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Should I leave my Union
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Like many public sector unions my union, Public and Commercial Services (which despite its name is a civil service union) will be going out on Thursday. Despite voting against the strike I'll be out with them, on the belief if you join a club you accept their rules.
However, I'm seriously thinking about leaving it after twelve years in that I fundamentally disagree with its approach which I think is anti-democratic, anti-public and more importantly not in the best interests of its members. At the same time, I realise I'm a minority in the membership on this and leaving seems a bit like picking up my toys and going home in a sulk just because I don't like its (more or less) democratically mandated position
So do I stay or do go?
However, I'm seriously thinking about leaving it after twelve years in that I fundamentally disagree with its approach which I think is anti-democratic, anti-public and more importantly not in the best interests of its members. At the same time, I realise I'm a minority in the membership on this and leaving seems a bit like picking up my toys and going home in a sulk just because I don't like its (more or less) democratically mandated position
So do I stay or do go?
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Comments
Whilst I disagree that what they are doing is undemocratic or antipublic, I certainly think this isn't in the interests of their members.
However trade unions to me these days make me laugh, chiefs on spanking salaries chatting about hard done by their members are, and more often than not giving the impression that the worker in the union is oliver asking "please sir can I have some more" as they are hard done by, when in some (but not all) cases they already do pretty well for themselves.
The question is which principles?
I think they are wrong so by that measure I should leave. But it is the will of the majority of members and as a believer in the democratic process wouldn't it be hypocritical to pack up my toys and leave cos I'm on the loosing side of the argument.
In theory things like collective bargaining, protection against arbitrary management
In practice... well I get to moan about how I think my union is a bit shit...
I tend to agree with unions when its about protecting rights and getting good deals for their members, but they need to be careful not to appear like they are just wanting "more more more".
If they're any good, like some are, then of course not. If you don't agree with what they are doing, then leaving is probably the best course of action. Like you said, you join a club you stick by the rules, but if the rules or the club change then there's no reason to stay in that club.
Bob 'I'm an Honest Workin' Man' Crow is a prime example of what unions breed these days. On £120k in 2010 before being given a 10% salary rise. Champagne Socialist doesn't even begin to cover him.
Aladdin-esque enough for y'all?
More like £250m rather than billions
http://fullfact.org/factchecks/libya_cost_260_million_ministry_of_defence_uk-2794
However, striking won't get us anywhere and only hurts members and the public
More Stargalaxay
http://oxfordstudent.com/2011/06/16/think-again-union-strikes/
This is how democracy works: What the majority want happens. If you're in the minority and something else than what you do happens, you basically have 3 civilised options:
- Grumble and do nothing.
- Try to change some people's minds so when the question is asked again you'll be in the majority.
- If it's possible/allowed/viable, leave that place/group and try to find one that works the way you like it.
(In your case, I guess (3) means be your own group.)If you don't want to strike, then don't. Nobody is forcing you to.
If you don't like PCS, how much are you actively doing to change it? Are you involved with any groups or networks? Are you submitting motions to conference?
Yes, I can't wait to get my massive pension!
The average public sector pension is around £5000-6000 (not my department though). Somebody on my pay band will be paying an extra £49 per month from my wages, working for longer and receiving less in the end. A pension is not a 'benefit' of a job, as it is something I am paying in to... Effectively, they're giving me a pay cut.
Why should every worker not have a decent pension? Is it not incredibly fucked up that elderly people who have worked all their lives end up in poverty and die because they can't heat their home, or have shit health care?
Strikes have been successful before. RMT managed to get a member reinstated through industrial action. Striking saved the Civil Service Compensation Scheme twice, until those Tory wankers came in and tore it up.
The problem is that the government needs to listen to the workers. We pay their taxes, they should answer to us. This government is laying people off left, right and centre... It is taking away services to help the most vulnerable in society, closing hospital wards, closing Remploy factories (Ok to be fair, Labour started that, but then they're essentially cut from the same cloth), they are attacking housing, child care... Fuck, the list could go on.
So really... Who is hurting the public more?
As for labour, didnt they start spending lots of money that we didnt have. Also how high would unemployment be if we didnt have all the public sector jobs that labour created?
Then you can contribute what you wish to.
It's likely that I may have to pull out of my pension scheme because I can't afford it. Financially, it would be like going on strike every month. It's a piss take...
Again I ask... Why shouldn't everybody have a decent pension, rather than a lucky few?
100% of your wage coming from the public sector, and 20% going back as tax (for example)
Therefore the government coffers are down by the equivalent of -80% of your wage/salary.
Private company pays a wage, the government is then up because of the tax they receive.
The taxes are what the government had already given the public sector worker anyway. So why not just allow public sector workers to avoid tax, but pay them a lower wage?
Because the money that public sector workers pay in taxes towards these things, is money that the government already had to begin with!