To urge everyone who can to join a union.

[JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam]

Okay, I know I’m not. But at my husbands insistence I joined a union 9 months ago after being in NHS service for 5 years. I had no real reason to join, he just told me if I ever needed them I’d be glad.

Fast forward 9 months and here I am in the thick of a full on wrangle with HR, management and my job - which it turns out isn’t the job I’m supposed to be doing, processes have not been followed properly for a long time and I suspect there are a few higher ups in a fair bit of trouble. My union rep has been stellar not only with his support but with his advice and his ability to get things taken care of. Hes talked me through every eventuality, what it means and what action he will help me take if it comes to that.

He has been worth every Penny of my union dues a thousand times over.

There is a benefit to being in a union as you will get legal advice. If however your organisation don't recognise unions they will not be able to support you st meetings. In the sense of being present, is my experience.

Yes! I view paying my union fees a bit like insurance - you hope you'll never need it but it's there when you do.

I was treated unfairly by a previous employer and my union helped me to get a settlement from them. A small sum but enough to tide me over until I recovered and found a new role.

I also get free life insurance and a free will through my union.

In my current job (small workplace under 40 staff) the union negotiates on pay each year.

It can seem like a lot of money each month when times are tight but it is entirely worth it in view.

I only joined a union because I work in a school, so thought it may be useful.

In truth, they are shit and their way of thinking is bizarre. In one of their newsletters, they likened the tories to the Nazi's.
Any credibility they had, and they had very little, was lost at that point.
I cancelled my membership 😃

This is why I've never joined a union.

I work in an industry where unions are not normal, and as such, if I joined, I would be the only union member. I don't see what good membership would do me in that scenario.

If I worked for the NHS or if I were a teacher, absolutely. But I think the advice to join a union is job/sector specific.

My employee doesn’t recognise our union. However, I’ve used them for legal advice and they were brilliant. Worth every penny.
also, people should just join a union if they believe in the collective power of workers in bringing about change

I got hundreds, possibly thousands of pounds worth of legal advice from my union it was worth it just for that. Although many people can also access this through their insurance policies so worth checking that out of your not in a unionised industry.

Therescoffee well the legal advice to your specific situation would be valuable. There would be no collective bargaining. Employment law is complex, so it depends
How straightforward your case is.

That's not quite right.

Employers do have to recognise unions when the legally set thresholds are met for membership.

Even if the employer doesn't recognise a union, employees have a legal right to be accompanied by a rep to certain types of meetings (if they are a member).

I work in HR and belong to a union, have done for years. Very pro-union personally.

However, through my work in HR, I have encountered some absolutely shit reps, who don't have a clue. Others are good. It seems to be pot luck whether they give their members good advice or not. Sometimes I cringe inside because the employee might as well be getting support from a wet flannel.

Yanbu. For yourself and for others. The stronger unions in general are, the better working conditions for everyone.

I think this is spot on.

I’ve had mixed experience of unions but overall more positive than not
currently with unison their national advice line is quite helpful
I have not had to use them for any HR issues but my employer has an employee assurance scheme which covers this as does my home insurance

"The union" is the members - so if the members aren't willing to fight, then that leaves the union no leverage. This is literally a case of "you get the union you deserve" because you make it what it is. And if it's run by "leftie loudmouth rabble rousers" then that is on you - they are elected so...
(a) you either voted for them, didn't vote, or lost the vote (and probably not the latter because the one thing "leftie loudmouth rabble rousers" are good at is fighting back).
(b) you could have stood for election and done something about it, if you actually cared.

As a self-confessed "leftie loudmouth rabble rouser":
(a) when I was unfairly dismissed my union got me a settlement of £31,000 - in 2006 (so a lot of money) - which is far, far more than my entire lifetimes union due will ever be
(b) when my new bitch of a line manager tried to construct a reason to make me redundant in 2021 because I would resign quietly - she believed that as a disabled person work was too hard for me (despite being a top performer) - my union demolished her and saved my employment

and

(c) having been a union rep for decades, I have lost count of the number of people I have represented, the number of jobs saved, the number of grievances settled etc., etc. But you know what - I am bloody good at all that because I am a "leftie loudmouth rabble rouser" who happens to believe in fighting for employees rights.

UNITE (and every incarnation before that since it was ASTMS in the 80's)

Well said @quveas. I only managed 5 years as a rep pre-redundancy so achieved less, but I know a lot of people benefited from my action. I remain a member of Unison and always will be.

I was genuinely shocked at the behaviour of some HR/management, union activists and members though - in that order.

A large chunk of people in my profession are entitled to free legal advice through a charity linked to their professional body.

Furthermore, we all have a basic understanding of employment law (or at least, should do!), so we all know our rights.

For anything complex, I imagine you'd want a lawyer over a union rep anyway.

The union for my industry is so riven with in-fighting, witch-hunting and purity-spiralling that many people I know are wary of joining in case they're promptly kicked out.

The union did absolutely nothing for me. I attended a grievance meeting on my own as my rep couldn’t attend and no one else filled in. Stopped my direct debit there and then.

I'm an NEU rep. It astounds me how many people in schools - where there are massive potential safeguarding and career-ending issues every day - are not in a union at all.

If you work in a school (teaching or support staff) I strongly urge you to join a union.

Paid into a Union for years, the one and only time I ever needed them, they were utterly useless. Never ever again will I give them a penny!

found out the same thing happened to a colleague with a major disability. No support. That hammered it home to me, no going back.

Companies do not have to recognise a union and if they don't the union cannot attend meetings. You are 100 per cent in your own. Its a fucking outrage

This is not true. (I work for a union), by law, whether a company recognises unions or not, you are allowed to be accompanied by a trade union rep in grievances, disciplinaries etc. There may not be reps in your workplace, but you would get an officer who is actually employed by the union, that is allocated to look after your workplace.

Although we may not be able to speak on your behalf at these meetings. We can make sure proper procedure is being followed and advise after the meeting as to your next steps, help you write your appeal etc.

Some officers are more committed than others, but all union workers are not 'rabble rousing lefties' ffs. Proper Tory thing to say that is. But you will find that they are passionate about a sense of fairness and do want the best for their members.

And I will also add, the majority work extremely hard working all kinds of hours to fit in with all the different types of jobs our members have.

There is a procedure for complaints. I really do hope you put a complaint in as that is unacceptable.

I would like to, but I don't want my subs to support the Labour Party.

I paid union dues for decades but when my employer tried to force me take on more hours or leave because another part-timer left and they wanted to fill the role full time, they were useless. No help what so ever. I got great support from a charity called Working Families and when it became clear I'd taken legal advice, the company backed right down, but the union didn't help at all.

When DH was sacked without any proper procedures being followed, ACAS were far more helpful than his union and he got a good payout without any union involvement.

I have always been a real advocate of union membership but when we needed them they weren't much help at all.

I think it depends on the union. When I worked in retail I was a member of Usdaw and they were a very good example of a union who just take your money and offer no help.

In those cases, the union should provide the lawyer.