To be in a union but not out on strike tomorrow?

[ILovePud]

I'm an NHS clinician and my union has called a strike tomorrow. Strikes have not usually been well supported in my work place and I already had a clinic booked tomorrow. We all had to notify our management last week whether we would be striking and I said no. I felt uncomfortable with the idea of having to contact specific patients and cancel their appointments in a way that I wouldn't have done if it was a case of just omitting to book that clinic. I've become increasingly uncomfortable with this decision over the weekend as I've had some contact with colleagues and it seems that many of them will be striking and that there will be a picket line. I'll have to go in now and feel like I'm in a lose lose situation where I'm either letting down patients or letting down my colleagues. My colleagues are lovely people and none of them are going to have a go at me though there may be some more subtle guilt tripping. The strike's been called over the 1% pay rise offer rather than wider issues and whilst I think this is a crap offer compared with some of the other service issues in the local NHS at the moment this seems like small potatoes, for me at least. My reasons for being a union member have always been more about having access to support in the event of potential employment problems rather than collective bargaining, though obviously if they pay offer gets upped I'll feel the benefit of this along with everyone else and I do feel a bit bad about that. Am I being unreasonable to not be striking?

Go to work, and be proud to do so.

I understand your dilemma and if I was a patient I would be pissed off, but for strikes to be effective it has to be supported.

I was on strike , for nearly 3 weeks, a few years ago. I work in a special school and the local media tore us to bits for striking.

I'll never forget meeting a collegue one sunday. She was a member of the Union but refused to strike. She said to me to "stay out for as long as it takes to get us our money".

What happens in practice when service users need to cross a picket line, if they are attending medical appointments?

Pud, I support the unions and can honestly say that i would have no problem with an appointment being rearranged in order to protect the pay, pensions, working conditions etc of a large number of people, especially as the vast majority of the people striking are relatively low paid who have endured many cuts and changes over the last few years.

I believe that we are a society and, sometimes, we have to put ourselves out in order to protect important things. Luckily, most people also think like this.

Coco what on earth did you say to that?

YABU
Unless you an not to take any benefits gained by the strike.

YABVVU, as you probably know. As many other posters have said unions are NOT an insurance policy but are there to improve and protect the conditions of their members.
People seem to forget that the employment conditions that we have today are there because they were fought for by the labour and trade union movement.
I to am a Health service Worker, although no longer clinical. I live in Wales so the result of our strike ballot is still pending, hopefully it will echo our English colleagues and we will strike.
Health service workers are hardly the most radical of workers. The fact that they have voted for strike action ( that is also supported by the Royal colleges ) shows that feelings are high. You should seriously examine your conscience ... Are you really happy to cross the picket line when your work mates will be giving up a mornings pay? Also if the campaign is successful and Health workers do get a pay rise, don't you think you will feel awful?
I think it is all too easy to hide behind the patient and use that as an excuse. Obviously no one would wish any patient harm, and I am sure none will occur despite scaremongering from the media.
We all need to stand together to prevent the erosion of our conditions , this race to the bottom that the Tories love.Ultimately people uniting is good for everyone... Patients included.

Nothing happens when service users cross a picket line. They might get handed a leaflet and have to listen to some singing or chanting but they aren't breaking the strike and they aren't whoever the strike is aimed at.

The worst kind of strike breakers are the ones who think they are invaluable. If you feel invaluable and can't support your union then you join a different union. Quite frankly I think people who refuse to follow the unions directive to strike should be struck of the unions list. Everybody is valuable. Do you think firefighters aren't needed. Of course they are. So you should think again about letting your colleagues and your Union down.

LineRunner, you say 'good morning' and smile as they walk passed. As a striker you have no axe to grind with the service user. That's the joy of different unions, you rarely get 'Everybody out'. So most essential services are covered, or exempt.

At college we chat as people walk over the line. Commiserate re right/wrong union/job. We stay nice as next time it will be a different combination of unions - this time it is not me... it was the last 2 times. I appreciate the restraint and politeness of colleagues who choose not to be snarky.

I think people who refuse to follow the unions directive to strike should be struck of the unions list

Unfortunately that's no longer an option. I think it was Thatcher who saw to that.

you wont have to cross a picket line tomorrow because THERE IS NO STRIKE TOMORROW and essential service staff are allowed to work - so in the NHS there should be minimum safe staffing levels and no on suffering - so your excuse is a bit bullshitty

don't be in a union if you aren't prepared to act collectively - end of

Yeah, YADBU. Being a member for their support in times of (individual) employment problems, and willing to benefit from pay rises which are a result of collective action, but not backing the collective action that is a) designed to support all of you in the long run, and b) only effective with mass support, is terrible in my book. We (UCU) we're on strike recently, and it was bad enough when non-unionised colleagues sheepishly walked through the picket ("sorry, I have a lecture!" Oh gosh, in that case - OH WAIT so do we all), it'd be so much worse if I knew they were in the union! It's you and the (far, far too many) others like you that have weakened our unions to the point that those of us who do strike, and sacrifice a days pay, are basically laughing stocks.

It's just that I would never cross a picket line at work (have previously been union rep when directly employed), but just realised that I might have to one day with my seemingly endless hospital appointments, and that would make me feel really bloody awful.

I'm not convinced about this whole "you're in a union you support the union" thing. Surely, as an educated adult, you are able to decide what and when you offer support? Being a member of anything shouldn't mean blanket acceptance. Unless it's a cult of course.

Op yanbu, it's a very difficult thing when health service and similar strike. Each individual has to make their own decision. Your reasons are good so don't feel guilty. Personally I'd just arrive outside the strike times in your situation.

last strike I had members saying they couldn't afford to strike ...I suggested they couldn't afford NOT TO

unless they wanted to have 1% pay rises for the foreseeable

I can't afford to lose a days pay but some things are more important - we will eat baked beans and get on with it.

Toomuch as a union member you agree to act as a whole - the clue is in the name 'union' so if the majority vote for something in a legal and democratic fashion you ARE obliged to follow the unions directive and withdraw labour - no one has to join a union - its not compulsory

Words were had, Sooty, in the middle of Primark .
She honestly didn't see anything wrong with what she said because "she couldn't afford to go on strike", unless the rest of us who only work for the fun of it obviously.

Wow. Just wow.

Scab. There, I said it. Delete away.

Unions are the reason employees have any rights at all.

I am glad you would go in for your patients OP. It would mean a lot to me and my family in we were in their position. Your job is different to most of us and has different considerations. Be proud.

OP, YANBU at all. The decision to strike or not to strike is yours, and yours alone. It is extremely good of you to consider the welfare of your patients, and frankly some of the pp who have flamed you for it need to realise that NHS waiting times are long enough, and when it's you or your loved one at risk of having an appointment cancelled the actions of people like you are really appreciated.

Hmm, I take your point gordy, I just think there has to be individual choice alongside that. I don't think the intent of a union is/should be blanket acceptance. The ops situation is very different from an I'm alright jack attitude. I could be wrong, I'm prepared to accept that but it's just not how I see things.

Your appointment will soon be a thing of the past without you stumping up for it first the way this government is dismantling the NHS.

Of course I am slightly skewed because I've seen it in action when someone finally gets to the top of the list and is told "oops sorry" then they have to wait longer. Obviously every effort is made to rebook asap but there aren't enough appointments as it is so these things do knock on to patient care. There's no easy answer sadly. I totally support the strike but I also think it has to be individual choice.

Left, I think that's a separate discussion.