Workers Union is it worth it?

Timalay

Haha very funny

LL30

I have to say, and I understand that this is purely going on one experience I had, I absolutely would not bother. I had huge problems at a place of work. At first my union were OK, but then things started to go hideously wrong. After going through a lenghtly process to get my file from the Union (FOI thing, forget the name of it) I found emails that confirmed my suspicions that my union were in cahoots with my place of employment...not good. I dumped them and found an independent guy - an absolute angel, who spent many an hour (including Saturday evenings) with me sobbing down the phone! His charges were fair to say the least, and he got me a nice little package together in the form of a CA. I'd always go back to him if i had any issues, I'm beyond wary when it comes to Unions unfortunately.

ohreally

Unison has an exellent welfare service available to qualifing members offering debt advice, short hollidays and financial grants.
http://www.unison.org.uk/welfare/cases.asp (registered charity).

In addition...
Personal representation
Collective negotiation
Professional support
Job security
Legal advice and assistance
Health & Safety protection

Timalay

Thank you, and I am sorry again for my eariler rant.

SarEl

Timalay wrote: »

Look i'm sorry alright, it just annoys me when people instantly refer you to google.

TBH I don't think I will bother joining, it's ok job but not one really worth fighting for if I lost it.

I did not instantly refer you to google - I answered your question with the obvious answer, and when you asked about other benefits I still did not refer you to google - I did it myself and gave you the link. You might find Unison's educational courses useful - they could assist you in reading!

Timalay

SarEl wrote: »

I did not instantly refer you to google - I answered your question with the obvious answer, and when you asked about other benefits I still did not refer you to google - I did it myself and gave you the link. You might find Unison's educational courses useful - they could assist you in reading!

and look I said i'm sorry for my eariler rant. Accept it I have look there it was useful in me making my decision.

mountainofdebt

Well when I was up on a gross misconduct charge it would have been very useful to have a union rep in with me as I'm sure that the attitude of the cow that held the disciplinary meeting woudl have been different. In fact I think that the whole way that it was handled would have been very different.

When Junior started having issues with his parttime job I got him to join a union and overnight it seemed that the attitude changed - whether it was becuase he joined a union or whether it was becuase his manager grew up I don't know.

As for your job being ok but you wouldn't bee too upset if you lost it - try just living on the same amount as JSA and then decide

SarEl

Timalay wrote: »

and look I said i'm sorry for my eariler rant. Accept it I have look there it was useful in me making my decision.

Perhaps it is because I was brought up at a time when manners mattered, but my parents taught me that apologies do not have "but" in the sentence. As in "I apologise but I had a really good reason" or "I apologise but I don't like people telling me to google things". Aplogies with a "but" in the sentence are insincere.

Timalay

What do you want me to do, i've already said sorry countless times. My spelling and grammer have never been that great.

Savvy_Sue

The sense of power which comes from writing to an employer who's trying to do something you're not happy about and saying "I shall have to take advice from my union": as they say in the advert, "priceless".

And I say that even knowing that my employer would probably have backed down anyway.