News1 min ago
Is it beneficial to join a union?
Is it beneficial to join a union? I'm caught in two minds whether to join, as I'm not entirely sure what it is there for.
Is it like insurance if something goes wrong in the workplace and they're there to stick up for you if you have a case? eg like a lawyer
Answers
No best answer has yet been selected by cooldudecol. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Yes, If something happens to you minor or major, you'll have official representation, access to the unions lawyers, etc, also, depending on which union it is, free wills and other things. The only drawback, is if the union is involved in a dispute with the company, and they call a strike, which must be balloted first, if the vote is a majority of yes, then you have to strike, but it rarely happens. You would be wise to join.
I believe it depends which particular union you join. There are good ones and not so good one's, and their only as good as their rep's.
I have been a member of a union for the last 17yrs and dred to think how much I have paid over this time. I don't agree with some of the decisions they make on my behalf, but to be honest, as lonnie said, they can come in useful if you need representation and to be honest that is the only reason I am with one.
I just find it a waste of money and I don't think I'll have any use for them. I'm particularly swayed this way when I hear all of the stories about unions failing to help them when they need them the most.
I've never been in bother in any work places and I hate the idea of going on stirke when I disagree to it.
Unisons the main one here - anyone got any opinions on them?
I'm with Unison and the reps in my workplace are brilliant. We had trouble last year with almost everyone in our building having long periods of time off sick with breathing difficulties/chest infections. We were all getting warnings about excessive sickness and the management refused to believe there was anything wrong with the building. I got the Unison rep on to it. He forced the management to carry out Health and Safety tests (using an independent tester) and the conclusion was that the builidng would cause respiratory problems and should be shut until something was done about it. The rep also got notes put onto everyone's sickness record explaining the it was illness caused by working conditions.
I think Union membership is essential. I don't always agree with what some unions do and of course sometimes they are useless, but I wouldn't want to be without that support. You just can't trust senior managers alas. I actually got along really well with the ones where I work, but when it came down to it their loyalty lay with the trustees not me.
Is there not a rep in your workplace who you could chat to? It might give you an idea of how useful they are going to be.
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