Getting a Trade Union in....

[pintsofguinness]

Do any of you have any experience on getting a trade union established in the workplace?

A friend works in a place where there's maybe 60 or so employees and for a number of reasons they're desperate to get something going as they're basically being shit on (more so than most employees in these times). 
Apparently they're trying to arrange a meeting with some boy who can organise representation for them. 

It's all top secret because this place has been known to single out individuals who would speak up and bully them/"discipline" them until they leave/are dismissed and there seems to be quite a fear that anyone caught organising something like this will go the same way.

Just wondered had any experience/offer any advice I could pass on, good idea? bad idea? 

[tyronefan]

ffs if you get a union in they will do the same as they do everywhere else and bleed the company dry until it closes down

[muppet]

ffs if you get a union in they will do the same as they do everywhere else and bleed the company dry until it closes down

Really if everything had closed down then there could be no unions left could there? Idiotic post.

POG you should identify which union would suit best and make discrete contact. They will advise from there. It's harder in the UK than here thanks to Mrs. Thatcher's 'Government'.

No doubt tyronefan is also thatcherfan.

[tyronefan]

how can they close down the civil service

Not a thatcher fan only a person who worked where unions operated and watched how they were run and who was running them and it wasn't all for the benefit of the lads who were working there.

bit  idiotic to suggest anyone who opposes unions has to be a fan of thatcher

[pintsofguinness]

ffs if you get a union in they will do the same as they do everywhere else and bleed the company dry until it closes down

Surely they wouldnt do what the workforce don't want?
From what I can gather money is well down the list on what they want to sort out. (Even though they've taken a 10% pay cut,  havent had a pay rise in 3 years and are probably the lowest paid in their field).

Number 1 priority, from what I can gather, is to either stop the constant "disciplining" and warnings or to allow some representation.  Most of these warnings come from staff being made to do things without adequate training and stuff they are not qualified for. 
The company are responsible for giving a number of other companies work and have, in the past, blocked their members of staff from going to these other companies with threats that work will be withdrawn!
They have also consistently overlooked a number of people for promotion when they are more than qualified and the postions get handed to the less qualified - who happen to get on with the boss.
Bullying from managers is very common.
This is the best one - they've recently had a round of redundancies, and a fortnight later a job was given to the bosses sister 


I know unions can go too far on occasions but I know this crowd are desperate for help. 

[Maguire01]

They have also consistently overlooked a number of people for promotion when they are more than qualified and the postions get handed to the less qualified - who happen to get on with the boss.

Pints, i'm assuming you're referring to a private company here? If so, is that not just one of the things you have to deal with? At the end of the day, if it's a private company, the boss can hire or promote whoever they want, regardless of qualifications or experience.

[muppet]

how can they close down the civil service

Not a thatcher fan only a person who worked where unions operated and watched how they were run and who was running them and it wasn't all for the benefit of the lads who were working there.

bit  idiotic to suggest anyone who opposes unions has to be a fan of thatcher

You said company. The civil service don't work for a company do they?

And because you saw a union operate in one company you conclude that 'everywhere' they bleed company's dry and shut them down. Idiotic.

[red hander]

PoG, I have some experience in these matters in my workplace.  The company has a LEGAL obligation to recognise a union if a majority of employees (I'm not sure of the exact percentage, but any union official should be able to tell you) intimate that they wish to join.  There seems to be a lot of bullying going on, which is against employment laws.  Get the affected workers to individually note down EVERY instance of such bullying (date, time, what it consisted of etc) in order to build up a dossier with a view to instigating an action at the Industrial Tribunal ... they should also make it clear to those doing the bullying that they will put up with it no longer and if it continues will be consulting a solicitor ... the union (once organised) will have a legal department which will advise on the likelihood of success (the more comprehensive the dossier, the increased likelihood of success).  The union will also finance any case at the tribunal.  I and several colleagues had to go down this route a few years ago in a tribunal case that involved barristers ... it was fully funded by the union and we were successful in our case.  The people overlooked for promotion and losing out to less qualified/experienced lickspittles also have a legal case via tribunal  ...

[muppet]

They have also consistently overlooked a number of people for promotion when they are more than qualified and the postions get handed to the less qualified - who happen to get on with the boss.

Pints, i'm assuming you're referring to a private company here? If so, is that not just one of the things you have to deal with? At the end of the day, if it's a private company, the boss can hire or promote whoever they want, regardless of qualifications or experience.

Not in Ireland. Not sure about the UK post Thatcher.

[tyronefan]

there is a labour court to deal with these problems in Ireland

[Tony Baloney]

Unions were successful in ruining many companies in the 70s and early 80s. Even when times are hard now they still make demand after unreasonable demand when a responsible representative would want to keep people in work. When I think of unions I think of Socialist Worker soap dodgers outside Queen's.

Having said that pints the threat of a unionised workforce might scare them into rectifying any issues. It worked in our place.

[pintsofguinness]

PoG, I have some experience in these matters in my workplace.  The company has a LEGAL obligation to recognise a union if a majority of employees (I'm not sure of the exact percentage, but any union official should be able to tell you) intimate that they wish to join.  There seems to be a lot of bullying going on, which is against employment laws.  Get the affected workers to individually note down EVERY instance of such bullying (date, time, what it consisted of etc) in order to build up a dossier with a view to instigating an action at the Industrial Tribunal ... they should also make it clear to those doing the bullying that they will put up with it no longer and if it continues will be consulting a solicitor ... the union (once organised) will have a legal department which will advise on the likelihood of success (the more comprehensive the dossier, the increased likelihood of success).  The union will also finance any case at the tribunal.  I and several colleagues had to go down this route a few years ago in a tribunal case that involved barristers ... it was fully funded by the union and we were successful in our case.  The people overlooked for promotion and losing out to less qualified/experienced lickspittles also have a legal case via tribunal  ...

Thanks! 
From what I hear there are something like 7 or 8 people under a particular manager, each one of these have made a complaint to another manager about bullying and asked to be tranfered to another dept- they were told they should get together with the bully and sort it out themselves that there was nothing that could be done.  Ha!

It's similar with these verbal and written warnings that are given out - two people make the same error (because they havent had adequate training), one gets a warning the other hears nothing about it. 

What happens then if so many indicate they wish to join, does the union make contact with the employer to say they're going to start kicking ass or what?

What sort of protection is there for the employees willing to join, apparently one of the manager's ass lickers was saying the employer would start terminating contracts if a union was threatened but I'd find it hard to believe that was possible?  Not that I think a lot of them care at this stage.

Btw I dont think any of them want any agro over the bullying, they just want it to stop. 

Muppet

POG you should identify which union would suit best and make discrete contact. They will advise from there.

THey have done I think muppet, trying to arrange a meeting with someone. 

[rossie mad]

you need to tell your friends that first they must find the union must suited to them.if its a private company in manufacturing i would recommend probably SIPTU however they should contact the ICTU first to see what union they would recommend.

There is no point all of this cloak and dagger stuff as well.there might be a great response to getting a union now but when the process of unionisng the workforce starts and only 20% join its a waste of time so you need at least 75% to join.

Ive seen before people having great notions for unions and then small threats been issued from the employer and the next thing the union has only 10% membership.

A public meeting should be called after work hours and a vote taken on joining a union and whoever is in favour puts their name to a register for membership of such union.

The union will recommend that shop stewards be appointed and a health and safety steward as well.
I would recommend people who are not afraid to speak up and believe in what there rights are.no point electing a person who is afraid to speak up.Basically people who can ruffle a few feathers

In relation to the bullying this is a very serious offence in employment law.
A case should be brought to the righs commisioner and if the workers are part of a union at this stage then as stated before the union covers the cost.

Please recommend that the employees tell exact details and dont exaggerate the situation.time and again ive seen employees do this and the tribunal seeing through it.

People tend to forget that its the employer who usually exaggerates their role and that the tribunal usually tend to side with the employee once they establish their case is concrete.

[Hardy]

Sledgehammer/nut maybe. It might be a bit like calling in the Sopranos to sort out your da because he gave you a hard time. The cure could be worse than the disease.

[Gnevin]

What is it they think a Union can do that they can't do already? Are the company breaking the law?