Strike(non union members)?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Can the non-union members go on strike as well?

Yes see my post http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 38&t=55881" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for the government advice.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

YES BUT YOU WONT BE PROTECTED(MAY NEED YOUR OWN LEGAL ADVICE)

Wrong on not being protected http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 38&t=55881" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Right on Legal advice if sacked - although better if they join now.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

What would happen if theres a strike and you still go in to do your walk?

Nothing should happen they are exercising their democratic rights, albeit they are making our job of protesting harder.

However, don't call them strike breakers after as people have been suspended and sacked for it.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Can the non-union members go on strike as well?

Don't bother, you made your choice by not joining the union. I'm sure your managers will appreciate someone coming in to make their tea for them. I'm also sure that you'll be declining any pay offer that might be achieved by IA. if your a new starter then stop putting it off and fill in the form, you need protection more than anybody.

Poor advice, if they want to strike they can, they have the same protection as we do http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 38&t=55881" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, we should be trying to get non union workers on our side not aleinating them.

[clashcityrocker]

What would happen if theres a strike and you still go in to do your walk?

With nobody to do the ips there won't be much of a walk to take out.
It would be a bizarre manager who sent a solitary postman out on delivery.
If you cross a picket line and go to work my guess is you will sit in the office all day.
Tea boy for a day.
I doubt if they would even send you out with a manger to do some Specials.
And don't think it will buy you any favours later down the line because a manager's memory is similar to that of a goldfish..

[TrueBlueTerrier]

What about us on fixed term temporary contracts?

Will RM renew my contract if I strike?

The can't use the fact that you went on strike as a reason not to extend your contract, if the strike is a legal one - it will be legal.

However in your situation I would weigh up all the facts and get as much advice as possible, from mates, from Union reps and yes even from Managers,

[TrueBlueTerrier]

There you go - view from a non-Union member ...

(Awaits total destruction) ...

You ain't going to get it from me, In fact I applaud your solidarity in the face of such lack lustre engagement from your local CWU and poor treatment from Unite (our bosses Union IYDK)

This is what I see as a short sighted view when people slag of non union members, there are some very good and valid reasons why people don't join. Its not what they are a member of that counts, but what actions they take that should be a measure of their true nature.

[cloherty1976]

TBT what would you do if like on logistics they have employed hundreds of full time drivers in the last year but some will still be on probationary periods. Do you think it would be wise to go on strike as you have just got a job and say trying to keep a good clean record?

[viking1488]

I have filled my ballot paper in and its a NO simply because the union SOLD us down the river before when we supported them through thick and thin now they want our support again. Plus the fact of the last strike when we had the one day strikes on a Thursday say those that had a day off got paid and lo and behold the strike was Friday the week after where the same personnel got paid once again and you tell me that's fair? Pfffft don't thinks so. And if I vote NO and have to strike its a form of bullying in my eyes. Never mind this one day strike here and there strike till you win simple then I may go with it..

Was actually gonna spend a little time replying to this, but really, why bother, words fail me. Poor poor Preston.

I started to reply to but just a waste of my time I don't understand some people

[doorstepped]

What would happen if theres a strike and you still go in to do your walk?

last time we had strike action, A few went into work and did the IPS are prepped as many frames as they could in their work time, They were also brought breakfast by the DOM.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

TBT what would you do if like on logistics they have employed hundreds of full time drivers in the last year but some will still be on probationary periods. Do you think it would be wise to go on strike as you have just got a job and say trying to keep a good clean record?

my advice would be the same as above. Striking is intrinsically an individual choice, but I would prefer everyone to strike.

BTW interesting choice of words - "good clean record" - they CAN'T punish you for striking so it cannot affect your record - that would be illegal.

[fishtank]

I had this kind of argument with an acting area rep last week,he was trying to scare non members into joining the union by telling them they would be sacked if they didn't cross the picket line.

It would appear that with some people the first thing they ignore when they join a union is exactly what a union stands for.
It isn't a special club or a gang of mates,it's an organisation whose basic fundamental principle is to improve the working conditions of all.
The best way to build that organisation is to promote inclusivity and engage all staff whether they are members or non members in the fundamental principles of trade union values.

Lying to non members in some kind of attempt to frighten them into joining the union demeans and debases those trade union principles,Abusing non members has the same effect.
Both policies are more likely to cause non members to cross our picket lines which only a complete idiot would think was a positive outcome for a union in a trade dispute.

The best way to address the issue of non members is to show them what solidarity can achieve and what individualism cannot.

[RedBagMan]

Red bag man !

After your detailed rant about past union experience,( being an ex -rep and committed union supporter), I find it strange with that level of morale belief that you have so easily accepted the fact that your application to join the union was ignored !!!! I do not accept your reasoning for one minute, despite the fact that you say you would never pass a picket line. Join the union and get involved with the fight we cannot afford to lose !!!

I was let down BIG STYLE by Unite - like I said they were more interested in a "dispute" that would get big press (I'll tell you what dispute is was ... it was Diageo in Kilmarnock) rather than us little boys - it was that moment when I realised that the Union Movement seemed pointless - style over substance ... and having glorified in Tony Blair's triumph in 1997 ... and then watched the 21st Century arrive - new Century new Labour ... more style over substance - and as time has gone on Labour have moved closer and closer to the right - so far in fact that the fence-sitters (OK LibDems) are willing to go either way (ooo-err missus !) purely because there's bog all difference between the "Official Left" and the "Official Right" - and those loons in UKIP only serve to cloud the issue.

Anyway I digress - let's be honest ... the Union movement died a death under that b*st*rd Thatcher - she knew how to work the system ... divide and rule (viz. NUM and those strike breakers from Nottingham ... sorry UDM) - when I was Union Rep at my last place I talked to Personnel - and they admitted they didn't even mention "Union" when new starters were given their 'induction' (fortunately because I was in charge of the recruitment software program I knew - so I went direct !). So yes ... I thought maybe the CWU would be a bit more "together" when I joined RM - sadly it wasn't - so it just confirmed in a sense how I felt when I got chucked out of my previous job ... to me most Unions (and I do say most - not all) are so bloody ambivalent these days (that's me being polite) ... so what's the bloody point ? I took a 60% pay cut - so £1-79 per week means more to me than most I guess.

Rant over - although this is just one reply to one quote ...best read rest of thread now ...

[dt123]

This thread seems to have become a bit of a non-member love in. Lets not kid ourselves, there might be the odd one that has ideological beliefs why they don't want to join the Union but the reason for most people is that they don't want to pay the subscriptions. If it is ideological then they wouldn't take part in a strike that was called by the Union anyway. I'm not bothered if they go in or not, you're not a member so do what you want. To be honest they don't have a say, Law allows for a recognised Union to negotiate collectively its members terms and conditions (and that of all the non-members as well). As a member I get to have a say, whether it be through the ballot box or at a union meeting, non-members don't. They are the outsiders who allow me as a union member to dictate their terms and conditions. So they can bleat as loud as they like on this forum but in reality the only ones who have a say are the CWU members.

Union Members vote YES

[RedBagMan]

As an employee ... I also have a say ... OK I haven't got the "full force" of a Union behind me - but my "say" should be taken just as seriously as a collective "say" ... and remember that collective "say" might not have 100% support - but my "one man army" is 100% support - or as Gandhi put it “Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.”