Going on strike whilst on probation

tsimehC

I've been working for almost 6 months now and my probation period is coming to a close. However, I am in the PCS union and there will be a national strike on Wednesday which I feel I must go on as I didn't on the last one and felt I was letting down my union colleagues as well as been overloaded with work on the last strike day.

My question is, can my employer use my strike action (which will count as a disciplinary and an unauthorised absence) against my probation and cause me to fail it as a result? Since I started work I've had no absences and have performed above the minimum requirements (not that there were many). I feel pressured to come in on Wednesday like before but this time I know that I'll be taken advantage of again and have more reason to join the strike even if it doesn't concern me that much.

Thanks for any helpful insights in advance.

jdturk

I doubt they can get rid of you for striking but as you are on a probation they could just let you go at the end of the 6 months fairly easily if you going on strike is a big deal to them

DVardysShadow

Can't have it both ways. If you are in the union, you do what you all voted for, otherwise you resign.

It could affect your probation, but it is unlikely to make much difference. After a strike, the union would normally stand up for members being victimised. If anything, the employer would want a more robust case for failing someone on their probation.

woody01

Bloody Civil Service forget they are public servants!

mountainofdebt

tbh I would take a day's holiday rather than run the risk of failing the probation.

Yes this might seem as a cowards way out but at the end of the day, would your colleagues support YOU if you failed your probation ?

tsimehC

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Can't have it both ways. If you are in the union, you do what you all voted for, otherwise you resign.

It could affect your probation, but it is unlikely to make much difference. After a strike, the union would normally stand up for members being victimised. If anything, the employer would want a more robust case for failing someone on their probation.

I didn't get the chance to vote (didn't receive any letter regarding this to date). As for the all-for-one logic, it doesn't stand so well in my office as a lot of the union veterans still came in on the strike days and will probably come in on Wednesday too. I know the strike clearly doesn't concern me but the whole idea of an union is non-existent most of the time. I'll go on strike and see how it goes, if I get into trouble, I guess I've learnt my lesson.

mqandy

If the issue the strike is about doesn't bother you, then vote with your feet and turn up to work!

Striking for the sake of it is plain stupid. Want to take us back to the 70s??

tsimehC

What happened in the 70s? :O

dmg24

tsimehC wrote: »

What happened in the 70s? :O

The economy ended up in even more of a mess than it is now!

Do you agree with the reasons for the strike? Do you think it will achieve anything?

You don't have to go on strike just because the majority are. You are not a sheep!

anamenottaken

tsimehC wrote: »

I didn't get the chance to vote (didn't receive any letter regarding this to date). As for the all-for-one logic, it doesn't stand so well in my office as a lot of the union veterans still came in on the strike days and will probably come in on Wednesday too. I know the strike clearly doesn't concern me but the whole idea of an union is non-existent most of the time. I'll go on strike and see how it goes, if I get into trouble, I guess I've learnt my lesson.

If you didn't get the vote, why feel under any obligation?

If you will have other "union veteran" colleagues working in your office on Wednesday, why will your workload be so much worse than normal?

You can only do the work you are capable of doing - they can't make you work more than you are capable of achieving in a day. If it means that you do more than normal, does that mean you are not putting in a full day's work when there isn't a strike on?

Andy_L

Since you're in a Union why not ask them what the situation is?

When I was an apprentice, whilst I was in the Union, I wasn't allowed to get involved in industrial action which they fully supported & understood