Protective Notice - Am I protected???

Noon

Can somebody please, please advise...
Both unions at my workplace have served strike notice. The company sent out a letter of protective notice to all staff with an expiry date of a week before the strike is to begin.
I am not in a union, I have a mortgage, bills and family to feed like everyone else in the country and just want to do an honest days work. I do not agree with the unions stance - the whole country is in the poo, most people who are lucky enough to still have a job have had to take a pay cut (including me) but the unions have advised their members to strike.
I cannot afford not to work and intend to come to work as usual.
Can the company lay me off too? When I turn up for work as usual, am I entitled to be paid? The majority of staff will be on strike.
We are also being bullied by the union members to join up or else... One lady was told that if she didn't join the union nobody would work with her or speak to her when it was all over. Surely this is workplace bullying and surely they can be disciplined???
Where do we stand???
Advice please would be most appreciated

brightspark

Protective notice is a warning that you will be laid off if the strike goes ahead.

No point in expecting to be paid, if you have been given protective notice the company has decided that your services are not required during the strike.

The good news is that if you are not striking you will be eligible for social welfare.

One advantage of being laid off is that you won't be placed in the situation of having to pass a picket line.

I would be very reluctant to pass a picket line myself, legal or not the bullying will probably occur and people tend to remember those who passed a picket many years after they have forgotten what they went on strike for.

I have heard of the people who passed pickets being made to leave as a condition of ending the strike (and the employer agreeing)


Notice of strike and issuing protective notice are both negotiating tactics and hopefully both sides will come to an agreement before any action actually takes place.

Noon

Thank you for your reply. Keeping everything crossed it doesn't go ahead!