to think people should stop using this part of the forum as a substitute for being in a trade union

[GracielaSabrocita]

It's a common theme on AIBU?: my employer is doing something terrible. Sooner or later someone asks the OP if they are a member of a trade union, which they never are (or else they wouldn't be posting in the first place).

If you can't be bothered to join a union, please don't complain or ask us to sort your problems when your employer treats you like shit.

Just posting to second what someone said above: there are some posters on here who get it so wrong when it comes to employment law. Anyone reading this who has a problem needs to get independent advice from union, ACAS or CAB or somewhere similar. Horrified yesterday at someone who said “sue for sex discrimination, you will get loads of money”............please please please .....do not rely on a random poster for employment law advice. I love MN but it’s not always right!!!!

Having worked with TUs for years i lost any sympathy i had for them.

They are mostly in the employers pockets and demanding and nasty people

NamasteNiki

They are mostly in the employers pockets and demanding and nasty people

Wow thanks for that!

6.4 million people in the UK are nasty and demanding. That is a well reasoned well thought out argument.

OP YABU. At this time of year a common theme on employment threads on here is childless ppl getting told they have to do all the Christmas Day/Boxing Day hours because their employer is prioritizing ppl with kids. Because this discrimination is currently legal i doubt there is much a union could do.

So if they want to come on here and vent and get support and advice they have as much right as anyone else to do so.

Because this discrimination is currently legal i doubt there is much a union could do.

Jesus Christ.

A union can campaign and win on any issue which is important to it’s members. It doesn’t have to be the case that the employer has broken the law.

When the union, ‘can’t do anything’ it tends to be be because the workforce won’t engage with the perfectly legitimate process available.

People love to believe that they’re above it all. Because they work in an office and they’ve got a nice bag or two. That must mean that they’re part of some elite, right?

If you work. If you have a boss. You’re a worker. Why wouldn’t you engage with the only system which represents you on your rights and interests.

Fair point. Im not working. Im in a state pension household but i am childfree by choice and it really winds me up to see ppl being expected to do the Xmas shift every year because of it. Its seen on these boards constantly.

Haven’t RTFT but OP YABVU.

I am not in a union and I recently posted on AIBU regarding employment. Not because I wanted advice but I wanted to know if I was BU.

Turns out I wasn’t and MN gave me some balls to fight on.

OP I honestly find your post bloody ridiculous

Yes, this OP. Sorry about that, but why on earth do you think that you're the thread police?
I will post about what the fuck I want to, and if it's about something that annoys or irks you, just move away from it and ignore it.

Unions can be great, they can also be absolutely shit and ineffective. How dare you try and shut down discussion... seriously, why would you do this? Really, though, why???

HTH, or whatever...

FWIW, have been intimidated and bullied by a 'trade union'. Also given rubbish advice and misled by a union. These things happen, really.

I honestly don't know what you want to gain from this, other than a feeling that you're right and others are wrong... why on earth are you trying to put people off posting with work issues? Have you actually had any? If so, then why do you not have some empathy?

I'm really quite tired of people trying to put me down. Whether that's my boss, or those saying I've nothing to moan about because I'm not in a fucking union... Do you not see that you're trying to silence people in an unhelpful way?

And yet, I see that you will not respond to these pertinent points, because... well, why bother? The people who disagree with you are (maybe) not in unions, so I guess they just need to shut up and not write anything...

I worry the DF will pick it up or there will be something identifiable that lands them in the mire.

Not everyone is fully up to date with employment law, and sometimes you need to step outside a situation and ask others for their opinion as you’re too close to see all sides. If posters feel comfortable reaching out to MN for a second opinion/advice I don’t think that’s too big an ask.

And if the DF DO indeed pick this up, then OP I hope you are ashamed of yourself. Because you're trying to shut down discussion. Implying that you or others are being asked to 'sort out our problems'. (What rubbish.)

Trade unions are at once vital and important and also useless to many workers. Seriously. Why do you think that a person posting about work problems is reaching out to you personally? How utterly, stupidly, arrogant.

Yes, this OP. Sorry about that, but why on earth do you think that you're the thread police?
I will post about what the fuck I want to, and if it's about something that annoys or irks you, just move away from it and ignore it.

Unions can be great, they can also be absolutely shit and ineffective. How dare you try and shut down discussion... seriously, why would you do this? Really, though, why???

I am not trying to shut down discussion. You are completely missing my point. To repeat: union representation is at an all time low. Workers are being treated like shit more and more. The 2 facts are not unrelated. You really think I am suggesting that the solution to this problem is that people stop posting on MN?

To clarify (again): my point is that workers need to join unions. Particularly workers who are being treated badly by their employers.

FWIW, have been intimidated and bullied by a 'trade union'. Also given rubbish advice and misled by a union. These things happen, really.

Unions consist of humans so inevitably some will at times be less than perfect. Even terrible on occasion. The solution is to stay a member and try to change the union, or to join a different one.

I honestly don't know what you want to gain from this, other than a feeling that you're right and others are wrong... why on earth are you trying to put people off posting with work issues? Have you actually had any? If so, then why do you not have some empathy?

I'm really quite tired of people trying to put me down. Whether that's my boss, or those saying I've nothing to moan about because I'm not in a fucking union... Do you not see that you're trying to silence people in an unhelpful way?

You really can't see the point of this thread? I'm trying to get people to see that work problems and uncertainty about how to deal with them are directly related to the low level of union membership in this country.

I worry the DF will pick it up or there will be something identifiable that lands them in the mire.

How any newspaper, even of the lowest quality, could turn this thread into an article is beyond me. Nor how the thread could cause any sort of problem for anyone posting on it.

And apparently I'm the one trying to shut down discussion.

FWIW, have been intimidated and bullied by a 'trade union'. Also given rubbish advice and misled by a union. These things happen, really.

Trade unions have consistently given people utterly terrible advice that I've seen. It's not a one off.

NamasteNiki

Trade unions have consistently given people utterly terrible advice that I've seen. It's not a one off

HR departments have consistently given people utterly terrible advice that I've seen. It's not a one off.

However, I would not say everyone in HR is rubbish because that would be ignorant and stupid. I happen to have dealt with HR departments with low paid disengaged staff. Mostly I feel sorry for them.

Trade unions are just belligerent bullies who do not listen to reason.

Even with a reasonable proposal for settlement of a dispute they advise you dont take it.

yabu
we can't all afford to be in the union
and tbh unions where I work have no sway whatsoever
they are all mouth and no trousers.

NamasteNiki

Trade unions are just belligerent bullies who do not listen to reason

All trade unions all the time? I think belligerent may be your specialism

I am a union member now. I wish I had been sooner, however at my previous work place the recognised unions were only active on the factory floor and didn't particularly want to bother with the support staff. This was partly because I realise now that the company was trying to push the shop stewards out so they already had their own battles. So why have I joined a union now. Well it is because I have seen how good the union is in my new place. I want to make sure that the union remains strong because I have seen what happens to a workplace when you take them for granted. However it is often too late by the time trouble hits for the posters, they may be being ostracised and just need to talk. Actually it was from reading the employment issues section that it clicked for me where things were heading and that gave me the impetus to find a new job before the shit hit the fan.

I haven't read the whole thing but I just want to put it out there that trade union can be downright shit and provide very poor quality advice! If you want good advice go to a specialist in that area with nothing to gain or lose from that situation ie a lawyer/consultant/solicitor specialising in that sphere.