Unions: Valuable Service or 70's Relics?

**Throb_Nugget** · 23 April 2007, 12:36

Originally posted by Kyajae

Going through the BBC News 24 website this past couple of days, I can't help notice how militant unions are getting with strike threats over pay. Nursing unions are one and the teachers' unions is also threaening a ballot.

They seem only able to exist in the public and civil services plus those private companies that were once nationalised entities. The rest of us just get on with it.

Do unions provide a valuable service to their members or they the relics of the old ' management-worker, us and them' era?

I used to be a member of UNISON some years ago. I got suspended over something so trivial and stupid. UNISON were absolutely sh1t in the help they provided. The steward couldn't tell her @rse fro her elbow and I had to get a solicitor friend to help me out. All for £13/month union subscriptions. I should have sued them for breach of contract.

**gingerjedi** · 23 April 2007, 12:50

I used to be in the AEEU and every year they would negotiate our pay rise, the union would ask for 6%, the company would say 2% and then we would settle for 4%... every bloody year this would happen, waste of time.

The union reps were all bought off with salary perks such as night shift allowance despite the fact they were never on nights, so corrupt as well.

**Hart-floot** · 23 April 2007, 13:04

Originally posted by gingerjedi

I used to be in the AEEU and every year they would negotiate our pay rise, the union would ask for 6%, the company would say 2% and then we would settle for 4%... every bloody year this would happen, waste of time.

The union reps were all bought off with salary perks such as night shift allowance despite the fact they were never on nights, so corrupt as well.

I guess without the union you would have ended up with 2% then?

**SallyAnne** · 23 April 2007, 13:09

Originally posted by Hart-floot

I guess without the union you would have ended up with 2% then?

Bravo Hart-floot - I didn't have the energy!

**sparklelard** · 23 April 2007, 13:11

None of the unions I belonged to were of any use. They are eager to take your money, but there is no return.

**gingerjedi** · 23 April 2007, 13:23

Originally posted by Hart-floot

I guess without the union you would have ended up with 2% then?

I was pointing out the futility of it all, there's no reason why we couldn't have bargained as a collective without a union but the mentality was such that if you were not a member of the union no-one would talk to you.

We always voted to get rid of the contractor scum first when the company hit hard times!

**Mailman** · 23 April 2007, 14:59

They have their place...especially when it comes to protecting those who are most at risk, cleaners, nurses, teachers and contractors who post messages on this forum

Mailman

**Numptycorner** · 23 April 2007, 15:03

but those most as risk aren't allowed to be in a union

Unions: Valuable Service or 70's Relics?