awkward to be a strking member of staff then as other classes are open as usual but your class has to stay off.

I'm in a union that has been striking recently. I have chosen not to strike myself, however, and there has not been any pressure from the union reps (one of whom is my manager) to do so. If we do strike then you just enter it on the absence management system and payroll sort it out but I can also claim back the loss of salary from the local or national fund. I'm not sure that it covers the full amount lost, but it is certainly most of it. I pay monthly subs to be part of it and I joined for the legal support/protection/advice element and the fact they do a lot at local level to influence my working conditions and salary, which I want to support.

@brainstories568 it is really selfish to let your colleagues take the hit to fight for your pay and conditions.

No one has to strike, and no one has to join a union. But if you join a union you are agreeing to support collective action. If you can't do that, you shouldn't join.

I've never been in a union there isn't one for my profession.

There's always a union - there are soe genersl unions. If you go to the TUC website, they have a union finder tool which will show you possible unions to join for your sector.

What you may not have is a recognised union. An employer does not have to recognise a union unless at least 30% of the employees are members. If there is no recognised union, they will not be involved in overall pay negotiations, nor will they ballot for strike action. However, they may be involved in personal grievances and disciplinarian- if you're ever involved in a disciplinary, you have the right to have a union rep (which, in my case, was external,) attend with you, and that is likely to be worth every single penny you've ever paid in membership.