Voted no to ind action. Do I have to remain in the union? Take part in the action?

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meatmonger

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I voted no in the recent ICTU ballot, but it was carried and they are now talking about one day strike and / or work to rule.

I am happy about my job and pay, and know its the cheapest pension anyone will ever get, so have no probs paying pension levy.

I do not wish to support union industrial action, but i am being told I must be part of a union and I must take part now it is passed.

Is this so?
 
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Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

That's the way democracy works.

If your disagreement with the union is sufficiently strong, then the best thing to do is to resign your membership. Then you are free not to participate in industrial action.

Consider, before deciding, how what you choose to do might affect social relations in the workplace.
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

You do not have to take part in the Industrial Action. If you chose not, I would suggest that resignation from the Union would naturally follow
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

thanks

having asked "quietly" i was told i had to be a member of the union. now i think they have gone too far. saves me money anyhow
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

I remember many,many years ago working for Bord Gais and you had to join the union. Infact one of your first visitors on day one was a union official to sign you up. I was then let go from work one day short of a year all with the agreement of the union -charming.
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

Padraigb said:
That's the way democracy works.
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No it's not. Democracies don't take away your citizenship if you disagree with the majority view; in fact they have constitutions and supreme courts to protect those who dissent from the tyranny of the majority.
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

theresa1 said:
I remember many,many years ago working for Bord Gais and you had to join the union. Infact one of your first visitors on day one was a union official to sign you up. I was then let go from work one day short of a year all with the agreement of the union -charming.
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At work we have been told that we will not get work from some semi-state's because we don't have a union.
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

Im not in a union and nor do I have any inclination to join but yesterday I was 'told' by a more senior member of staff to either join and participate in the work stoppage or take a days annual leave. I have no intention in doing either - not sure how this will be recieved but we'll see.
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

Purple said:
No it's not. Democracies don't take away your citizenship if you disagree with the majority view; in fact they have constitutions and supreme courts to protect those who dissent from the tyranny of the majority.
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Refusing to join in industrial action is more than disagreement. In my days as an employee and active union member, I often disagreed with the majority view (to the extent that I had something of a reputation for being "challenging"). But when the vote was taken, I was onside.

Refusing to join in an action is akin to insisting to driving on the right when the law says that we should drive on the left.
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

Newbie! said:
Im not in a union and nor do I have any inclination to join but yesterday I was 'told' by a more senior member of staff to either join and participate in the work stoppage or take a days annual leave. I have no intention in doing either - not sure how this will be recieved but we'll see.
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Substitute "advised" for "told", and the tenor of your first sentence could be quite different.

Of course you are free to make a stand, but the more senior member of staff might have been trying to preserve good relationships in the workplace.
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

Newbie! said:
Im not in a union and nor do I have any inclination to join but yesterday I was 'told' by a more senior member of staff to either join and participate in the work stoppage or take a days annual leave. I have no intention in doing either - not sure how this will be recieved but we'll see.
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That is indeed your entitlement. You may find that your leave request would be refused anyway.

If this was done in a 'bullying' way, you could considering reporting the matter to HR, or printing out the official union policy (which probably says that other staff will be permitted to pass pickets but should not do the work of the striking staff) and handing it over to the person who told you this.
 
Re: Voted no to ind action. Do I have to remain in the union? Take part in the action

Meatmonger,

I've expanded the title to your question.

Essentially there are at least two questions.

Do I have to remain in the union? and if I leave can I refuse to take part in the proposed industrial action.

What part of the public or civil service do you work in? There are different customs and practices depending on the part of the public sector in question.

aj
 
Re: Voted no to ind action. Do I have to remain in the union? Take part in the action

Meatmonger, I sympathise completely with you - I am in the same position myself and am strongly considering resigning from my union which I have been a member of for over 20 years. Good luck to you whatever you decide.
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

Purple said:
At work we have been told that we will not get work from some semi-state's because we don't have a union.
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Wow. I didn't think that happened any more. Incredible.

Meatmonger, I sympathise completely with you - I am in the same position myself and am strongly considering resigning from my union which I have been a member of for over 20 years. Good luck to you whatever you decide.
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If you strongly disagree with the decisons of an organisation that you are paying to be a member of then I really think it's a no-brainer. Of course resign IMO.
 
Re: Do i have to be part of a union?

Caveat said:
Wow. I didn't think that happened any more. Incredible.
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Incredible is a good choice of word here. Public sector procurement is open and transparent. Award criteria are published in the tender. Tenderers can see their scorings after evaluation. There are appeals procedures in place.

I never cease to be amazed by the enthusiasm of tenderers to engage with conspiracy theories for why they didn't get the business in preference to the far more mundane reasons, such as a) didn't read the tender, b) too dear, c) too slow, d) left out some requested detail (e.g. VAT, CVs, statement re disqualifying status etc).
 
Re: Voted no to ind action. Do I have to remain in the union? Take part in the action

Question answered.

Continue the interesting debate in Letting Off Steam.
 
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