My manager has denounced non-strikers but I truly can’t afford it

[Strik]

In the office today the topic of upcoming strikes came up (public sector). My manager is as left-wing as they come and was not shy in sharing her contempt for people who don’t choose to strike. I’m really worried because I can’t afford to go on strike and she’s (obviously) going to find out that I’m not striking. I’m worried it’s going to damage our relationship. Has anyone been in this situation before?

I don’t agree with name calling for the most part. But not striking when the union strikes is a selfish act and I’d seriously doubt you can see your friends in the same light after finding out that they’re willing to step on someone’s head for personal gain.

Some replies have been pretty damn nasty. You can't be forced to strike, it's your personal choice, and at the end of the day, a roof over your head and food on the table is more important than what others might think.

If you can't afford to strike then don't do it.

Or that those who do strike are willing to let patients/ students / customers suffer for their gain. Like the consultants today, one said starting salary 88k up to 120k.
I did vote to strike as a teacher but certainly in no way see it as a moral option more a last resort that is quite immoral but less immoral than the wages paid and conditions etc.

Quite. In fact I'm probably going to lose my mum a lot earlier than I should because her various appointments keep getting pushed back due to the strikes.

I have nothing against strikes despite the fact that they will likely now be the direct cause of my mums premature death, but think they could at least own it and acknowledge that they too are doing it for partly selfish reasons.

What is this thread? There are people on here genuinely advocating calling people scabs, or blanking people. That’s nasty work and no, you do not have moral right on your side. To be clear: It does not ‘depend on the dispute’.

If you don’t like someone, that’s fine. THINK IT IN YOUR HEAD. But if you make them feel uncomfortable in the workplace you are

1. likely to fall foul of your workplace bullying and harassment policies
2. just not very nice.

it does seem to be a thing to call people scabs on the strike threads on MN, on one thread about the teachers they were even calling the children scabs for going to school on a strike day, I suspect it's the same few posters that do this.

Agreed. It can’t be many wipe that think this is appropriate.

When we have had strikes, as a manager its up to me to report who is in work and who isn't and put that into SAP for payroll, so she will know, and if she is a die hard union member will probably be on the picket line

There are whole debates on the wording of the ballot

This
It's not always necessarily about pay or collective benefits. There have been many strikes in support of one individual who has been mistreated. That could be you.
Those protections such as union reps in disciplinary process only happen because of the principal of standing together.

So ……. you are in a union and voted for it, yet you don’t want to strike and you are happy to cross a picket line ? Either you strike along with the rest of your union colleagues or you leave the union, you can’t have you cake and eat it. Will you also accept any pay rise or enhanced working conditions if your colleagues were successful ? You all need to stick together, nothing will change otherwise.

And that is perfectly fine….however, in this instance the OP joined the union and actually voted to strike…..she has shafted her colleagues if she has no intention of doing so.

I think you’ve missed the whole point of why people are pissed off here !

And those of us who don't like scabs don't think they have a moral high ground. Scabs are, whether they like it or not, lining up with bullying employers who don't give a shit about their employees - which is very questionable conduct and definitely bullying. You pick a side. This is a question of sides. You can't be on both sides. And if you want favours from others, then isn't that a trade? Nobody has to trade? Why would they trade with someone they dislike for that person's benefit? I notice you didn't answer my actual point - I have a right to dislike someones attitudes or opinions, and to do them no favours, if that is what I want to do, provided I remain professional. Or you get on well with racists, misogynists and their ilk? Is your diatribe only relevant for people you think don't deserve it because that is your opinion?

Just out of interest, do those who are strongly obedient to their unions believe that they must throw their full support behind everythingthat the union proclaims
It has nothing to do with obedience, and everything to do with my class interests. Did you vote for the Tories? Do you agree with everything they say? Did you vote for Brexit? Do you agree with the outcomes? Are you waiting on tenterhooks for the government to rewind all those hard fought for pieces of employment legislation that unions funded the fight for - maternity rights, patrenity rights, sickness entitlements, unfair dismissal etc - when EU legisation falls later this year? I am the union. We are the union. If you are willing to sit back and do nothing, fight for nothing, then you get the union that you deserve. You already have the government you deserve.

I'm afraid anyone who uses language like scab just comes across as having low intelligence and being without any humanity. As bad as the opposite extreme.

Exactly. I agree on the whole, but, as OP's post shows, there are some strikebreakers who don't deserve derogatory names.

"Or you get on well with racists, misogynists and their ilk?"

Before i re-read your post again to reply (as genuinely I'm wondering if I shouldn't have had that 3rd gin afterall), are you comparing people who don't strike to racists and misogynists? Or have I indeed read that with my gin goggles on? 😬

It would appear they genuinely hold that view, yes

(The mind boggles)

Ah, thanks, honestly wasn't sure if it was me! I don't think I'll be replying then 😬

It’s really interesting to me that you think that I am “a plant,” whatever that means. Are some people really so blinkered that they can’t fathom how other people would have different experiences and perspectives? Report me all you like. I’ve been a member since 2009 🤷🏽

It means that rather than thinking that you're so thick that you've joined a union without understanding what it entails, rather than believing that you're so cruel that you've voted to strike without intending to suffer the consequences yourself - that it's easier to believe you're a plant - someone posting to harm the solidarity of unions and generally undermine the concept.

The advice on here is always to join a union for the protection it offers you. I’ve never come across striking before or even considered that it would be something I’d have to consider. Awesome to hear I’m “thick” because my life experiences are different from others’.

You can call her ignorant and disgusting, or you can accept that this is actually not universal common knowledge and tell your union that you’ve recently realised many people, even those in unions, don’t understand how these votes are meant to work and perhaps some changes need to be made to communication.

yup.

It's nothing to do with your different life experiences. Do you make a habit of signing up for things without understanding the associated commitments? Do you not watch the news? Have you never heard of people being on strike on wondered why? Have you never seen a union representative being interviewed on the news and wondered what it's about?
Open your eyes.

It's certainly a fact that people do join unions simply to be protected without ever considering that something might be asked of them in terms of collective responsibility. I do find it quite hard to believe though that people like the OP had ever even given any thought to a situation where there might be a strike ballot.