Choosing a union for professional services based on potential future legal need

[persimmonicelolly]

I work in professional services for a uni and things have gone a bit strange because of a dispute among two senior leaders which has affected all the more junior people's positions. It's cat fight territory (among two men) and has meant that basic management has gone by the wayside and our positions feel quite precarious.

I don't have a legal dispute right now and hope never to have one, but I'm aware that things could change in 6 or 12 months. I am therefore considering joining a union as insurance for potentially needing legal advice/support at some point in the future. I like the idea of someone knowledgeable being there to support me if I had to go to HR.

My options seem to be UCU, Unison and Unite as the main university unions. I also see people recommend Affinity, which is appealing because its fees are quite low (and I have mixed feelings on UCU's strikes), but it seems like they are unlikely to have a rep 'on the ground' or to have much specific experience in uni professional services?

From a professional services perspective, and with the most value being in potential legal cover, what's the best union for me? Has anyone used the workplace legal advice section of Affinity and could recommend?

Can't offer any sensible advice, (am an academic) except to check your home insurance, but wanted to offer sympathy and solidarity over the catfight between two (mediocre??) senior men.

Maybe someone should just tell those blokes to put them on the table & measure them **

** What "them" means is up to you ...

I'd act sharpish if I were you- you need to be a member of a union for a set amount of time (a minimum of 3 months in my case) before they can assist you with any dispute related queries. Good luck- your situation doesn't surprise me at all. I work in schools and it's often the staff that are the biggest problem, not the pupils.

Thank you!

I think the benefit of union rep vs home insurance is that home insurance will cover costs if it gets to tribunal, however a strong and effective union rep may prevent it from ever going to tribunal.

I have used home contents insurance for the purpose noted above and won, and yet I would never, ever put my family through the stress of tribunal again for any amount of money, hence the desire to be joined at an HR meeting by a union rep who will essentially tell the uni to cut the shit and let me perform my role as outlined in my JD.

Having used a useless union rep many years ago for an employment dispute, I would suggest finding out who the reps are and picking the one most likely to argue your case.