Unions and Pensions

Andy_L

Meeper wrote: »

Another client of mine who works for the local authority has determined that she will be going into work on November 30th when the rest of her colleagues are on strike due to her not being able to afford the loss of pay. She went in during the last strike back in April (?) time also.

Then she should resign from the Union as she seems happy to take the benifits of membership without making any sacrifices

atush

No. she should stay a member of her union and be a force for change from within. A moral compass, as they surely need one.

Meeper

Being a member of something and paying for it shouldn't involve "sacrifices". She sacrifices money per month for the membership, so she should be able to get the benefits when SHE chooses to get them in a manner which suits her. She's the paying customer, for goodness' sake!

If I pay to go into Blackpool Pleasure Beach, I don't have to go on The Big One to be able to enjoy all of the other rides at my leisure. Likewise, if she pays her money, she gets to choose which benefits she chooses to take advantage of. For her to be told "You can't have benefit X unless you support us with industrial action" is just another form of bullying. What a surprise.

Andy_L

Meeper wrote: »

Being a member of something and paying for it shouldn't involve "sacrifices". She sacrifices money per month for the membership, so she should be able to get the benefits when SHE chooses to get them in a manner which suits her. She's the paying customer, for goodness' sake!

She isn't a paying customer, she's a member. The strength of a TU is, ultimatly, in its ability to take collective action. By not not going on strike she's expecting the other members to make more of a sacrafice than her to protect her T&Cs of employment

Andy_L

atush wrote: »

No. she should stay a member of her union and be a force for change from within. A moral compass, as they surely need one.

A fair point

gadgetmind

Andy_L wrote: »

By not not going on strike she's expecting the other members to make more of a sacrafice than her

She's expecting nothing of the sort. They can choose to work, or they can choose to strike, just as she can.

Meeper

Andy_L wrote: »

She isn't a paying customer, she's a member.

Don't members of something get to choose which facets of the membership she makes use of? I'm a member of the AA, but I can change my own tyre, so I don't call them out for that. I'm a member of my local cricket and hockey club. I play cricket, but not hockey. Should I be censured or treated as a lower-grade of member because I don't use all the facilities?

The strength of a TU is, ultimatly, in its ability to take collective action.

"I have a big gang, so you have to listen to me". Seriously? Bullying, by another name.

By not not going on strike she's expecting the other members to make more of a sacrafice than her to protect her T&Cs of employment

Not at all. What other "members" CHOOSE to do is nothing to do with her. She isn't expecting anyone to do anything to stand up for her rights or protect her T&C's of employment. She does, however, recognise that the previously super-awesome pensions are now only going to be awesome (without the super). Still better than everyone else's and massively more than the contributions should dictate, so she's pretty philosophical about it. Good for her.

Andy_L

Meeper wrote: »

"I have a big gang, so you have to listen to me". Seriously? Bullying, by another name.

Welcome to the real world. The little man gets shafted by the big man

Andy_L

Meeper wrote: »

She isn't expecting anyone to do anything to stand up for her rights or protect her T&C's of employment.

In which case why has she bothered to join the union? That is, after all, the raiason d'etre of TUs

Meeper

Who knows? Maybe she just wanted to be able to call on people when she had an issue. She doesn't have an issue at the moment, but they seem intent on forcing their way into her life regardless.