Union rep gets loads of perks

[clashcityrocker]

I think unless you have a small office, a union committee is the only way to go.
Better to pool the experience of the workforce and easier to communicate with all sections of the staff.

[Stormproof]

I tried to set up a committee, put posters up. Over 150 staff and only 1 person was interested and that was the office crash test dummy. Will try again in the new year.

[quigleys point]

fish tank get real, reps who try to do the right thing are continully slated.
i dare say most people who have a gripe with their rep have so because the rep told them how life is and not what they wanted to hear.
most reps get no pay for their role and are not part of the great wimbledon gravy train.
why should n't reps get angry when people who are too scared, lazy ignore the advice the reps give them.
whilst you have a softly softly approach which may or may not work for you my experiance is that if i don't show passion nothing ever gets done.
i accept people don't want to be reps as its not everyone's cup of tea but don't slag off all reps, trust me the ones who are in it for themselves piss me off as well.
when an office has no united front the new style of manager we have will destroy you with unacheivable workloads etc.
what i am rabbitting about is most reps do their best if people who are quick to criticise and say they can do better then step upto the mark and lead from the front!

[fishtank]

fish tank get real, reps who try to do the right thing are continully slated.

I'm about as real as i'm going to get quigley,in my experience reps who try their best and communicate properly with members get mostly respect.

i dare say most people who have a gripe with their rep have so because the rep told them how life is and not what they wanted to hear.

Supposition,i dare say there are as many reasons for discontent as there are stars in the sky,some valid,some bollocks,some selfish...some not.

most reps get no pay for their role and are not part of the great wimbledon gravy train.

True but it is entirely voluntary so no-one forces a rep to be a rep and while reps should be applauded for taking on this role they also have to understand that you either give it 100% or you step aside...even if that leaves an office with no rep.

why should n't reps get angry when people who are too scared, lazy ignore the advice the reps give them.

Because it's pointless,you won't convince members by shouting at them,constantly shouting at children only breeds fear and resentment...why would it be any different with adults who act like children?.

whilst you have a softly softly approach which may or may not work for you my experiance is that if i don't show passion nothing ever gets done.

Passion should never be confused with anger.

i accept people don't want to be reps as its not everyone's cup of tea but don't slag off all reps, trust me the ones who are in it for themselves piss me off as well.

I didn't...but i defend the right of members to criticise if it is justified.

when an office has no united front the new style of manager we have will destroy you with unacheivable workloads etc.

When an office resents or doesn't respect it's rep or has too few members it will be destroyed even quicker.

what i am rabbitting about is most reps do their best if people who are quick to criticise and say they can do better then step upto the mark and lead from the front!

I used to think the vast majority of reps did their best,now like you i'm down to most,hopefully we never get to some.
Of course if someone says they can do better they should attempt to do so although whether they will get the chance to can depend on local politics but in a lot of cases members don't want to be reps or don't have the time to commit to it 100%.
They are still members and still have the right to criticise...where justified.

[Stormproof]

why should n't reps get angry when people who are too scared, lazy ignore the advice the reps give them.

Because it's pointless,you won't convince members by shouting at them,constantly shouting at children only breeds fear and resentment...why would it be any different with adults who act like children?.

whilst you have a softly softly approach which may or may not work for you my experiance is that if i don't show passion nothing ever gets done.

Passion should never be confused with anger.

Definitely have to agree with you FT. No one should be shouted at.......its bullying. Quigleys its good to be passionate about the reps job but at what cost to the members.

[silly suffolk]

your to democratic ft. what we need are tub thumping hot heads who listen to no one and nothing but their own important viewpoint. only joking. perhaps?

[quigleys point]

As a rep i have never shouted at anybody non member or menber,( managers once or twice )
My point is don't slag of reps who are willing to put there time and effort into a thankless task.
What i do find frustrating is the fact that when things go wrong the rep is usually the first to get the blame, when quite often the members put themselves in positions that can be avoided.
I have to agree you can't go half hearted to the job. if most reps are honest they got into it cause no-one else could be bothered and stay because of the belief of better to stay rather than leave with no rep to replace them which is sad reflection of the apathy of most of the membership.
Maybe i come across as angry but i will always stick up for people who are willing to walk the walk when others criticise form a distance.
The reps I've had dealings with have done nothing but their best rightly or wrongly but they give it there all on the behalf of others.
I'm sorry to hear thats not always the case, then the membership should get rid of the bad reps.

[ronpetetrevchris]

im embarrased to say im with Quigley on this point. empowering them with grand ideas such as complete free will dosent achieve anything either. You CANT have everybody doing their own thing in a union, letting everybody do their own thing is counter productive to thw whole. Im really starting to believe there has to be a stick in there somewhere.

Please dont say yes, but you have to educate them to get the message over, we havent the time and lack the info ourselves, sometimes (im afraid to say) its just easier to rant!!

Sorry but i think like other reps im tired of being the squeeky clean one, doing everything right while others can do what they want and use free will as an excuse (because a lot of the time it just is an excuse in an effort to get home earlier).

[fishtank]

I think if a rep holds such a poor view of his/her members that they think ranting at them will somehow bring them to their senses it may be time to step aside and allow some fresh ideas in.
This isn't school and you don't have a captive audience.
If a manager ranted at his staff you would call it B&H and rightly want to see them disciplined.

There is nothing wrong with showing some passion when communicating with members if it is controlled and directed at the right target,it's just a shame that passion seems to disappear when it's needed most...using the IR Framework,disagreements and rule 13 ballots and not allowing management,planners and in some cases branches to walk all over offices.