Compulsory to join union?

johneym

hi folks,
dont know if I am in the correct place or thread here.
I am a temporary employee. I was given a form to fill out upon starting which asked if I wanted to be part of the union siptu. I ticked no. Now I was called to HR on Friday 6th Nov. and told I have to join or my contract will be terminated?? I had till 3.30 to join. Needless to say I joined. Others temps who have just joined the firm had a similar fate. I checked the contract and sure enough its in it that you have to join!! But many in the firm are not in the union. It seems they have recently changed policy and the union people were seen visiting on many occasions. The union form I was forced to fill in said" I voluntarily join the union siptu" and I signed it.
Now I had always thought this was voluntary and no one could force you to join a union? I feel like siptu soehow have made a deal with my company to get money. And I feel like I am being taken advantage of. I am on close to minimum wage and the yearly union fees are over 250 euro.
Whats the legal stance on this? Anyone know?

sceptre

Moved from Politics

KindOfIrish

It is against the law. The Employment Equality Acts 1998 and 2004.

McSpud

johneym wrote: »

The union form I was forced to fill in said" I voluntarily join the union siptu" and I signed it. ?

They would do the teamsters proud. Not surprised but not aware of exact legal issue. Maybe contact your union rep and ask him/her? At least that way they would either confirm what they are doing is legal or lie to you.

I have never been forced to join a union like you but work summer job years ago where need to join the union to gain access to the plant.

AARRRGH

Why would an employer want you to join a union?!

Jo King

There are usually 2 reasons.

1. The employer only has to deal with one union rather than having employees joining different unions.

2. There may be trouble from the union if non members are employed.

Mrs OBumble

Union delegates can be very useful to people to have around. They can

• tell out-of-line colleagues to pull their head in in a way that no manager can
• proof-read proposed contracts etc (it's actually called "consultation" - but often you end up picking up sheer errors that HR couldn't be bothered finding themselves
• give advice (aka bad news) to colleagues with unrealistic expectation (eg, "no sorry, you can't be paid out your annual leave if you don't use it", or "yes, you do have to take holidays when the company wants you to"
• act as a warning gauge for management problems (when 90% of the staff in a team suddenly all join the union in the same week, you just know that there's a problem with the manager!)

(Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt. 'Twas the best management training I've ever had, though.)


OP, generally I'd say what's happening is wrong, but in this case I've no sympathy for you. As you said:

I checked the contract and sure enough its in it that you have to join!!

You should have noticed this before you accepted the job, and not accepted if you had a problem with it.

wmpdd3

JustMary wrote: »

Union delegates can be very useful to people to have around. They can

• tell out-of-line colleagues to pull their head in in a way that no manager can
• proof-read proposed contracts etc (it's actually called "consultation" - but often you end up picking up sheer errors that HR couldn't be bothered finding themselves
• give advice (aka bad news) to colleagues with unrealistic expectation (eg, "no sorry, you can't be paid out your annual leave if you don't use it", or "yes, you do have to take holidays when the company wants you to"
  
• act as a warning gauge for management problems (when 90% of the staff in a team suddenly all join the union in the same week, you just know that there's a problem with the manager!)

(Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt. 'Twas the best management training I've ever had, though.)


OP, generally I'd say what's happening is wrong, but in this case I've no sympathy for you. As you said:



You should have noticed this before you accepted the job, and not accepted if you had a problem with it.

Brings back memories....

I do think union fees are steep, especially if your on minimum wage, but in some places of work it is really frowned upon not to be in the union.

McSpud

wmpdd3 wrote: »

I do think union fees are steep, especially if your on minimum wage, but in some places of work it is really frowned upon not to be in the union.

Someone has to pay the top brass salaries. Head of the INTO is on 170k a year basic salary!

Click

parsi

Conveniently they left out the salary of the head of the other well-known union - IBEC.

gerrycollins

its enshrined in constitutional law that citizens of ireland have the right to associate or disassociate with workers union.

you were bullied into joining.

Agent Smith

Demand To leave the union. Its your constitutionial Right.

Bigdeadlydave

Its a closed shop maybe? Thats what I was told when I got a summer job, everyone was in the union and if i didn't join I wouldn't get the job.

Agent Smith

Article 40.6.3 of BUNREACHT NA h&#201 wrote: »

The right of the citizens to form associations and unions.

Laws, however, may be enacted for the regulation and control in the public interest of the exercise of the foregoing right.

2° Laws regulating the manner in which the right of forming associations and unions and the right of free assembly may be exercised shall contain no political, religious or class discrimination.

Its that simple. You can not be forced to join a union. Closed shop or not.

Greenmachine

Agent Smith wrote: »

Its that simple. You can not be forced to join a union. Closed shop or not.

Was just going to say that, if there wasn't a law against it, there ough to be one. It is purely a protectionist measure by employer. It basically means your union fees aren't worth piss. €250 down the toilet.