I’ve always believed that Trade Unions are a good thing.
Those in transport who work for Union recognised firms are on the whole on better T’s & C’s than those who are not…fact, you can say what you like, and it’s mostly because of the safety in numbers/solidarity thing.
If you are on your own with just a couple of others in a non union recognised firm, maybe not so good, except maybe for advice and help in legal matters.
So after 13 years in the URTU, for the first time I needed some help from them (see the ‘‘Don’t ignore police parking tickets’’ thread)
I WRONGLY thought it was my firm’s fault for either not sending details back, or taking too long, so my mate advised me to contact my URTU rep, who was on holiday which was fair enough, but I was told that somebody else would contact me later on same day.
Long story short…after numerous more phone calls to them as I was desperate to know how to approach this case., (again wrongly thinking my firm was to blame at this stage) , 3 days passed and no word.
I rang again on the 4th day, telling them I would send an e.mail to set things out, and could they please get in touch as soon as.
No phone call all day, but an e.mail later on telling me there was no way they could help.
Then after I discovered it was the Police saying they had sent me letters which they had not, (again, see other thread) so then I turned to them for some kind of possible legal assistance after discovering it was going to cost me 1800 quid if I funded it myself.
Again no help…
Irony is I worked out I had spent around 1500 quid over the years in union subs which would have nearly funded it if I hadn’t bothered.
So after I sorted the case myself, I e.mailed them telling them to terminate my membership due to their ■■■■ poor service, and I would not be paying anymore subs to them, thinking I would get some half arsed explanation, maybe even an apology…but again nothing.
Makes me think that I am not the first to complain about them and their service…maybe a regular thing to them.
Anybody else had any dissatisfaction with this lot?
Unions have not had any real power for some decades now…
Real power means being able to do things that can accelerate the fall of the current government - without actually hurting anyone, especially the general public.
We’re about 50 years out from the last time that happened - aren’t we?
Meanwhile, in America - some have the power to loot, maim, and kill under the guise of “peaceful protest”, whilst anyone trying to prevent such actions - has to stand trial despite having a constitutional right to choose other than “Let the bad guys win”.
Unless there’s union recognition at the company its possibly a waste of time being in one of the two main lorry driver unions, not sure how Unite would have performed in your case Robroy, but speaking as i find the area office has been very helpful with ongoing situations where i am, similar help and advice plus legal expertise always available in my previous work too whenever an issue needed clarification.
I started out in my lorry driving life in the URTU, but had no dealings with them whatsoever and within 3 years i’d moved jobs and transferred to TGWU (now Unite) and i’ve been a member almost the whole time since.
Have no interest in the union leadership or their political affiliations.
You are right to cancel membership, seeing how the help and advice you received amounted to the square root of sod all.
Have you ever noticed any benefit in your salary negotiations or t&C’s ? Or have they literally never been involved?
As I said in my first paragraph, you need to be in a Union recognised firm to reap the benefits,.I ain’t…so that will answer your question.
I joined when I heard the firm I worked for at the time planned to cease trading, and we were facing redundancy in case I needed them.
As it turned out I did not,.as the firm was more than fair with me, but I kept up the membership in case I needed any help in the future.
I know this is going to feed the anti union crew, of which there are many on here , I still maintain unions are a good thing,.and from history are responsible for most of the good aspects in our working life, but this was just a personal bad experience on my part with this outfit.
Winseer:
Unions have not had any real power for some decades now…
TOO MUCH power means being able to do things that can accelerate the fall of the current government - without actually hurting anyone, especially the general public.
We’re about 50 years out from the last time that happened - aren’t we?
Meanwhile, in America - some have the power to loot, maim, and kill under the guise of “peaceful protest”, whilst anyone trying to prevent such actions - has to stand trial despite having a constitutional right to choose other than “Let the bad guys win”.
FTFY.
It ain’t the Unions aim to bring down the Govt, although in history it indurectly has, …it is a bit of a daft thing to say.
And wtf has your last paragraph to do with the price of fish exactly?
The main aim of a union is to gain better conditions for workers and to step in when a firm is taking the ■■■■.
A simplified view but nevertheless accurate…■■■■ all to do with ''bringing down governments you’ve been listening to too much anti Union propaganda b/s mate.
I worked for my father from leaving school till I was 24 then I worked for myself for another 10yrs so I wasn’t interested one bit in unions. When I got sick of trying to make a living out of trucks I started working for a supermarket chain and the transport was a closed shop so everyone was in the Union. I decided to join and yes the terms and conditions were good, but after a few years I needed there help they was hopeless. After that I became a agency driver so I never bothered with them again.
■■■■■■■ hell rob your not having a good time of it off late are you , deep breaths , get down the pub & get ■■■■■■ up , it always made me feel better , well at least until the mrs started shouting
I was with URTU for a while some years ago but when I needed some help I found them to be totally useless and a waste of money, they may be OK if there’s a group of organised workers at the company but for an individual member like I was they were completely useless
I am with you Rob. I left Unite after they were next to useless. I was working on coaches back then.Those of you who know Bristol by Cabot Shopping centre there is a red light camera. Coming from the Bond Street headed towards London the traffic light changed when i was by the line i drove through it flashed. I was suspended jumping a red light is a gross misconduct. I went to the union they just told me to take the points and fine. I refused and filled in the form and requested a court hearing. The letter stated the light had been red for 1.2seconds when i drove through. The company refused to even lend me a coach to take to court. I had to argue my case alone and the magistrate agreed with my answer. If i had stopped where i was i would have blocked the junction and sent passengers flying 78 on board at the time. The case was dismissed. The traffic light sequence has since been changed now. I left the union straight away.
I’ve called URTU once (in 7 years of membership) for advice about holiday pay reflecting average pay, as at the time I was being significantly short changed when taking holiday. I was told “Don’t take your company on, they will find a way to sack you. Instead, try and get more drivers from your depot to join URTU, and fight it together”.
GMB is the Union I and a few other drivers are in at our place. I have had to use them for advice over a dispute I was in with the comapny and they were superb. Emailed the area rep and had a reply within 3 hours on how to proceed with the dispute. Thanks to their advice I still have a job there. I have also used their free legal department which again was really good and saved me having to pay solicitors bill on an event.
All for just £13 a month which I get the company to pay for as I slow down and skank an extra hours work a month to pay for the subs
URTU are quite up-front about the offences they will (or will consider) providing legal advice, representation and (in the event of a fine being imposed) financial assistance for. Unfortunately, Failing to Identify the Driver isn’t on their list.
Roymondo:
URTU are quite up-front about the offences they will (or will consider) providing legal advice, representation and (in the event of a fine being imposed) financial assistance for. Unfortunately, Failing to Identify the Driver isn’t on their list.
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I get that, but when I thought that getting 6 points and a ridiculous disproportionate fine for what I wrongly thought was down to my firms apathy at the time,I thought I may have a good case for help…
As I said the back up or lack of it whether or not I had a case for help…was totally crap.
I feel your ire, Rob. I dropped my short-lived URTU membership about 13 years ago, when they appeared to do SQR(FA) to help when a bunch of us were facing the prospect of redundancy during TUPE “negotiations”. The only people who appeared to be looking out for us drivers were the TM and another manager. I had already looked at their Ts&Cs in respect of legal assistance and decided they were likely to be as much use to me as a chocolate teapot if I was in trouble in that regard. As far as our rep was concerned, the main point of their scheme was to give a grant towards the cost of any speeding tickets (you’d only get actual legal assistance if you looked likely to be facing a ban!).
ezydriver:
I’ve called URTU once (in 7 years of membership) for advice about holiday pay reflecting average pay, as at the time I was being significantly short changed when taking holiday. I was told “Don’t take your company on, they will find a way to sack you. Instead, try and get more drivers from your depot to join URTU, and fight it together”.
Make of that as you will.
What they say seems sensible. Are you going to call a one-man strike? A union must consist of members, who comprise an appreciable portion of the workforce, willing to strike.
The union bureaucracy can help you navigate the legalities of a strike, but they cannot make up for a lack of solidarity.
ezydriver:
I’ve called URTU once (in 7 years of membership) for advice about holiday pay reflecting average pay, as at the time I was being significantly short changed when taking holiday. I was told “Don’t take your company on, they will find a way to sack you. Instead, try and get more drivers from your depot to join URTU, and fight it together”.
Make of that as you will.
What they say seems sensible. Are you going to call a one-man strike? A union must consist of members, who comprise an appreciable portion of the workforce, willing to strike.
The union bureaucracy can help you navigate the legalities of a strike, but they cannot make up for a lack of solidarity.
Correct as it says on the tin…a '‘UNION’, or joining together as a group .
It’s like everything else if every driver was like minded ie, stuck together,.(an alien concept in many driver’s minds) .and ignore all the anti Union propaganda b/s put about by the Govt and the education authorities in schools, 70s,.strikes, held to ransom, winter of discontent etc etc ,.we would have a much better way of life in this industry, not be ■■■■ about, not be abused nor any type of driver facing camera dog ■■■■ would be laughed at before it took off.
It pains me to say it, but I can not see any point in joining any union on my own after all this, so the crap will just keep on coming to everybody wakes up.
Your calling the likes of me rob who was there in the 70,s / 80,s when those unions you can’t speak highly enough we’re running riot , strikes / walkouts every bloody week
I don’t need you or any one else to tell me what unions are about as I’ve seen it with my own eyes ,
As for if we all stocked together , I saw a workforce who were sick to the back teeth of strikes stick together , they voted to a man not to strike , the union shop stewards said it was a unanimous vote to strike , those ■■■■■■■ only cared about them selfies , whenever there was layoffs not one of them was ever laid off , amazing as those ■■■■■■■ never started there machines up , just sat there all night looking to cause trouble
As I say you might brain wash these kids on here about unions , but never me , my hatred for them ■■■■■■■ will never abate
