Is it worth having a trade union membership?

Southend1

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

It's definately no secret the Unions destroyed the car industry with excessive strike action during that time. I also believe if this was tempered (or even outlawed), we would be exporting some of the worlds best cars by now. I think we missed an expensive trick.

Now due to the legacy of frivolous 60s-70s strike action, we are mired in unemployment, debt and a huge tranche of apprentise opportunities that would have soaked up a lot of the countries school leavers and graduates.

I dearly hope you succeed, it's initiates like this that will get the economy on track fast. I also hope you can prove it without unionisation.

Because the incompetence/intransigence of some management had no part to play whatsoever did it?

makeyourdaddyproud

Britain is seen as a Tour de Force worldwide in financial service industries - industries thats seen little unionisation compared to manufacturing.

Go figure.

Southend1

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

Britain is seen as a Tour de Force worldwide in financial service industries - industries thats seen little unionisation compared to manufacturing.

Go figure.

Actually around 16% of workers in finance and insurance are union members. In manufacturing the level is around 18%. So not a lot of difference at all!

zagfles

Southend1 wrote: »

Why don't you use the democratic structures of your union to try to change this? Can you drum up some support within your branch? You might be able to get a motion to your regional council and then to conference to change policy.

Or just opt out of the political fund. Unions don't tend to publicise that you can do this - but they have to let you opt out and pay reduced subs.

I'm in Unite and opted out from day 1, but on their website they only publish rates for opted in membership, and I can't see anywhere where it says you can opt out. My subs are only about £1pm cheaper but it's the principle!

Doesn't stop them bombarding me with political carp though...

makeyourdaddyproud

Southend1 wrote: »

Actually around 16% of workers in finance and insurance are union members. In manufacturing the level is around 18%. So not a lot of difference at all!

Maybe now, but in the period I'm referring to (60s to end 70s, when auto decline started to progress rapidly), union membership was 80%.

What car do you drive?

I rest my case.

Southend1

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

Maybe now, but in the period I'm referring to (60s to end 70s, when auto decline started to progress rapidly), union membership was 80%.

What car do you drive?

I rest my case.

80% sounds too high. More like 65%? Anyway yes there has been a big decline in density however correlation is not the same as causation!

Southend1

I should add that our financial services industry is probably not as well regarded abroad as you think, given that its actions were by far the biggest cause of the current economic crisis!

makeyourdaddyproud

Southend1 wrote: »

I should add that our financial services industry is probably not as well regarded abroad as you think, given that its actions were by far the biggest cause of the current economic crisis!

I can't argue that one.

de_g.

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

It's definately no secret the Unions destroyed the car industry with excessive strike action during that time. I also believe if this was tempered (or even outlawed), we would be exporting some of the worlds best cars by now. I think we missed an expensive trick.

Nonsense. There were many factors that caused the collapse of our car manufacturers, not least that they were producing crap motors that people didn't want to buy. Also, to give some balance to your ill-informed guff, if it weren't for the car-makers unions we may also have had to wait many more years for an equal pay act.

However - we do make and export some of the best cars in the world - Nissan, Honda and Toyota all make cars in Britain because we're damn good at it. Oh, and they all recognise unions.

makeyourdaddyproud

de_g. wrote: »

...However - we do make and export some of the best cars in the world - Nissan, Honda and Toyota all make cars in Britain because we're damn good at it. Oh, and they all recognise unions.

These are not indigenous marques. Who's spouting "I'll informed guff" now?

Not only the car industry, unionisation IS to blame for the destruction of manufacturing in Britain.

Sadly no entrepreneur really wants to start in this field and create factories now. It's all a load of miserable bums-on-seats website one man bands or financial vultures looking to deprive innocent Brits of their hard earned cash for nothing tangible in return except to line their own pockets.