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union membership

  • 11-07-2011 3:21pm
    #1
    Trix
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭


    i'm a public sector worker and a member of Impact. i'm seriously considering leaving the union as i'm not sure what benefit there is being in it. it costs me 30 euro a month to be in it, not a life changing amount of money i know but 30 quid is 30 quid. can anyone give me any reasons not to leave the union?


Comments

  • #2
    Delancey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,451 ✭✭✭Delancey


    I agree union fees are a total waste of money ( thats my experience anyway ) one thing to consider is the reaction of your work colleagues , might they resent you not paying your membership fees ?


  • #3
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,986 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    Talk to your rep or HQ
    They are supposed to sell you on the benefits of membership

    If redundancies are announced you can't be selected just on the basis of union membership.
    However the people in the union will be getting advise from the rep, will you have anyone to advise you?
    And you're going to have to ask your questions on your own and demand answers from HR, the rep won't do it for you

    Last thing is what if Impact ballots members for strike action and a picket is setup.
    Are you brave enough to cross a picket line? Many are not. So what are you going to do?
    You won't get strike pay and you are not on offical strike. Take annual leave? Call in sick?

    Call Impact HQ and ask for an officer and get them to answer all your questions tomorrow
    Unions can do a lot of good. They also waste a lot of money on conferences in top hotels and on glossy magazines that nobody reads!


  • #4
    partnership
    Registered Users Posts: 303 ✭✭partnership


    I am very cynical about unions having been very active up to a few years ago. I believe that they lost their way and were more interested in getting into bed with gov than looking after their members. BUT I can see how things are currently going where the media are creating a private v public and questioning any good terms that public service workers have. If it were up to the media the public service would be minimum wage, 24 hour, 365 days a year and 20 days holidays. The only protection you have is to be in the union and hope they will be able to stand up for you. Imagine if they want to change your rosters as per croke park - the only say you will have is through the unions as per the agreement. Workers rights used to be done by the EU but these will gradually be eroded int he current climate. The union is it's members and if more people get involved and tell the full time officals that they work for them then that is the starting point in making it effective.


  • #5
    Trix
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭Trix


    Delancey wrote: »
    I agree union fees are a total waste of money ( thats my experience anyway ) one thing to consider is the reaction of your work colleagues , might they resent you not paying your membership fees ?

    there are a few guys in my office not in the union and there doesn't seem to be any hard feelings towards them.

    Are you brave enough to cross a picket line? Many are not. So what are you going to do?
    You won't get strike pay and you are not on offical strike. Take annual leave? Call in sick?
    we were on strike last year for one day as far as i can remember. those not in the union had to take unpaid leave. i could deal with one or two days not getting paid but not much more. but my 30 euro a month extra would cover this...

    at the moment our flexi time and some of our privileges are being changed which we did not vote on. i realise these changes are being brought in through the croke park agreement and i wouldn't necessarily vote against them but i just see the role of the unions getting less and less and can't see what awful thing is going to happen to me if i stop paying.


  • #6
    bombadil
    Registered Users Posts: 86 ✭✭bombadil


    The Croke Park Agreement has rendered the Unions at best a talking shop with the odd same old.. same old... 'our members'...blah...blah... drone on the television or media. The debate is often embarrasing from the Union side is most often completely unrealistic about the situation we are facing as a country. The unions are interested in protecting only themselves as an institution which includes handsome salaries, perks, expenses etc. etc.

    Regarding last years strike.. I personally object as a civil servant earning 25k a year being asked to loose a days pay to protect those on much larger payscales. Remember the Union heads pay is directly tied into a civil service management grade scale salary... could there be a personal interest in protecting the salaries of those higher scales?.. hummmm

    What was achieved by the strike.. absolutely nothing... however it was all part of the orchestrated charade that began with the unions walking out of the Croke Park negotiations to save face.

    On the issue of strike pay.. members did not recieve pay for the days strike.. I wonder did the lads at Impact give up a days pay too???


    I would leave.. I already have.. If anyone says anything about leaving the union I would just laugh at them asn ask what has the union done for them in the past 5 years.... buy lotto tickets instead!


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  • #7
    therecklessone
    Registered Users Posts: 17,213 ✭✭✭✭therecklessone


    Before asking you union what they are doing for you, try asking yourself what you are doing for your union.

    Do you attend your branch AGM?

    Have you considered calling an EGM to influence branch policy?

    Have you considered running for office so that you can influence branch policy at a decision making level?

    As a member of IMPACT (and local rep) I'd advise you to focus less on national issues (like Croke Park) and focus more on what happens in your own workplace: it might not feel like it now, but you might end up needing help or advice in the event of disciplinary issues, bullying or harassment in the workplace, denial of stautory rights etc etc. You don't NEED a union rep to deal with those issues, there is plenty of legislation to protect you, but my experience has been that people who do seek help are better prepared and more likely to emerge from them with a satisfactory outcome.

    IMO the benefits of union membership only become apparent when something goes wrong, and mercifully for a lot of us we manage to get through our working life without something going wrong.

    Before you make your decision consult your local rep, if after that you still feel the same then the right thing to do is resign your membership.

    Best of luck with whatever course you take.


  • #8
    Coill Tire
    Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭Coill Tire


    If you feel you are better off without a union, you are free to walk. There is freedom of association in this country. No one can stop you even if there is a closed shop agreement between your employer and the union.


  • #9
    juan.kerr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,766 ✭✭✭juan.kerr


    bombadil wrote: »
    The Croke Park Agreement has rendered the Unions at best a talking shop

    In fairmess to the unions (and I despise public sector unions) they did a great job for their members the day that agreement was signed.

    Treasonous for the country, given the billions it has since cost us, but great for their members.


  • #10
    UDP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭UDP


    Trix wrote: »
    i'm a public sector worker and a member of Impact. i'm seriously considering leaving the union as i'm not sure what benefit there is being in it. it costs me 30 euro a month to be in it, not a life changing amount of money i know but 30 quid is 30 quid. can anyone give me any reasons not to leave the union?
    The only thing in your case is the social impact in your workplace with colleagues etc. Is there any possibility they you could get a different boss who is a complete c'unt out to get you (they do exist). Will you be happy to take on this person head on or would you prefer to hide behind a union and let them do the fighting for you.

    €30 a month is a lot though. Always thought it was much less.


  • #11
    golden lane
    Registered Users Posts: 1,364 ✭✭✭golden lane


    as the amount of money, seems excessive....why not start a, we want lower fees campaign....also make the union justify those high fees.......

    the unions belongs to it's members, not the other way around....yes, i believe unions are a great help.....but they are not there to help themselves...


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  • #12
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    Siptu cost 300 people their jobs in the company i worked in.

    The management told them the financial situation, showed them the books and they replied to the evidence by calling it a fabrication.

    Waste of time and money.

    You wont be at any disadvantage by leaving. Any terms they agree with the company apply to everyone.


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