Can anyone explain strikes to me please?

[Lightsandtights]

DH’s work have been balloted for strike action. I’m not going to mention the employers name on here, just in case.

Not all staff are in a union. Generally, the feeling is that it’s never been needed. We are in Scotland. We believe quite a few are union members in England though. I am not sure about the rest of the UK.

If the members vote against the proposal on the table at the moment and strikes go ahead, DH feels he can’t cross a picket line and therefore can’t go in. I feel that he’s not voted for a strike so he can go in. I have also said it’s just members who are voting to strike so they can get on with it. Can anyone explain how it works?

What is the position in his location with 100 staff members if just half a dozen union members vote to strike but 94 don’t want to and are content with the proposal on the table?

Updated to say DH is not in the union.

Thank you for helping.

Is he's a member of the union despite voting not to strike. If the strike motion passes the ballot. He should not go to work.
It's the collective strength of the union which works. Its part of being in a union. The United voices have more sway than one lone voice.

The strike motion won't pass unless they have a specific percentage voting for a strike.

Thank you. I should have said he’s not in the union. My post wasn’t clear!

So you shouldn't be in a position where 10 people dictate to 100 what to do.

If he feels that the members in England have a worse employment contract than him. And the conditions dont affect him,he may want to reconsider which union he is a member of.

DH feels he can’t cross a picket line and therefore can’t go in.

If he just didn’t turn to work on any other day, what would happen? He will face a disciplinary, not be paid and might get sacked.

If he's not in the union then he can and should in all good consciousness go to work.

Thank you. This is helpful. He’s going to read this thread. He’s not clear on what’s he’s to do either.

He’s not clear on what’s he’s to do either

If he’s not in a union-he just goes to work every day like he normally does!

Good. Thank you for helping.

If he's not in the union, he may not have protection from disciplinary action if he does not go in. There is a clause about that at my work.

In my workplace most staff sre in a union but some are not. Those who are not go to work as usual and read kindles or watch films all day.

For the rest of us: of all the members in the pool that CAN vote, at least 50% of that pool must vote, and get a majority in order for the vote to stand. There was further anti-strike laws passed earlier this year to "maintain a minimum service". The TUC voted to ignore this law.

If the vote is valid (and it takes a lit of legwork by the union to comply with the law) then nembers strike. If you are a member and choose not to strike, you might get some negative feedback from your union family.

Thanks. I think the not crossing a picket line for DH stems from him being a boy during the miners strikes. He grew up in a family where all the men were miners. It was really difficult at the time, people being called a scab for crossing a picket line and working. Houses and families were targeted. I know this was a long time ago but striking since then has been in the news for the NHS, teachers etc so it’s not really affected us directly as employees.

If there are so few union members then there's not going to be much of a picket line is there? There may not be one at all in fact. He's also unlikely to get any grief over it when the union members are in such a tiny minority.

Oh sorry, I think I misread your op. I thought you were saying only half a dozen were union members.

There potentially is half a dozen or so at his location in Scotland. We believe the balance is much, much higher in England.

The non union members should go to work as normal, as not doing so puts them at risk of disciplinary action. It is different for union members because they are protected by law from being treated unfavourably due to their membership and industrial action. Should anyone suffer due to this, the employer will feel the full force of the union against them.

However, your DH and his colleagues are BU to not be members of the union when they will be benefiting from the work of the union in improving pay and conditions.

It is quite likely that the strike action will lead to an improved pay offer that will be applied to all staff, not just the union members who have paid their subs and given up a day or more pay to make their point. And especially if it feels wrong to your DH to cross a picket line, he should join the union and go on strike with the other members.

Anyone can choose to cross a picket line whether they’re in the union or not. If he has thick skin and doesn’t mind how it will make him look to his colleagues then of course he can go in. It’s completely his choice. Shame so many people feel they don’t need a union though, imagine what life would be like without them! I for one am bloody glad we have weekends off, paid holidays, equal pay, safety equipment etc. As long as unions remain relevant - which they certainly are under this government - long may they continue!

Why is your DH not a member of the union?

Technically your DH could strike without being a member. Union membership is special category information and there's no reason his employer should know who is a member and who isn't. However with there being so few members it's likely they are more visible than in most employers.

If he's worried about crossing the picket then he should join. Problem solved.

The non union members carry on going to work as usual. They will potentially have to cross a picket line. From experience, I’ve had to cross a picket line and there was no abuse, just chanting of what the workers wanted, which is fair enough.
There are currently strikes this coming week where I live. My boss has decided that she doesn’t think it’s fair for some staff to cross the picket line so we are all working from home, checking with a meeting at the start and end of each day.
if the majority of your dh work is not striking then there may only be a small amount of picketers and they might decide to picket elsewhere.

Some employers allow strike action even for non-union members.

It is totally down to him if he wants to strike, regardless of if he is a union member or not.

I refused to strike when I worked in the public sector and had no issues crossing the picket line. They had them on every office entrance.

One idiot did try to stop me crossing.

There is no compulsion to have a picket line though-there may not even be one.

I was in a similar situation (didnt come to strike in the end). I was told as a non union member i should go to work, but not cover any work of someone on strike.

In my mind this allowed me to know i wasnt undermining the strike but i would have went to work.

Ideally your DH would join the union (as would as many workers as possible/ all the workers) and be part of collective conversations with employers for rights and protections for all.

There are other advantages to being in a union that are nothing to do with strikes as well, eg. a trained rep would support him if he was ever in a situation like facing restructure, redundancy, performance management concerns or illness that affected his work. Unions give good legal and employment advice.

Ideally all workers would be in their relevant union.

If more were in the union, then those who don't want to strike would have more say. No point complaining about what the union decides if you don't join and take part in that decision making.

He’s worked for his employer for 25 years. He’s never felt the need to be a member and according to him, it’s the same with everyone he’s spoken to at his base. They’ve always felt fairly well paid, had good holidays, contract conditions and understanding but firm management. They seem happy with the payrise currently on the table and just want to work according to conversations they’ve had in the break room.