Unions give limited but free access to legal advice services, these people can help you with legal aspects outside of your workplace. There are many discounts available on things such as home and house insurance and many other percentage discounts offered to union members.
As to seeing no point to them, without then companies would pressure people to do things against their will and against the rules when it suited them and individuals would feel very vulnerable with nobody to unite these and back them up. I couldn't disagree with your post more strongly, and I don't even care about the diary.
I'd be interested to find out about those perks- though car/home insurance is irrelevant to me. If those discounts are worth more than the membership fee it would be wise for me to join
The last point is interesting but if you know your rights you can fight for them and use an employment tribunal if things go to that..... After all union membership is virtually non-existent in non-public/non-transport industries....
I don't think bankers have a union.. though they are handsomely paid!
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It may be worth asking if you can pay lower rate contributions, as a part time worker.
At the end of the day only you can make the choice whether to join a union or not. Personally i'm in a union, and a local rep, but that doesn't mean i agree with everything that comes out of the union HQ. Over the years i've stood on a picket line, i've taken part in industrial action, and yes it does hurt my pocket in those circumstances; however it has meant the employer taking notice. I don't have any political affiliation - and i don't intend to get any. Whilst i am in a position where i can represent others, or help them i am also in a union for my own benefit...should i fall foul of an employer that seems to want to ignore agreements and ride roughshod over its staff.
Hmm I see though as a casual worker industrial action wouldn't work as the other load of colleagues would be happy to snap up shifts!
Still I'd hate to be effectively paying to have a 'job' if there's no work for a month or so!
I see what you mean, I'd probably think differently if I was in a full-time role and had a 'guaranteed' income, are you paid to be a union rep?
Also the fact that some parties donate to Labour or another political party irritates me as much as some local authorities wasting money joining CND in the 1980s!!
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But in practice, if you're up for a disciplinary then it will probably be because you did something wrong.
Not to put the cat among the pigeons here but unions are a waste of time for me. I see no need for them. But then I see what effect "the union" has on the public, which simply isn't right as it isn't the public's fault - at least not this time!
In short, no.
You pay a sum each year and get a free diary. I think of it like an insurance policy which you pay into for years but see very little in gains.
Hmm you have a point, though I guess unions can sometimes protect you even if you are in the wrong. I hear a Victoria line driver opened the doors on the wrong side AND then lied about carrying out the safety checks and TfL didn't take the serious action they could/would have done if the union hadn't threatened strike action....
I agree with you about the effects of strikes.. it's terrible when rather well paid tube drivers strike - after all they'll be on 52k by 2015 for say a 35 hour week- certainly not hard-done by members of the working class!
And I guess employment tribunals are open to everyone regardless of union membership..
) "just in case" something goes wrong, just like paying union membership.
