I left Unite the union this morning after 11 years membership. I made sure it was the first thing I did.
I was appalled and angry to read the Mail on Sunday’s revelations about Derek Simpson’s frequent stays at the Waldorf. Appalled that someone who lectures others on corporate greed and excess could tell the Mail that the Waldorf was an appropriate resting place for a man of his stature. And angry that the governance of the union is so broken that the excess was permitted.
I joined Unite (when it was just the TGWU) in 1997 because I believed in the values of trade unionism and because I saw membership of a trade union as an essential part of my commitment to the Labour party. I picked the T&G because I liked national officer Bob Purkiss, who lived in my constituency and because he was keen to push my involvement. At the time I was working for £1.80 in a pizza franchise where there was no prospect of trade union recognition and I was put in a branch of Barcardi staff in Southampton. However, I enjoyed being active on the regional and national structures although I was surprised when (despite being a 6th form student) was told to claim ‘loss of earnings’ expenses as well as full train costs, despite my young persons’ discount card.
I drifted away from active trade unionism whilst at university – even though I was working for my first and only employer which recognised a union – the House of Commons. In fact, during that time the union in parliament ran a successful campaign to increase salaries for MPs’ staff – and it’s not their fault I left before benefitting. I kept paying my £10 per month even when doing so sent me over my overdraft limit and cost me bank charges. I didn’t want to leave an organisation when I believed in its purpose just because I was poor at managing my finances.
When I moved house in 2004, I called the union to register my change of address. The membership centre couldn’t find any records of my membership, despite me giving the reference numbers which appeared on my monthly direct debit. In an act of petulance I suggested I should cancel my direct debit and the call centre operator agreed that union membership was of little use. However, my wife was a local councillor and I thought it was better to be in than out. Then Jack Dromey came calling and I stayed in the T&G because I supported his candidacies. I remained in the union despite not receiving a ballot paper to any of my former addresses and no other communication from the union.
I left today because I realised that being a member of a trade union is not the same as being committed to collective organising and standing up for working people. In fact, it feels incompatible. Some may think that it’s daft to leave whilst there’s an election up for grabs (even though I won’t get a vote). But it shouldn’t depend on one person to change the culture of an organisation which told a 16 year old that it was ok to lie about his expenses and fails to provide a check on a general secretary who has lost a sense of what he’s for. Besides, I always hoped that Jack Dromey’s election would leave to things changing. I haven’t seen that (not that the union has contacted me either).
There are two other things that have helped me make the decision. My wife is a member of Unite and, as a Labour councillor in a marginal ward, has asked on three occassions for help with election expenses. She’s never had a reply. And although she receives plenty of advertising for financial services products, there’s no regular communication (even something as basic and old fashioned as a newsletter).
So I’m leaving Unite the union and will not rejoin a trade union until I find one that tends to practice what it preaches. Even if the particulars of this story are not true, it comes after a series of embarrassing revelations of corporate greed at the union.
Instead, I will find a progressive organisation which stands up for working and vulnerable people and believes in collectivity and donate £10 a month to them instead. And if I get in trouble at work? Well, I wouldn’t fancy my chances with this bunch, even if I could convince them that I’m a member.
UPDATE: I’ve emailed Tony Woodley to explain why I’ve left. Not because I’m important, but because I want the leadership of the union to understand just how damaging these stories are.
I’ve no reason to doubt the integrity of Woodley, Dromey or lots of other hard working T&G activists and staff. But the failure of corporate governance to allow the union to give THAT quote to the Mail – and turned a blind eye to the payments suggests a rotten organisation. Moreover, it no longer has the credibility to speak for me in the Labour party, in Whitehall, to company bosses or the media.
UPDATE: Tony Woodley called me to discuss my email. As we agreed, the content of the call will remain private. However, I was impressed that he took the time to talk about my concerns.
Related posts:
Matthew.
I still dont understand why you left the union. I can see your point about DS and the Waldorf but I get the impression that you are quite happy supporting a political party such as Labour who support neo liberal policies that benefit the rich.
Why dont you rejoin and assist in making the union more available to members where there are no union agreements and at the same time using the lay member structure to challange abuses like the waldorf incident?
Fair question, Ian. There are three factors, really:
1. I happen to think that Labour’s “neo liberal policies that benefit the rich” are a necessary price to pay for getting it elected. It’s a compromise worth making
2. Labour makes no pretence of “fighting back for the workers” and indeed gets lectured by hypocrites such as Simpson for defending the rich.
3. I was active in the lay member structure of the union and found it to be completely and utterly hopeless in challenging abuses. Indeed, as I intimated, it drew me in to a web of excessive expenses claims, on a smaller scale
Maybe that makes me incoherent or unprincipled in your eyes. But I’d rather my wages not subsidise hotel visits in the Waldorf.
I think there should be a minster for consumers rights
Technically there is, Jerry. It’s Kevin Brennan MP: http://www.berr.gov.uk/aboutus/ministerialteam/page51725.html but I’m not sure that giving someone ministerial responsibility for a policy area has always made much of an impact.
There’s also Consumer Focus, of course.
Don’t blame you Matthew. Like you, I too spent a decade supporting a Trade Union and am disillusioned. USDAW does nothing to support workers. They are more concerned with revenue raising to fund their lavish non-stop conferencing, than defending workers rights. They have lost members to other unions and are balloting workers in Wrexham. Like Labour MP’s they are not interested in the working class, only in their explotation for their own political prestige and power. Gone to BNP and GMB. Good luck to you.
I can’t condone supporting a racist political party.
Matthew trade unions are now a country mile behind the employers on all counts , we pay our subs for representation and thats what we dont get ,,
TELL EVERYONE ABOUT IT AT http://WWW.EMPLOYMENTCONCERN.CO.UK
The descision by flight staff to strike over the Christmas holiday is the final straw. O.K there was a ballot but a profesional Union should be in a position to understand the long term damage such an action would cause.
To the Company, The Government, Labour Party, Customers, General public and not least BA staff who will ultimately be made redundant .
I was around in the 70′s and remember initial rot setting in. nearly 40 years on and no lessons have been learned it would appear.
The only fat cats that I can think of are Sim[son and Woodley
Unite or any other union are not interested in the individual whether she/he be a member or not. They will go so far as to represent you in the workplace but only to ensure that any action taken against you is fair. There sole purpose (in my view) is to negociate your yearly payrise and to be honest they aint that good at that. Unions are dated and have little or no affect on the current work/life style, You only have to look at the current BA crisis if the workers go on strike, BA will be lucky to last 12 days before they call in the receivers then all the workforce will be looking for employment. Dont waste your money by paying your subs every month it would be of more benefit donating it to charity. We have Unite representing us and they have acheived nothing on note in recent years every decision they have argued they have lost.
Having read your comments I can but agree and Hope that people like yourself stand up more and show what Unions are doing to our country. People complain about Fat Cats in Industry, Banking and fiddling claims in Goverment, what about Union Staff taking liberties with supporters money is that not as bad? I wish someone had set up an anti union site on the web that had some power.
How do you go about leaving the union? I looked on their website and can’t find a “Leave Now” button. Is it simply a case of cancelling my direct debit?
Thanks
Unite is a joke ! What muppet solicitors are they using to continually throw members money at this BA dispute and they can’t even get a ballot right. Time to throw it in ! Willie Walsh won’t be beaten !
Unite is a joke. My employer routinely breaks every rule in the book. I’ve been bullied for years, even had two teeth knocked out. No other jobs out there, so what choice do i have but to stick with, i’ve got a family to support. Nobody I work with is in the union, so unite is just not interested in my problems. All this and they spend my contributions on the BA dispute.
They will soon be another member short.
I’m really sorry to hear that. The dreadful thing, though, is that leaving the union isn’t going to make your case any better. But there’s no one filling the gap left by poor trade unions (I’ve not heard anyone say that a particular union is better than any other).
I have just read the annual accounts for Unite,the money paid to Simpson and Woodley is a disgrace,we are talking of over £250,000 paid to these two guys in a year.
What a disgrace,they have the cheek to talk of fatcat bosses they are a pair of hypocrites.
I was made redundant after 33 years of service, never been disciplined and very good attendance. The reason given was multi skilled needed and they would not give me training I had asked for since 1995. The manager told me I was to go and no other affected, no voluntary redundancies would be accepted. Because I was on my own the union area rep did not want to know just said get the best deal I could. Later he said we should have appealed. I did not trust this man one bit as anything I said to him had got back to my manager before my meetings. After paying union subs for 33years I feel well disgusted how I have been treated hence I am no longer a member
I’ve just read your blog and reply’s, most of which seem to come from Unite members who have been wronged by their employer but have decided to blame the union. The problems they have faced seem to me to put the case for stronger unions. However I fail to see how leaving a union can help achieve this. You say you were not listed as a member and then complain that you did not get a ballot paper, well I’m sure some one as smart as you could work out why and who to contact to have the situation corrected, also you must have had a membership number as you were a “committee” member, something about what you say does not ring true. DS may not have been right to stay in the Waldolf but neither would a B&B be right. All in all I think you are just another neo-liberal within the Labour Party who feels it is fashionable to bash the trade union movement. Your actions have only strengthened the hand of the employers who were the guilty ones in the cases referred to by those people who replied to you
Jerry
I think some of your observations are absolutely right. Unions can only achieve a certain amount within the existing legislation and like any large organisations, have success stories and problems.
I won’t go into the dull intricacies of trying to get the (then) TGWU membership services to sort out my subscription. But it didn’t work, despite my best efforts.
I did try and change the union, for a while, by serving on my district committee, regional committee (region 2) and national young members forum. I went to conferences, workshops, wrote papers for national officers etc. But ultimately after 3 years of activism had nothing to show for it except a series of dubious expenses claims which had been pre-arranged by the officer responsible.
I do believe in trade unions as a force for good – but I see limited evidence that they are fulfilling their role in the way that they should. Today’s vulnerable workers aren’t (in the main) in the public sector (where unions are at their best) or working for large employers with recognition agreements.
It’s a shame you choose to criticise me and my political views rather than addressing the challenges facing trade unionism.
I respect your views but I also disagree with what is written by others who view the union as the cause of all their woes at work.
I am a full time seconded rep and representive people 24/7 even when I have had tragic events in my life to deal with at the time, sometime I have gone 24 hours in a day to deal with the shifts, so please don’t tell me as a union official in my workplace I don’t care!
The rep in the workplace cares deeply about the member and also the company as one without the other does not go.
That is business our members also need a job, on the BA dispute not all the reporting is true, I’m sure.
But we must all remember this is the working men and women voting to take this action and that is their right, hopefully common sense will prevail and everyone will have a desired outcome.
No matter where you work, no-one should tell you, your rights have been taken away from you, and you no longer have a voice.
As for fat cat’s in the union, this will always be an issue in any industry/company whom decides who gets what but in the current climate with falling numbers owing to job losses the days are well behind us.
Do not give up on unions they are made up of decent men and women whom work hard not all label with the same brush.
Sally northants
Dear Mathew,
I think the only answer to Unite squandering members money and supporting its fat cat secretaries is for all the members to leave.
I was employed by the same company for 23 years and was unfairly dismissed. Unite passed my claim for employment tribunal to their solicitors – Thompsons. I thought they were going to help me! Instead, it turns out that the relationship between them and Unite is so cosy that the only beneficiary is Thompsons who bullied me to settle my case and misled me in the lead up to my Tribunals in order for them to receive their bonus. I was left out of pocket and severely traumatised by their actions. Unite happily paid Thompsons London weighting fees and their bonuses and they let them bully me to accept a pitiful amount of compensation to avoid the cost of a Barrister and to line their solicitors pockets with members hard earned contributions. They are a disgrace. They have failed to repond to my complaints and ignored my concerns. What is the point of Unions. They only want to get their names and faces in the papers and on the television when it suits them.
I think that members should be made wholly aware of what to expect when they ask for help – namely none!!!
C Chipperfield
Union solicitors have to base their view on whether your case had 50% chance of success at an Employment Tribunal. Your case didnt. All solicitors have to base their view on a criteria. No win no fee solicitors base their view on whether you have a 60% chance of success.From what you are saying the union didnt view your case of having resonable prospects of success. Arent they the experts in deciding this?
Either way it isnt the unions fault as they have to take the solicitors advice and guidance.
If the Union, any union , took up every case, however futile then they would either go bankrupt very soon or have to put up subs to £40 or more a week to cover the loss. Remember costs are awarded against complainants for frivolous cases.
Unions arent perfect. But collective action is better and more pewerful than individual action. The employment law in the UK offers the very minimum protection. It is better to fight collectively with work colleagues through a union arrangement than to fight on your own and then moan.
I,m in Unite. I have not been supported in some cases but have been in others.The solicitors are paid by members money to do a job.They sometimes have to make hard decisions.Where I think the union is wrong I tell someone and get an explanation. I wont leave the union but fight to make it better.
C Chipperfield and Matthew and the other union critics, get over yourselves and move on.
Its not all me,me, me.
I am a self employed gardener.
I am on a low wage, work all weathers, work Bank Holidays [and don't ask for triple time and a extra day off for my efforts]do not get paid for my holidays, do not get sick pay, pay my own insurance and all equipment/ van etc.. I pay my own tax and even have to work it all out myself [unpaid]and do not have the benefit of being able to call on a trade Union for assistance if required. WHY ? because the trade Unions are not intrested In my membership and are not prepared to fight for MY rights as an ordinary working class man.
The next time Unite and other Unions call for a ballot perhaps they should think about who they are representing in this country. And why they are ignoring many like my self who are working with employment conditions that are 60years behind everything Union members are recieving today.
Andy
Who is your employer?
If you have an issue the union will help.
But you havent an employer. You are self employed. So what the f*ck is your point about unions?
By the way. I was a self employed window cleaner for 7 years. I didnt whinge like you unless you are trying, yes trying to take the piss.
Unite has self employed members. They organise Hackney Carraige Taxi drivers in London, Southampton, Brighton and elsewhere for instance.
What is your point?
In reply to Tony Blair [ or is it Bliar]
Without resorting to bad language [You know when an argument is lost as soon as this occurs]
My points are obvious and clearly outlined.
As is the case with window cleaners [Good honest working class employment] my employers are my numerous clients. It would be of great interest as to how a Union would help if I had an issue . Perhaps they could come round and tell them [usually elderly clients] that as I worked through my lunch hour to ensure that a lawn was cut before it rained that they were in breach of a subsection of a European work directive.
Or perhaps that as I climbed a ladder to prune a tree without someone footing the base and I was not provided with a hard hat, goggles and a little red book of petty Union safety recomendations that I should get a Union rep to ‘sort em out’
What I am saying is that some ordinary working class people are trying to earn an honest crust. To do a good job and to please their clients.
The unions have never made any representations to speak on our behalf. One thing they could do if they really supported the working class would be to apply pressure to enforce PAYE for all aspects of self employment. If I have a regular client I should expect the same rights as someone who works for the medium and large companies [who Unite seem to represent]
With reference to your reply to Chipperfield, Mathew et al ‘It’s all me, me, me’
That’s rich given the Unite Unions unilateral stance on the BA strike – against the interests of the Company, Passengers and the general public.
Please listen to the arguments and consider them carefully without resorting to abuse.
Am planning to leave Unite, having been a member for about 10 years, joining when it was Amicus. Reason: Unite, which is supposed to represent my industry of pharmaceutical/healthcare sales, couldn’t care less for salespeople, when pharma companies are making mass redundancies. Excuse: no union recognition in those industries. Why can’t they make a point in the wider arena? Or do you have to earn a certain level of salary before you are deemed ‘worthy’? Once you go above that level, you are one of the ‘enemy’?
Will increase my subscription to Help for Heroes instead.
can’t understand why people will destroy the something set upnto help them. it will always be have area undesirables absorbing some of the resources, wrongly manipulating things for their own ends. But it has to be better than trying tonfight an unjust employer who will do everything to become richer on the backs of the poor employee. If we do not correct and strengthen the groups fighting these dictatorships for want of a better word. Then we will leave because they haven’t met with our personal perception of what they should be doing, in doing so remove any obstacle in the way of the bad employer and let them go back to sending children down the pits or working people till they drop. These are issues that where fought for and people died in pursuing. Bury your differences the struggle is just. Don’t expect every thing you want to be given to you. The employers won’t give you much if they don’t have to. To walk away is to accept any injustice and allow others to be subject to it. We need to work together, if just to help support when things do go wrong.
Matthew Cains blog ! My arse.Having read some of the drivel posted here about blaming unions for all the failures, (failures being the union bashers),the reason decent,want to earn a crust and principled people join a union is that their principles and lives will not be bought by any employer or beaten out of them by the anti-union scum that exist in workplaces and who have posted shite on this site. I was a member . . . I paid for …. They never supported me … blah blah blah.I am a member of Unite and prior to that the T&G collectively for 20 years.In this time I have had to made several justifiable claims for different reasons against different employers.I have never been let down once and was so inspired by the backbone of Unite I became a workplace rep.I have placed my neck in the block many a time for members.Its built into you or it ain’t.My reward comes from the countless members I have helped when they are not fired,receive a pay rise,and general support through their working day.Who else independant of a trade union can deliver this service . . your employer or some of the anti union scum on this site.I don’t agree with some aspects of some unions,religeons or politians but I am not so biggoted as to condemn all as useless.No working class person in this country should not be a member of a union irrespective of who that uion is..As I started out,Matthew Cain blog …my arse !
i read your article with interest without going into this too much in open forum I want to leave unite not because of the hypocrisy at the top but because the people who are supposed to represent me are plainly not interested in doing so. Did you manage to find an alternative union to join?
Dear All,
There seems to be a lot of “my arsing” going on. I can only speak as I find, as can all the people who comment on this blog site. I was so let down by Unites solicitors – Thompsons – that I received compensation from them after an extremely lengthy battle with them that damaged my health. I had to report Thompsons to the Solicitors Regulation Authority who have treated my complaint so seriously that they have put them under a supervision order. They did their utmost to damage my chances at tribunal and Unite support them because they let these total incompetents train their poor unfortunate reps in “legal??” matters and they refuse to consider my complaints, even though I have proof of every 26 of them. They do not give a monkies about me as a long serving member. Before anybody else comments that it is all me me me, please carefully consider how you would feel in my shoes. I also know of many other members that have had to go to extaordinary lengths to try to achieve recognition and support by Unites legal department. Why are they there if it isn’t to help their members? I know that not every case has reasonable prospects of success but I was told mine had. Therefore I expected to be placed in the hands of a prosessional organisation. I did not expect 18 months of frantic, desperate pleading with a bunch of solicitors that were intent on destroying my chances at tribunal. I would have been better off without the lot of them!! Why didn’t I do it on my own? I will tell you why, because they tried to pull the wool over my eyes led me on and made false promises, which I now know was only in order to gain their bonus at my expense.
Unite did not try to save my job! I was a member for years but unfortunatly staff were unrepresented at my workplace. Where does that leave us innocent members? I cannot fault my rep who passed my tribunal case to Thompsons who then took it on because they considered that it had reasonable prospects of success. I now know that Thompsons sole intention was to extract as much money from Unite as possible, damage my chances at tribunal, try to force me to settle my claim so they could receive their bonuses and cancel my barrister hours before my hearings without informing me.
The only way that unions will continue to work is, if as a member, you are also treated as an individual. You join the union for the better good of the working people. More members mean more power. If you are picked on as an individual in the workplace, as I was, then you still need to know that as an individual you will have the same backing as the majority. We cannot all be employed in large businesses or organisations that have more members to cast votes.
I joined the union because I also believed in what they stood for. Had I worked on the shop floor in a large factory then my voice would have been heard within a balloting system. This did not happen to me even though I also joined the union ranks to make a stand against exactly what the unions were formed to resist and fight – a dictatorship by the ruthless employers.
I did not expect the union and their solicitors to turn on me!! It is not all me me me!! It is just complete disillusionment, disgust and now contempt, which is exactly how any other sane person would feel in my shoes.
Have a look at http://www.dearunite.com strapline “what’s really going on in our union” its mostly about this dort of goings on in our union. Or http://www.grassrootsleft.org which is attempting to do something about it.
I certainly wouldn’t do anything on the basis of something I’d read in the Daily Mail or the Mail on Sunday. Both publications are used by the Taxpayers Alliance to propagate misinformation about working people and their unions. The millionaire-funded TPA needs to justify its existence by generating quotes and reports for lazy jounalists. Mail readers are their main target audience.
I see at 32 the self employed, houseboat-dweller, class warrior David Beaumont has entered the debate. Ok, every thing has to stop. First of all, lets have an election of officers then the world of Trade Unionism will be alright. Then we can all check out Grassrootsleft who got minimal support in the badly turned out recent executive elections in Unite.Then we can try and find Jerry Hicks who disappears until there is an internal election or a picketline at the opening of a fridge to try a gain a tiny bit of support.
I was being subjected to a great deal of abuse by one of my work colleagues. Although I complained to management they did little about it. It was pointless raising the subject with my union rep (Unite the Union) because it was he who was giving the abuse. Consequently I resigned from the union.
A number of my other work colleagues resigned from Unite since they also received abuse from this man and they felt that this Union was giving poor value for £11 per month.
unite waste members money on there freebee hols and nights out,total scum
I have been a member of the union for 40+ years now,I class myself as an active activist .I have served as a shop steward , convenor, safety rep and four years on the national exec af amicus.
I too am extremely annoyed at the excesses paid from union funds to DS and such we need to find the facts and act on them, the Executive council of the union needs to be accountable to the members as they have the final say on such payments and other issues.
If Overpayments have been made then the members should follow proper procedures to complain about them and seek recoupe within the union.
Yes there are people, fulltime officers that are not doing there jobs to the members benifit. That was why in amicus I campained for and we had election of officers to make them accountable.
The merger with the T&G saw an end to that as they appointed their ft officers,as I see it jobs for the boys.
No wonder people can feather their nests at members expence.
Ds persude Jackson relentlessly during my term of office on the EC on just such issues.
I feel really let down and disilusioned by what I am hearing has gone on since the merger with the T&G.
But then what can we expect when you find the amount of money that is paid to the labour party by the union and look what we get for that,”well they do talk to us” is what I am told. Its actions we want not words.
Lets reform the union from within no officer should be paid more then the average pay of the members they represent.All officers should be elected to ensure accountability.
I agree with your comments and if you step back and look at all parties involved they stand for principles that theydont follow as they should.
The best place for your work to assist is within a Union, if only they have the resource to help you fight the cause. Their are many with your feelings and they too are trying to change things from within.
Don’t stand outside and throw stones get in there and help reorganise. We need more doing this from the inside. It will never change looking in.
I never liked ‘One Union One Voice’ Too big means more income less officers and not enough time for those limited officers to be everywhere fighting the issues for its members. It falls to those ground roots members to work together and make the changes. My view is, if you have three unions in a workplace you have three reps, three full time officers, three resources for advisors and solicitors. The Manager has to talk to three people at the other side of the table. They can then be better placed to argue and with the same amount of employees who can take action if needed.
I dont blame you for not staying in there, but we need to work together to change it, help us.
You did the right thing. They were complacent taking your money whilst claiming to have no record of your membership.
Personally, I despise trade unions, they are militant, outdated, counter-productive and have no place in the UK. We have enough employees rights legislation in place to protect our workforce. Any organisation that considers itself just by holding strikes and jeapordising our country’s struggle out of recession, should be disbanded. Holding the country to ransom for headline grabbing politics is futile and spits in the face of the rest of the population.
I joined Unite 3 years ago and have never had cause to call them until recently.
Yesterday I called Unite for the 1st time in 3 years, as I am suffereng constant harrasment from my employers & wanted advice.
When I called head office yesterday, the receptionist at “Transport House” hung up the phone saying “WHO ARE YOU” after I explained I wanted to speak to my rep about harrasment & bullying in the workplace.
I could not believe this was happeneing as I had explained why I was calling. (I think it is because I am well spoken).
Called back Green Lanes afterward, spoke to some one called Keith who said he would find out who my Union representative was & call me back after leaving my mobile number, he never did.
It is obvious that they are totaly not interested in individual members, the receptionist I spoke to completely demonstrates their contempt for members and provide an appalling service, you are unlikely to get through to anyone. I called today & the phone rang for 5 minutes un-answered.
I am getting the impression they are just like “Big Business” they deride constantly. Take your money and treat you like an idiot & provide zero service, unless it is a “Political Agenda” they can pump for all its worth. Maybe I should have said I was a “Cleaner” instead of a Head Porter!
I have paid in over £300 in subs, for this treatment?
I am cancelling my subs & membership forthwith as total waste of time & money. Pretty much the same treatment I get from my employers!
Sincerely, John Willis
All the above writers are demonstrating is two things. One is without a doubt, that successive governments, beginning with Mrs Thatchers Tories, have have eroded the working persons’ rights in law and that includes New Labour and Tony. Because of this the ability of any workplace rep to negotiate successfully is severely curtailed when placed alongside the reluctance of workforces to take industrial action at the appropriate time.
The second is that, over these years of anti worker and anti Union legislation, Union membership has fallen dramatically which is why Unions have amalgamated for strength, this also makes Union leaders desperate to get the “numbers” up and get footholds in big companies and it’s my beleif that this is where the focus is and not at grass roots which is where the unions’ strengths were in times past. What’s the answer? Well that’s not so easy, as in any large organisation where the so called “leadership” has placed itself beyond accountability, because basically they are not listening. So really the only way forward, as I see it, is for members to do what they did in the past when employers failed to respond to negotiation and that’s simply vote with your feet.
There are over 1.5 million members in Unite and this is just a tiny few whinging and whining about this great union which is fighting for YOU and YOUR humane rights and supporting other unions in other countries far worse off than you are. Stop knocking a good thing and do something positive – like helping and making a difference. If this was an ideal world we wouldnt need unions, but its not and Rome wasnt built in a day. Its people making public comments such as above that will send us all back to the dark ages and then you wont even get a say without being thrown into prison for it. This free Country of ours would possibly be a dictarship country if it wasnt for the Unions. In solidarity
Thanks for your comment Annie.
On reflection, I do feel uneasy about the negative tone of the original post. That’s why I wrote this to try and do something constructive: http://blog.matthewcain.co.uk/where-next-for-unite-the-union/ Separately I’ve also tried to work with some people in the union movement where I’ve got expertise to offer.
However, I don’t agree that by criticising union leaders I’m criticising union members – or jeopardising the important role that unions have to play. It’s the misuse of members’ funds that does more to discredit trade union credibility.
Finally, one of the things that has been fascinating about this debate is how many people have come to this post through Google. It appears to be one of the few places on the web where people can debate the internal activities of Unite. Why, in an organisation with 1.5m members, are there not more prominent digital communities for those members to exchange workplace experiences, give the union feedback and campaign for a fairer society?
Worked in the steel industry for 25 years now & left unite (amicus) 9 years ago.
In my experience union reps are now just another arm of company management or use the shop stewards platform to get noticed by management as a stepping stone to promotion.
The unite rep in my dept is currently on a mission to get more overtime for the day shift (his shift) due to the fact that night shift workers get a shift premium that he deems unfair.
I just take consolation in the fact I save £3 a week in union subs
In reply to Annie’s view on a few whingers. I am not a whinger and have been a T&G activist and then Unite for 20 odd years. In my current workplace, I and one other got Unite in for the reasons of helping my colleagues. However, when the paid hierarchy start making decisions and agreements behind the backs of the elected representatives, which are not in the interest of the membership, then it is time to question why the tail has started to wag the dog. When the paid hierarchy fail to investigate, fairly, thier shortcomings, then I beleive we have allowed them to fall into the same belief, as our politicians, that they are beyond accountability to the very people who put them there. In simple terms, if you buy a dog and you feed and take care of it and it then starts biting you on a regular basis, it’s time to get another dog and get rid of that one. In my case the above statement is true and is ongoing and the union is all the weaker for it but better that than another group of unaccountable people telling us to do things we don’t wish to.
I have been a member of [ETU,EEPTU,AEEU,Amicus and now Unite for 45 years,and the biggest problem we all faced, was the rule book and those people who endorsed it.Campaign to change rules and make the Union transparent, modern to our lives and occupations and indeed our families, unfortunately you will have to be a member…
why is it that our union officials recomend pay rises, when they themselfs have a luxery life and an annual inflation proof pay rises,it seems as if they are know the same as the people they are negotiating with, I feel that as a union member we are just being used as disposable foder, increase the membership for funds, give themselfs a good pay rise stay in very posh hotels I dare say have union credit cards, who are the fools, I feel I have been for the last 40 years or more, the idea of unionism has long gone unless you use it to get to be a union official, cannot find out how much these union officials percentage pay rises they have had over the last two years
I would leave to,the biggest,union cross and crown and quakers are the biggest,I bet there the cunts robbing all three of them,there like protesters who joined catholic church,it had no cash so they treid to leave then realised they could not protest as catholics are anti everything,
The people who have left negative comments about unions have no idea at all, the comments are really sad that people can be so stupid. You just have to look at countries with no unions where people are lucky to come home from work. The negative comments is what big companies want you to believe, its that’s sample. The fact we have wages dropping is because people won’t strike to help each other and union membership is very low giving unions very little power.
have just been reading some of the very dismal views of the union some of the contributors hold,I worked for 27years as a fulltime official,even so I hope you might have some time to read my view.We are in a major recession ,its not suprising that workers are peeded off,the simple fact is the unions are as democratic as the members wish it to be,so make it happen if you have a problem persuading the majority of members to support you try and try again.Some of you talk as if the ftos are on above average .salaries,not so look at the wage indices produced by dofe.And dont drive salaries down its up you should be aiming for as trade unionist so leave driving down to the tories,good luck to all other than tories,keep up the good work
Hi l was a member of unite union for 10 years allway belive in the union membership.My exp with Unite is very poor from shop stewart to their complanit manager.I would 10 years at DPD where is sack for throwing item at a staff member.O.K it was wrong.But union of a case where is superiover
attack a member of staff go to court gets found guilty keep his job,aslo gets paid leave.This is in the local paper so l give the to my shop stewart and the lawyer.NO ACTION TAKE THEY MY WE CAN,T do anythink.I belive the union and the lawyer as not acting my best intrest.So l complanit to head office they wrote back this happened at a late date.This a total wrong each writen union they say you are not a menber how can l be a member when l am self empolyed.No l am of the veiw to take legal action have upto 6 years.
I would be most greatfull of any reply.
Sorry about the grammer l do get carry away about the sudject.
I can fully sympathise with many of the comments I have read on this blog. I have been a union member for nearly twenty years. My only time of asking Unite for assistance had left me angry, very frustrated but more than anything deeply saddened.
The whole experience has left me totally disillusioned. The response I have received from the Union officers has been regrettable ranging from apathy and disinterest to open hostility. My experience has been one where I have been made to feel the outsider and that I am an irritation.
From the beginning I have been made to fight.
I have had to involve the Legal Ombudsman to bring people to the table.
I have had to make Statutory Access Requests to the Union and Thompsons to gain access to details not freely given to find out that I have been badly served. I now believe these were the real reasons why I could not get information.
I have been forced to make redress to the ICO to get information that should be mine by right because the Union says that I am not entitled because of legal privilege. The information I wanted was about me, regarding acts made at my request and paid for by me through subscriptions. The ICO had to censure the Union for their wrong actions regarding the supply of information but this seems to be treated as par for the course.
I make the points because I have had to make recourse to these bodies and organisations to get fair play against my own Union, not the Tory party or large corporate organisations, but my Union. I have been fighting this for over four years and I am now sickened of the whole Union experience.
The instructions to proceed with my case for Breach of Contract were issued by the Union to Thompsons in 2009 and they agreed to proceed. No action was ever undertaken and they did nothing for almost a year.
Even now I have still not had the common courtesy of an explanation from Thompsons to explain why they failed to act under instructions, why they failed to maintain contact and why I was told action was imminent when in reality nothing was being done. They can only take this stance and ignore me if they are confident of Union support. We were clearly responsible for paying them so did the Union ask why there was nothing happening or ask for progress reports? Is anybody bothered? My real despair is that the Union did nothing to support me and find out why.
It does beg the question of how much have Thompsons been paid since taking on the contract to supply the Union with legal support?
I was dismayed to learn of the huge severence package given to Simpson and mystified when it appeared no one, including Len McCluskey, supposedly knew he was getting such an outrageous golden handshake. Where was the oversight and scutiny that we demand of the bankers and ‘fat cats’? Who ratified the decision? Apparently we do not need to know even though we have all contributed.
I was so full of hope when Len McCluskey took over. I actually read all the manifestos and then chose to vote for him. I was lifted to think that at last the fiefdoms and infighting would end and transparancy returned. I believed that the culture would change and the power handed back to the members but the truth is that the leadership are as isolated and remote as ever. I now believe that the Union has been broken. The race to stave off declining membership was the driving force behind the countless amalgamations which has weakened us. The Union has become a business and has avidly pursued the PR and sound bite mentality to exploit exposure and has forgotten that if the individual is protected the group automatically becomes strong. It does not work in reverse.
Would I have been so easily let down and ignored had I been British Airways or a large group instead of being a lone individual? I am left with that feeling of isolation that comes from injustice and being let down by the very people who are supposed to be there in such times of need. I feel like the idiot who wasn’t invited to the party and stood outside in the rain watching everyone enjoying themselves only to find out later that he was paying for it. Simpson, Thompsons, expenses and fire proof wage deals.
This posting will probably be viewed by some as union knocking but nothing is further from the truth. I am no longer angry but deeply saddened because my belief in my own Union has been so sorely tested but that will never stop me believing in the concept of Unions. I am not a whinger, nor do I expect something for nothing. I hope that this entry is viewed with some regret that another long term member has gone and equally as a reminder that the Union exists solely for the good of its members. Thompsons and sub contracted services are not members.
To defend the deficiencies in the Union by vitriol and abuse against anybody who complains is inane, blinkered and the reason that the problem has been allowed to fester to the point of being out of control. Instead of heaping abuse about disloyalty and not supporting the Union on anyone who raises an issue try the other route of saying ‘why are so many members complaining and leaving?’ or ‘why is Union membership in decline when theoretically the environment is perfect for a massive increase?’
A very telling fact is that the general secretary has been re-elected for another five-year term of office. Len McCluskey received 144,570 votes compared with almost 80,000 for Jerry Hicks. What does this represent in turnout, 14%? How is that a victory? Does it not raise the question that 86% didn’t feel engaged enough to bother? If you want to be frightened then regard this 86% as a probability percentage of the future resignations. What happens then? It will be the same as when the Labour Party lost the election, we will hear the inane and ludicrous statement of “The people have spoken so we must listen” because that statement always follows defeat. The correct answer would have been to make the statement before the situation became untenable and do something about it.
The only power I have left is to terminate my membership of the Union and walk away. Not what I should do perhaps but I am so tired of this and the constant, debilitating feeling of being ignored.
Hi To all i have been a member for 28 years and am thinking of leaving.I need some help and guidance on things that are happening here on the Isle of Man and they do not even ring me back,so i can make an appointment.I am now out of work.I am sill awaiting that call (please)