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[Kiksomass]

why do we even need unions theses days? we have a minimum wage and a maxium working hours per week (which thankfully we can opt out if if we choose. everyone has a contract of employment.

if you dont like your job or the rules or practises your employer sets, you know where the door is.

I thought the same once and it took 3 years working for the same large company that I do before I was convinced otherwise. I won't publicly slag them off,but since joining the union over a year ago now,I have seen some really ill thought ideas and rules coming from management. Because these ideas affect the nationwide workforce as a whole,we are expected to swallow these new rules that were thought up over tea and biscuits.It is precisely why these large organisations,BA,NHS,NUT,RMT etc etc have Union representation for its workers.So that these management individuals trying to justify their salaries,don't think up ideas in the bath one night and force everyone else to go along with them.So with regards to "contracts" yes we all sign up to them and then further down the line the rules change.With evermore threats of cutbacks and job losses across the board,Unity has its benefits.If you are not working for a large organisation,you can still join up and be represented i.e Transport and General Workers Union which is now Unite. Needless to say which side of the fence I'm on regarding strike action by anybody.There are always two sides to every story

[Nickbat]

"In court, Network Rail alleged the RMT balloted 11 signal boxes that do not exist, and that in 67 locations the numbers of union members balloted exceeded the total number of employees working. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8598456.stm

I think this underlines the problem. I've been reading a great deal about the BASSA/Unite action at BA as well and have seen categorical falsehoods bought about by Unite (in the case of parked-up planes at Cardiff) to back up their claims of success...which is not overwhelming to say the least.

The problem, and I am sure that many on here will chastise me for saying it, is that many Unions are run by hard left-wingers. You only need to hear Bob Crow open his mouth to know he's hardly interested in the financial well-being of the Network Rail.

And therein lies the problem. Union leaders should share the corporate desire to be profitable, as that would clearly benefit their members. If there was a genuine case of grievance, then such leaders would be listened to far more generously by company leaders. But that is not the case and oddly, in the case of Unite, they are forcibly taking extra money from members to create a £700,000 fighting fund for the strikers at BA, yet the union has literally millions already.

And remember that unions are big businesses in themselves, and their leaders answer to no one because they rely on intimidation to get their way. In this day and age, how can anyone agree with staff who do not wish to withdraw their labour suffering abuse, insults and bullying.

The unions need to move into the 21st century, IMHO.          

[Kiksomass]

"In court, Network Rail alleged the RMT balloted 11 signal boxes that do not exist, and that in 67 locations the numbers of union members balloted exceeded the total number of employees working. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8598456.stm

I think this underlines the problem. I've been reading a great deal about the BASSA/Unite action at BA as well and have seen categorical falsehoods bought about by Unite (in the case of parked-up planes at Cardiff) to back up their claims of success...which is not overwhelming to say the least.

The problem, and I am sure that many on here will chastise me for saying it, is that many Unions are run by hard left-wingers. You only need to hear Bob Crow open his mouth to know he's hardly interested in the financial well-being of the Network Rail.

And therein lies the problem. Union leaders should share the corporate desire to be profitable, as that would clearly benefit their members. If there was a genuine case of grievance, then such leaders would be listened to far more generously by company leaders. But that is not the case and oddly, in the case of Unite, they are forcibly taking extra money from members to create a £700,000 fighting fund for the strikers at BA, yet the union has literally millions already.

And remember that unions are big businesses in themselves, and their leaders answer to no one because they rely on intimidation to get their way. In this day and age, how can anyone agree with staff who do not wish to withdraw their labour suffering abuse, insults and bullying.

The unions need to move into the 21st century, IMHO.          

Fair point well made Nickbat.Good to see another POV without it getting personal. I like a good discussion