Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would I be a scab

245 replies

Badlands1 · 28/06/2023 10:00

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.

OP posts:
ButImNotOldEnough · 28/06/2023 11:26

I say do what you want, if you don’t want to strike then don’t. No one has any right to tell you what you can or can’t do, not your union nor your colleagues. They might want to strike but they don’t need your support to do it either.

roarrfeckingroar · 28/06/2023 11:27

Anyone who genuinely uses the term scab is an utter fool. Some people can't afford to strike or don't agree with it. If you voted against strike action I think you're justified in not striking.

ButImNotOldEnough · 28/06/2023 11:27

Also, name calling? Are we in a school playground?

LoisPrice · 28/06/2023 11:28

Best to leave the union if you don’t like the outcome, no point in staying if you want to do you’re own thing. A union is about a group of people joining together

WarmWinterSun · 28/06/2023 11:28

The term ‘scab’ is horrible and should be relegated to history. You have a right to act in accordance with your morals and should not be bullied into acting otherwise.

Puffalicious · 28/06/2023 11:29

Enterthewolves · 28/06/2023 10:17

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).

This

Crumbcatcher · 28/06/2023 11:29

I had absolutely no idea I'm supposed to follow the outcome of the vote! I will be leaving my union in that case, I don't agree with striking.

JudgeRudy · 28/06/2023 11:30

I think that's between you and your conscience. If you are against the strike then by all means go to work....but be prepared for some unpleasantness. In your position I'd own it. At the first sign of any backlash I'd be logging/reporting as appropriate.
If you feel you cannot make a free political/social choice without the expectation of conflict, you're essentially saying your work colleagues are bullies. Scab is a derogatory term and I think anyone using that term would be subject to disciplinary action. Remember too that many professions are expected to uphold minimum levels of behaviour outside of work too.
Do not strike if you feel it's wrong.

Littlefish · 28/06/2023 11:31

Imicola · 28/06/2023 10:40

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?

This.

LittleLegsKeepGoing · 28/06/2023 11:31

I left my union when there was a vote to strike that carried but I didn't agree with. I couldn't square my membership with going against the collective vote so cancelled my membership.

You can only do what's right for you, but that's how I handled a similar situation.

laptop3000 · 28/06/2023 11:33

My dad works for an area which recently had heavily publicised strikes, which had a massive impact on the country. He is in the union but to strike he would lose a days pay for each day he would strike. His area have had multiple strike days and would work out at more than a weeks pay loss. My dad is only earner as my mum doesn't work due to her health, he relies on that money to keep the house running and shopping. Losing more than a weeks pay would be awful for him so he chose to work all the strike days. A lot of the other staff have fallen out with him, even ones he's known for 20 years. He has every right to still be in the union, he pays in just as the others do so it entitled to the same benefits as the others.

I agree with the strikes but find it disgusting that anyone could be so awful to someone because they choose to work.

Puffalicious · 28/06/2023 11:34

ButImNotOldEnough · 28/06/2023 11:26

I say do what you want, if you don’t want to strike then don’t. No one has any right to tell you what you can or can’t do, not your union nor your colleagues. They might want to strike but they don’t need your support to do it either.

Yes, but leave the union then. It is a collective, you join under the agreement that you're willing to support the union's collective decisions.

MrsSkylerWhite · 28/06/2023 11:34

No-one should be calling anyone a “scab”. Pathetic behaviour.

Puffalicious · 28/06/2023 11:35

Crumbcatcher · 28/06/2023 11:29

I had absolutely no idea I'm supposed to follow the outcome of the vote! I will be leaving my union in that case, I don't agree with striking.

Excuse me? That's the whole point of unions: power as a whole. The mind boggles.

CleverLilViper · 28/06/2023 11:36

Do what suits you and ignore all those calling you a scab. Shit like that makes me glad I don’t bother to pay the ridiculous union fees. I don’t want to give people money who would think I was less than because I couldn’t afford to lose pay to strike.

Don’t let anyone pressure you to strike and to be honest- calling someone verbal insults (including those on MN) are just bullies. Likely the same folk that bullied people in the playground resort to it now.

Mintelderflower · 28/06/2023 11:36

One of the problems with this is that if you work in a role like teacher or doctor or nurse and you are not a member of a union you get told you’re an idiot. But then if you either don’t agree with the actions of the Union, or agree with it but are not in a position to carry it out, you’re told to leave the union! I’m not sure if there is an answer to this.

EarringsandLipstick · 28/06/2023 11:36

Mintelderflower · 28/06/2023 11:24

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.

No. It does mean you have to accept the vote result though - or you leave.

You can't have it both ways.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 28/06/2023 11:37

I’ve just resigned my union membership on a similar issue. I wouldn’t expect anyone to call me a scab, but I also wouldn’t be comfortable breaking what’s been collectively voted on.

GoodChat · 28/06/2023 11:37

Is there a union that's not striking? I wouldn't give up on unions altogether, as you might need them one day, but right now this one doesn't suit you.

CleverLilViper · 28/06/2023 11:38

Puffalicious · 28/06/2023 11:35

Excuse me? That's the whole point of unions: power as a whole. The mind boggles.

Show quote history

You don’t have to do anything you don’t agree with.

What if you can’t afford to strike? Not everyone can in this climate. Shocking, I know.

Glad I never gave a penny to Unions and never will if they utilise bullying tactics to get people in line.

Mylifeislikeaboatrace · 28/06/2023 11:38

A scab? how very 70's, I'm surprised there isn't a more updated expression than this stupid one.

LoisPrice · 28/06/2023 11:38

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.

it would be like the majority voting for the Green Party but the Labour Party disregarding it and putting themselves in power. If you agree to go with the majority and then back down when you don’t get your way, what does that make you? Why take part in any of it? Why vote? Why be a member?

EarringsandLipstick · 28/06/2023 11:38

roarrfeckingroar · 28/06/2023 11:27

Anyone who genuinely uses the term scab is an utter fool. Some people can't afford to strike or don't agree with it. If you voted against strike action I think you're justified in not striking.

I also don't like the use of the word 'scab' but can't understand this view - she's in the union. That's how democratic voting works - you accept the outcome.

What about the other way? If the vote outcome was not to strike, would it be legitimate for a small section of the union to strike anyway?

Honestly, it's ridiculous. Just don't be in the union if you don't want to abide by the rules.

DogandMog · 28/06/2023 11:40

Not sure how I feel about unions overall in society... BUT at least they have an internally consistent ethos, and that membership by necessity mandates collective and cohesive action by all members in order to be effective and meaningful. In a democracy you have both the option to join or to abstain from union membership, but you should adhere to the prevailing mandate of the collective if you do choose membership. Hate the word "scab", but "strike breaker" is perfectly factual.

Original poster
Badlands1 · 28/06/2023 11:40

Yep Happy to leave the union. I've paid a fortune over the years and never used their services
There will be Christmas day service in any event - so can offer to do that without breaking the strike I suppose.
I don't know if there will be derogations eg for cancer patients as there were for the nursing strikes.
Will wait to see

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread