retail managers unions

ash_18x

can anyone tell me if there are any unions out there for retail managers to join?
my husband is a department manager and to say the conditions in his place of work have deteriorated is a bit of an understatement.
i know its a recession etc but surely he still has rights..........

maxwell smart

If there is a union in work he can join that one, it does not have to be specifically for managers.
What area is he working in? Lots of retail companies "frown" on unions

ash_18x

maxwell smart wrote: »

If there is a union in work he can join that one, it does not have to be specifically for managers.
What area is he working in? Lots of retail companies "frown" on unions

I think the staff are in the mandate union, he is in the grocery section of a large irish company!!
that is the problem, it is frowned upon and they have always been under the impression from management that they are not allowed to join, but things really have gotten so bad, and this whole-'be lucky you have a job' attitude just isnt cutting it anymore!

leeroybrown

I don't see it as being of any use to your husband unless there are others in the workplace/company who are involved with the same union and are willing to engage in collective bargaining rather than individual agreements. In the absence of those conditions he risks just end up being a single isolated troublemaker and the company refusing to deal with the union he joins.

There's also no point in joining the ordinary staff union as this would probably also mark him out as a troublemaker. The local staff might not even be happy about him joining if there's a management divide of that kind. If Mandate were to engage in industrial action of some kind your husband would almost certainly be expected to cover the unmanned duties or in the event of a strike would be expected to pass the picket line and work. If he refused to do this I'd expect his employer to find some way to get rid of him.

ash_18x

leeroybrown wrote: »

I don't see it as being of any use to your husband unless there are others in the workplace/company who are involved with the same union and are willing to engage in collective bargaining rather than individual agreements. In the absence of those conditions he risks just end up being a single isolated troublemaker and the company refusing to deal with the union he joins.

There's also no point in joining the ordinary staff union as this would probably also mark him out as a troublemaker. The local staff might not even be happy about him joining if there's a management divide of that kind. If Mandate were to engage in industrial action of some kind your husband would almost certainly be expected to cover the unmanned duties or in the event of a strike would be expected to pass the picket line and work. If he refused to do this I'd expect his employer to find some way to get rid of him.

so basically he will just be branded a trouble maker and it will get him nowhere.
its a disgrace. he is working approx 60 hrs a week- getting paid for 45, other managers have been let go and he has to cover all their work, staff have been let go and they are not being replaced, one manager collapsed and was taken away in an ambulance due to over work, another manager had a seizure the following day and they just dont give a crap.
sorry for this rant but i am so mad and if he just leaves he will get nothing and we will be screwed.......
what do you do.....just get on with it??

leeroybrown

Unfortunately, that's what I'd expect. I'm not saying that it's right or fair, but in the absence of a collective mass of employees he'd just be setting himself up for an even more awkward and stressful human resources situation. Realistically, most actions he could take will result in him singling himself out.

ScouseMouse

60 hours is standard for a manager in any shop I have worked in.

I dont think you can do anything on this...

blue movie

i have to agree with everyone else here... joining a union will cause more trouble for him than it is worth....
I am currently working for a big discounter supermarket and the work load is very intense and the hours are ridiclous in my eyes. I am currently doing approx 55-60 hours a week and it is too much so i am looking for another job at the moment.... so maybe your husband would be better off looking for a new position because all this "lucky to have a job" lark is crap and especially if it would effect his health like it did others.

wmpdd3

Yes 60 hrs a week does seem to the be norm in grocery. Everybody gets hassel from their other half if they don't work in the sector.

I have heard form a manager that was promoted from shop floor to manager that the union asked them to cancel their membership....(mandate)

blue movie

wmpdd3 wrote: »

I have heard form a manager that was promoted from shop floor to manager that the union asked them to cancel their membership....(mandate)

That happened to me in the past too with mandate i was a bit surprised

gerrycollins

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Yes 60 hrs a week does seem to the be norm in grocery. Everybody gets hassel from their other half if they don't work in the sector.

I have heard form a manager that was promoted from shop floor to manager that the union asked them to cancel their membership....(mandate)

happened me too

Mairead1975

I guess you have to weigh up the options - no job or stress. I can probably guess which organisation he works for and the main Irish Retailer does not care about its staff and never will - family run businesses are reknowned for it. They will get the meat from his bone and unfortunately the current market means they have him by the scruff of the neck.

That organisation does not have an active union presence. Used to years ago. Unions are really a thing of the past. Most organisations have a preference to resolve issues one to one rather than battling it out in the Labour Court.

I would discretely approach HR about it if anything.

Best of luck with it though
M

wmpdd3

The difference is, were .........


HR in that type of organisation is also you boss. The Personal manager of a store is your direct senior so that rules them out. The regional Personal manager is only going to refter you to your store Personal manager.

HR in retail oragisations maange KPIs not people, unlike HR dept.s retail sector.

Corruptedmorals

The company in question is very active union-wise with er staff. Perhaps some stores more than others. Contracts are by the book, breaks, holidays, not paying your own till shortages- good bit of evidence in some things of a unionised workforce. It's the little day-to-day things you get screwed over on. Management have it tough, being moved to different stores at extremely short notice (staff cannot be moved as per contract) and of course the mental hours with no overtime (staff are paid overtime when it's authorised.) etc...it's a raw deal but not worth the hassle when it's found out he's in the union. Look for a new job I think..