Work as police staff; worth signing up to UNISON?

blizeH

Hi,

I currently work as a police staff, trying to make general policing more efficient and help them cut down on paperwork.

I think what I do is very worthwhile (but then who doesn't?!) and saves the organisation a lot of money but I am still slightly concerned about my job, which sucks because I really (really really!) love it here.

My friend suggested I join UNISON as it may help me a little if anything does happen, and it costs around £12 a month I think - anyone have any experience with this? Should I go for it?

Cheers

bluetownbarry

Personally I wouldn't bother. I was a Unison member for over 10 years and they sold our job down the river. The branch rep was in bed with management and was only interested in feathering his own nest. Now that's only my personal opinion. From your point of view, imho a union is only as good as the local representation. Is the local rep any good? Will he stand your corner should you find yourself in hot water? If not, I would save the money and put it towards a good legal expenses policy (if it's not already included on your household insurance).

SarEl

Everyone has different opinions - and the previous poster is correct, a union is only as good as its members (not the rep - they don't appear out of thin air, they get elected). But a legal insurance policy cannot come with you to a disciplinary meeting, nor a grievance, and a union rep can. I would say go for it. If you can have both (and it is worth shopping around for insurance as many household covers include it as standard now), all the better - I hear just as many complaints about the c****y solicitors that legal insurance appointed for people, so hedging your bets is never a bad idea! But if you do always go to the union first - if you get legal advice anywere else then your right to use union legal representation is scuppered as you cannot have two representatives.

teajug

I have been in 3 unions during my working life first it was with NAGO which is now UNISON and they were not much good when I needed them when working for LA.

Since working after my retirement age I have been in 2 unions and each one was as bad as the other, both of them let me down badly when I needed help. I am now pass the 3 months to go to ET but the union I am in will not give me an answers regarding unlawful deduction and H&S issues at work.

Spent a lot of time sending them correspondences that I had with my employer and they completely ignored it. Not as much as I have received it and will let you know, NOTHING AT ALL FROM THESE PEOPOLE. I am going to send them a letter asking why they are taking my subscriptions every month and not giving any service for the money that they are taking from me.
You can always get a colleague to go with you to a meeting and this will not cost you anything. At least they do not have to speak unlike a union rep which can make thing worse for you at these meetings, that has been my experience but you may be luckier than me with union reps.

SarEl

But to balance that - 80% of my client load are union referrals, and people who would never see the inside of a barristers office if it were not for their union. They aren't on forums complaining because they don't have anything to complain of! I am not trying to belittle what you say because I know that you have had a bad experience, but anecdotal evidence isn't the whole story - there is good and bad in employers too, but I wouldn't suggest basing your decision on whether to join a union on whether you think your employer is a good one or not. Because by the time you find out you were wrong, it may be too late to change your mind. By all means the OP should listen to people's experiences here, but also recall that they are all tainted (including my own!) by personal experience - I have been in and worked with unions all my life and am a strong supporter of them, even though I know they are not always perfect. Nor are they always imperfect. If you want to find out - talk to the union members at work. That way you can have a balanced view based on people in your own workplace. It's no recommendation, but my sister is civilian staff in the Police, and she has always been in the union. But then again, my dad would have disowned any child who wasn't in the union!

TEDDYRUKSPIN

I assume you want to join a union on the basis that your job is not safe.

Unions are good but do have some bad points. For certain private / industry firms, the union is rather pointless. However, which I can vouch, unions are useful.

As the above, it depends on the individual who represents your sector and area. You can actually contact the person directly and ask why you should join them.

sagalout1954

I was in UNISON, boy was my rep absolutely useless.

At my first redundancy consultation meeting he was wittering on about some temp staff who'd been there nearly 2 years and still didn't have a perm contract.........who gives a stuff. That meeting was purely about my situation, not others, he can fight their battles separately from mine - completely unrelated situation to me!

I later asked him if the company had actually given all the unions written notification of my 'at risk' status (in accordance with something I'd read in the company redundancy procedures). Turned out they hadn't, therefore they had to do so then start the whole process over again from the beginning. Did get me a few extra months employment though, but they'd already made 2 people redundant without following the correct process without UNISON even realising.

Completely clueless to a point I flatly refused to have him at any of my meetings. The Branch Secretary wasn't particularly interested so I just dumped UNISON altogether and handled it myself. I'll NEVER join again. Not because I was eventually made redundant (that was always on the cards & I wasn't bothered), but because it was left to me to remind the company of every bit of their redundancy procedure manual and ensure they complied with it. That's what I felt I'd been paying UNISON for, to protect my rights - not to have to protect them myself but pay them for the privilege.

teajug

That is what I have experience with my last 2 unions GMB and USDAW. I felt that they were learning from me, not the other way around they would not even give me the courtesy of a reply to questions that I put to them.
Both of the unions mentioned above completely ignored me when I ask for simple answere regarding serious issues at work also the branch secretary would not answer me she referred back to the reps and gave me reps boss name and I sent him an emails requesting clarification to no avail. However these organisaions never never failed to take my subscriptions every month from my bank account. They will never see another penny from me again as they cost me so much extra hassle that I could have well do without.:mad::mad::mad: