Striking

[granny grump]

A genuine question. Do strikers get paid? Can they claim any kind of benefit? Can they use holidays as strike days or call in sick?

[Tuvok]

Not at my work.

They loose a days pay - which also reduces their pension.

Holidays must be pre-booked in advance of any strike being called.

Sickness must be proved with a sick note from their doctor.

[Buenchico]

>>> Do strikers get paid?

No. Some unions may have strike funds though, which can provide a very basic allowance to strikers who need money for basic essentials.


>>> Can they claim any kind of benefit?

In general, no. However I'm not sure whether Iain Duncan Smith's 2012 plan to block Working Tax Credits to some (very low paid) strikers was ever brought into effect.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/jun/17/workers-strike-lose-benefits


>>> Can they use holidays as strike days or call in sick?

I have little doubt that some employees, who don't want to be seen by their colleagues as strike-breaking (but who don't want to lose any pay), will book paid holidays which just happen to coincide with strike days. However it's not meant to work like that.

Equally, I'm sure that some employees will tell their boss "I wasn't going to join the strike, so I'd have been at work if it wasn't for this terrible tummy bug that I've just picked up" - but that won't help them anyway unless their employer provides sick pay (which many don't). Once again though, that's not what's meant to happen.

[THECORBYLOON]

CHRIS, it's covered in the Universal Credit Regulations 2013.

"Employee involved in trade dispute

56.  A person who has had employed earnings and has withdrawn their labour in furtherance of a trade dispute is, unless their contract of service has been terminated, to be assumed to have employed earnings at the same level as they would have had were it not for the trade dispute."

[ToraToraTora]

no they don't get paid. In theory their union can give them "strike pay" but usually they spend that on the leader who is guiding them over a cliff.

[granny grump]

Thank you for your answers. I was just thinking about families who could be struggling because of this.

[ToraToraTora]

"Thank you for your answers. I was just thinking about families who could be struggling because of this. " - so are we, they are so often the victims of union leaders and the wallies that follow them.

[gulliver1]

They ought to get paid, after all MPs get paid for doing nothing.