Electrician Strike - Would you cross the picket

[dublinfella]

So you support a 11% pay claim in the middle of the worst  global recession since the 30's? 

Its not that simple. This was a pre agreed pay increase that has been renaged on by the developers.

[ludermor]

Its the opposite , you cant work unless you are in a union ( on union sites, which all sites are supposed to be)

Surely I have the right to free association or not as i choose?

Not in construction, there is a registered agreement between the employers and the unions with regards to union membership, to work on site you have to be a member. If you are a general trade you might get away with moving from one union to another but if there are issues with a member another union generally wont accept them

I haven't read the whole thread. I support the strike but think there is room for settlement within the demands and they should have been able to reach agreement by now. Both sides are to blame for this continuing but not for it starting. I wouldn't cross this picket.

I feel they have genuine grievances but in way do i support the strike, so you agree with their claims for a wage increase?
On our site this morning we had about 40 lads (not electricians)  who wanted to cross but were not let, they are realising that they will have no wages at the end of the week! If they want to picket fair enough but don't stop other people from working

[blewuporstuffed]

But did they not vote for strike action?

Well obviously some of them did but some that I spoke to this morning never received anything to give them an opportunity to vote.
And rightly or wrongly some didn't bother voting as they have no regard for the Union,I know you can turn around and say well they should have voted but I know when I was in a Union I never once attended a meeting or sent anything back to them that they asked me to fill out,I had zero interest in unions.
You said 90% voted for strike,I wonder 90% of how many though..

Nothing to stop them crossing the picket is there?

Don't be ridiculous,they are in the Union so have to do as they are told,and I have already explained to work on these sites they have to be in a union,its a vicious circle that most of them don't want to be in,I didn't want to be in it so I became self employed,but that wouldn't be a option for everyone.
Thats the way it is unfortunately,they would be creating a huge mess for themselves if they crossed the picket line.
If you don't understand that and why they can't cross the picket line then you shouldn't be giving your opinion on a thread like this.

If the union doesn't represent their views I personally don't see the point of being part of it. because it won't be long till they are redundant anyway at the current rate. By going along with it they are as bad as the Unions- because other people are innocent victims of this.

So by your logic,a guy who doesn't want to be on strike but just wants to work and earn his wage should just cross the picket line anyway..
Even though if they cross the line as ludermor mentioned their Union card will be revoked,thus meaning they can't work on that site or any other major site in the country,it will also mean when the strike is over they are now blacklisted and the likelihood of getting on a major site again is slim as they won't be let into a union,so their opportunity for work is slashed by a huge percentage..
So now they are left with the options of being unemployed,becoming self employed(which isn't for everyone) or working on a non-union site for very little money and no insurance if anything should happen to them..

Or else they can sit out the strike and hope it is resolved soon and then get back to work and earning a living and supporting their families...

sounds like most of the fellas on strike are being held to ransom by the union.they have to strike wether they want to or not

[ludermor]

So you support a 11% pay claim in the middle of the worst  global recession since the 30's? 

Its not that simple. This was a pre agreed pay increase that has been renaged on by the developers.

Its not that simple either! there was 5% due last year and 6% due this year, in no way can this years increase be sustainable.
This has nothing to do with developers it is the electricial contractors who are not passing on the increases.

[Zapatista]

I haven't read the whole thread. I support the strike but think there is room for settlement within the demands and they should have been able to reach ageement by now. Both sides are to blame for this continueing but not for it starting. I wouldn't cross this picket.

So you support a 11% pay claim in the middle of the worst  global recession since the 30's? 

No I support the right of employees who were screwed by employers when times were good. This recession is being used by too many to get away with problems the caused. If the proper proceedures had have been followed by the employers from the ouset (pre recession) we would not have come to this. I believe in accountability recession or no recession.

[dublinfella]

Its not that simple either! there was 5% due last year and 6% due this year, in no way can this years increase be sustainable.
This has nothing to do with developers it is the electricial contractors who are not passing on the increases.

Then the employers need to renegotiate the deal in light of the new economic environment, not simply renage on the agreement.

[ludermor]

Its not that simple either! there was 5% due last year and 6% due this year, in no way can this years increase be sustainable.
This has nothing to do with developers it is the electricial contractors who are not passing on the increases.

Then the employers need to renegotiate the deal in light of the new economic environment, not simply renage on the agreement.

Which is what they are trying to do at the minute

[Billys Boots]

This has nothing to do with deals or electricians - this is the trade union movement fighting to make themselves relevant/powerful in today's world.  I feel sorry for the electricians.

[ludermor]

The plumber union ( not sure what it is called) have advised their workers to cross the picket but they are th eonly ones that i know of.

[Tankie]

I haven't read the whole thread. I support the strike but think there is room for settlement within the demands and they should have been able to reach ageement by now. Both sides are to blame for this continueing but not for it starting. I wouldn't cross this picket.

So you support a 11% pay claim in the middle of the worst  global recession since the 30's? 

No I support the right of employees who were screwed by employers when times were good. This recession is being used by too many to get away with problems the caused. If the proper proceedures had have been followed by the employers from the ouset (pre recession) we would not have come to this. I believe in accountability recession or no recession.

I dont know any tradesmand that was 'screwed over' by employers when times were good. Did the builder and the tradesmen not make a fortune in the good times?

[MadMayo]

I heard today that electricians are the lowest paid out of all the trades, chippies and plumbers are on more!! is this right?

[ludermor]

They have the highest minimum rate.
I dont know if they were paid a premium during the good times but some trades (blocklayers especially) (some non trades like shuttering but there is no protection in these jobs)  were paid way above the odds. General caprenters would be doing well to be getting anything above the minimum at the minute (just under 19/hour)

[Gnevin]

So you support a 11% pay claim in the middle of the worst  global recession since the 30's? 

Its not that simple. This was a pre agreed pay increase that has been renaged on by the developers.

Yes it was agreed on when we had on of the strongest economies  in the world now we have one of the weakest. Wake up an smell the coffee.

[ludermor]

I see the employers have dropped their demand for the 10% pay cut but th eunion havent budged on their stance for the increase due.
Not sure if they are any closer to a resolution at the minute.
The feeling on the ground is that there will be widespread crossing of the picket next week, should make for some lively situations!

[tyronefan]

spoke to a couple of electrical contractors this morning and they were all told if they were not on site working on monday morning they were off the job.

They said they will be working next week regardless of what happens with the talks