Would I be a scab

[Badlands1]

NC
My union have voted to strike. I have voted not to - am I scab if I work? I don't disagree with the unions requests but I am not happy with the effects the strike will have.

Yes you would be. If your Union membership has voted to go out and you don’t strike you are breaking the strike and the collective decision making of your union. If you are a doctor I understand your moral concern but I’ve gone out when I disagreed (and had voted no) because being a union member means being part of a collective, for the good stuff like negotiated pay, and funded legal help but also for the less good (striking without pay).

Yes you would be a scab. If you will break strikes you should resign from the union and not benefit from the other aspects of union membership.

Yes. You’d be crossing the picket line to work. Fine if that’s what you want to do, but it would mean you were a strike breaker.

Yeah you have to agree with what the overall vote decides to do. So if you don't strike when your union says to ,then you would be scabbing.

See, this name calling is one of the many reasons I don't agree with striking. Its tantamount to bullying. I remember many years ago my Dad recieving horrible abuse from his colleagues as he walked past them to get in to work while they were striking, and he wasn't even a member of the union.

We aren’t in the 80’s anymore and it doesn’t matter if some people think you’re being a ‘scab’.

Your priority is yourself and your service users so you should do whatever you are comfortable with. Other people don’t have to know that you’re in a union or what union you’re in anyway.

I work in education and there are plenty of teachers coming into school on strike days.

I’d hope that the acceptance of verbal abuse in the workplace had died out decades ago. Everyone has the right to withhold their labour, and bullying a colleague who doesn’t want and didn’t vote to should be totally unacceptable.

That is different and awful
If he was not a member, he didn't have to go with the Union vote

However, OP - you are a member, so need to go with the majority, or leave the union

Unions work on the basis of collective negotiation. If the majority vote to strike, all union members should really be upholding that and striking for the action to work. If you are not committed to supporting collective action in this way, perhaps union membership isn't for you?

I think if you are in a Union and the majority of that Union have voted to strike, you should show solidarity. Will you be refusing/giving to charity, any pay rise/benefits resulting from the action?

The sector I work in currently has one Union taking action, I am a member of another Union which is not. On strike days I calmly walk past the pickets saying "I'm in XYZ Union, but I wish you luck". No-one should be harassed by pickets, I believe it's illegal.

For goodness sake it is a Union not a cult. You are allowed to have your own opinions and exercise them. If you want to work absolutely do.

I have worked through a strike before, my colleagues were outside I bought them a round of coffees that I gave them on my way past. They weren’t in anyway upset that I worked, and I wasn’t in anyway upset that they striked.

This.

Technically a strike breaker, don't like the word scab though.

I'm a university lecturer and know more union members breaking the strike than taking part these days. (I'm not in the union and have never gone on strike, fwiw.) Don't panic until you need to, you may find that even if a strike is voted for, there isn't much support locally.

No, we live in a democracy. You do you.

You don’t have to strike just because you’re in a union. I know teachers who have been going in on strike days because they can’t afford to lose a whole days pay. It’s an individual choice and you aren’t a scab.

Thanks everyone
I have been in the union for years since qualifying and never actually had any benefit so maybe I should leave.
My feelings are mixed - I am a Dr and fully supported the juniors Dr and nursing strikes ( I think the nurses should have held out!). I realise the consultants have had a similar pay erosion ( and have had to pay shedloads out in pension tax) but virtually everyone now a consultant didn't pay university fees to the same extent. The salary is not huge if you consider the training, expertise and responsibility but is reasonable and a lot of people are on a fraction of this and are really struggling.
I also feel very bad for patients - many of them didn't vote for the Tories either, they can't afford private medicine and are having appointments and operations repeatedly cancelled as a result of the strikes.
I just wish Steve Barclay would engage, make a sensible offer and everyone could move on

I'm the same - I won't be striking (this time)

For goodness sake it is a Union not a cult. You are allowed to have your own opinions and exercise them. If you want to work absolutely do.

This is incorrect. Part of being in a union, and therefore being able to avail of the benefits that entails, is accepting the vote that is taken. Many people will vote against action, but by virtue of being part of the union, need to accept the outcome of the vote.

OP can choose in future not to be in the union.

If OP were not in a union, they would not be required to strike, and would have to decide themselves whether to cross the picket - in my case, I am not in a union (in a heavily unionised environment); I made the decision for a number of reasons, and in a strike situation, yes, I would work, and be clear about my reasons for that.

But that's entirely different to being in a union. I find it surprising OP hasn't realised this sooner.

If you don’t support the union, then you should leave.

I presume you would wish for Union support if treated badly or unfairly? So much for solidarity…!

Good for you OP, for not being one of the sheep.

I don’t think blindly agreeing or accepting the decision of\with the majority is always the right thing in any situation.
it’s your decision, and of course you don’t need to leave the union if you don’t strike.

Am in the same position and agree with every word. There is huge peer pressure to strike here. But I can bear cancelling clinics etc.

I know this is not the MN approved view but I do think that you have to do what sits most comfortably with you personally. Being a union member doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything the union does, any more than voting for a particular political party has to mean you agree with every part of their manifesto.

Yes you would be a scab

you all voted on the principle that the majority is what you do. You’ve decided to join a club take a vote and then disregard the majority as you don’t like the outcome