What are your thoughts?

[Le Mouse]

Looking likely that we're going to have strikes this summer onwards. Which unions or sectors do you think will come out?

I'm in Unison and been consulted over strike action over higher education pay (I work at a university). While my branch has got stronger in recent years, we're not generally one for voting for strike action. But I know others that will.

It’s interesting,isn’t it,how people think of unions? Usually,it’s reverting to type,and recalling the Winter of Discontent. My wife and me consider our membership to be a work insurance policy.

If sectors do strike though ,good luck to them. The top dogs of corporate organisations are raking money in for themselves,so why shouldn’t the Worker Ants get some more in these troubled times?

I agree with this. I also consider my union membership as work insurance. There's yet more plans in place to do a 'strategic change programme' over the next two years. Being a member of the union means I'll have support and good advice if my job is at risk.

[Frnc]

Big time union supporter here. The 70s ... I went for a job interview in 1976 at the factory where my dad worked, he was Father of the Chapel (printing) and the managing director came to see the personnel director while I was in his office. I was introduced as my father's daughter, and the reaction was very warm, welcoming and friendly. Even in the 70s, there were still good relations between some management and some workers.

Since then ... yes, jansman's point about Work To Rule shows what's going on. All during my 20s, I thought nothing of working an extra hour a day for no pay, it was the norm. I didn't have a union.

Beside-the-point blather about self employment deleted

I used to do tons of overtime for no extra pay. Boss would promise jobs that meant I had to go in at weekends. One weekend I worked all day Saturday doing an unpleasant job. Got no thanks. Few days later I got a snide comment for being a few minutes late. I was never late, this was probably the first time. By the end I reckon I'd done at least £20,000 worth of unpaid overtime, over 8 years. Might have been more. Of course when I took the job on I thought it would be the odd hour, not routine every evening and frequently a few hours at a weekend.

[jansman]

Big time union supporter here. The 70s ... I went for a job interview in 1976 at the factory where my dad worked, he was Father of the Chapel (printing) and the managing director came to see the personnel director while I was in his office. I was introduced as my father's daughter, and the reaction was very warm, welcoming and friendly. Even in the 70s, there were still good relations between some management and some workers.

Since then ... yes, jansman's point about Work To Rule shows what's going on. All during my 20s, I thought nothing of working an extra hour a day for no pay, it was the norm. I didn't have a union.

Beside-the-point blather about self employment deleted

I used to do tons of overtime for no extra pay. Boss would promise jobs that meant I had to go in at weekends. One weekend I worked all day Saturday doing an unpleasant job. Got no thanks. Few days later I got a snide comment for being a few minutes late. I was never late, this was probably the first time. By the end I reckon I'd done at least £20,000 worth of unpaid overtime, over 8 years. Might have been more. Of course when I took the job on I thought it would be the odd hour, not routine every evening and frequently a few hours at a weekend.

I won’t do unpaid overtime anymore. I am too old, and experienced to work for nothing now. Today, I got to an hour before knocking- off time, and said to my colleagues ( half my age) “ right , I’ve had enough, I’m going home”. The retort? “ you’ll lose an hours pay!” I told them that they do so much work for nothing, an hour is nothing! They didn’t get it…

[Frnc]

Big time union supporter here. The 70s ... I went for a job interview in 1976 at the factory where my dad worked, he was Father of the Chapel (printing) and the managing director came to see the personnel director while I was in his office. I was introduced as my father's daughter, and the reaction was very warm, welcoming and friendly. Even in the 70s, there were still good relations between some management and some workers.

Since then ... yes, jansman's point about Work To Rule shows what's going on. All during my 20s, I thought nothing of working an extra hour a day for no pay, it was the norm. I didn't have a union.

Beside-the-point blather about self employment deleted

I used to do tons of overtime for no extra pay. Boss would promise jobs that meant I had to go in at weekends. One weekend I worked all day Saturday doing an unpleasant job. Got no thanks. Few days later I got a snide comment for being a few minutes late. I was never late, this was probably the first time. By the end I reckon I'd done at least £20,000 worth of unpaid overtime, over 8 years. Might have been more. Of course when I took the job on I thought it would be the odd hour, not routine every evening and frequently a few hours at a weekend.

I won’t do unpaid overtime anymore. I am too old, and experienced to work for nothing now. Today, I got to an hour before knocking- off time, and said to my colleagues ( half my age) “ right , I’ve had enough, I’m going home”. The retort? “ you’ll lose an hours pay!” I told them that they do so much work for nothing, an hour is nothing! They didn’t get it…

When you're young, they try to brainwash you into thinking nothing of everything being one way (you give, they take). My immediate boss at that firm would brag about how late he stayed, as if he'd done something to be proud of. He threatened me with redundancy if I didn't do QA stuff at weekends. Another firm I worked for denied every holiday request in my first year, and wouldn't left me roll them over.

[jansman]

I used to do tons of overtime for no extra pay. Boss would promise jobs that meant I had to go in at weekends. One weekend I worked all day Saturday doing an unpleasant job. Got no thanks. Few days later I got a snide comment for being a few minutes late. I was never late, this was probably the first time. By the end I reckon I'd done at least £20,000 worth of unpaid overtime, over 8 years. Might have been more. Of course when I took the job on I thought it would be the odd hour, not routine every evening and frequently a few hours at a weekend.

I won’t do unpaid overtime anymore. I am too old, and experienced to work for nothing now. Today, I got to an hour before knocking- off time, and said to my colleagues ( half my age) “ right , I’ve had enough, I’m going home”. The retort? “ you’ll lose an hours pay!” I told them that they do so much work for nothing, an hour is nothing! They didn’t get it…

When you're young, they try to brainwash you into thinking nothing of everything being one way (you give, they take). My immediate boss at that firm would brag about how late he stayed, as if he'd done something to be proud of. He threatened me with redundancy if I didn't do QA stuff at weekends. Another firm I worked for denied every holiday request in my first year, and wouldn't left me roll them over.

In eight hours I do 11. Compared to colleagues.Just because workers are ‘there’ doesn’t mean they do anything useful. Our ‘long hours brigade’ spend lots of time gabbing,on phones or computers- and not work related either! Last week my gaffer asked me why I hadn’t done xy and z. I told him I had one pair of hands,and if he didn’t like it - “I’ll f@@@ off now”. Changed his tune then!

So going back to trade unions: Stronger membership would mean better hours,conditions and pay,instead of the culture of ‘presenteeism’ that we have now. With the unemployment that is looming,many people may well wish they had a union behind them.

[ForgeCorvus]

I find it interesting that in Holland the work culture is totally different.
Its more along the lines of "Why are you working late? Can't you get everything done during your normal day? Perhaps you need a less demanding role..... Like somewhere else"

Work to live, not live to work.


I know a guy whos a union rep (Train drivers and Signalmen..... So I couldn't join), he spends most of his time making sure that pensions and sick pay get paid out in full and that working hours stay within safety rules and Laws

[jansman]

I find it interesting that in Holland the work culture is totally different.
Its more along the lines of "Why are you working late? Can't you get everything done during your normal day? Perhaps you need a less demanding role..... Like somewhere else"

Work to live, not live to work.


I know a guy whos a union rep (Train drivers and Signalmen..... So I couldn't join), he spends most of his time making sure that pensions and sick pay get paid out in full and that working hours stay within safety rules and Laws

And health and safety was the original remit of the union movement. European neighbours have a far better work / life balance, to use a hackneyed phrase.

[Frnc]

So going back to trade unions: Stronger membership would mean better hours,conditions and pay,instead of the culture of ‘presenteeism’ that we have now. With the unemployment that is looming,many people may well wish they had a union behind them.

Agreed. Unions won most of the gains the working class had. Many of them are being taken away. The British working class are being duped by the billionaire-owned right wing press and the BBC etcetera. Also, after the war, the establishment saw the need for improvement in the lives of the working class. We got the NHS etc. The US's Marshall Plan was to prevent revolution in Japan and other countries (and it was intended to keep countries out of the Soviet sphere). But the NHS is being gradually priivatised by stealth.

[Kiwififer]

Agreed, it’s being salami sliced into privatisation especially down south.

Contracts are slowly being put out to tender with private healthcare companies winning them. Can’t get an appointment at your GP? That’s fine, pay £20 and get fast tracked, that’s happening and it’s happening now. The next step will be ‘no of course we aren’t privatising the NHS but it might be prudent to get private insurance to help you get any problem solved quicker’, right before they begin to remove funding proper to them. Health trusts that fail will then be taken into administration and private companies will be allowed to run them.

It’s already happening in social care as well. Be afraid folks, we are in strange times.

[GillyBee]

I find it interesting that in Holland the work culture is totally different.
Its more along the lines of "Why are you working late? Can't you get everything done during your normal day? Perhaps you need a less demanding role..... Like somewhere else"

I worked in Hamburg in the eighties and this was the culture there too I do hope it survived reunification.