Originally Posted by
ColdWalker
The union (TGWU) was one of the most professional sets of people to work with. Sure they stuck up for their members, just as I held out for my employer's best interests. But they also came up with some great initiatives and in many ways were a real support to management. In the end the company's US owners shafted all the staff, trying to raid the pension pot. The TG immediately waded in and ponied up the funds to fight them in court, welcoming management into the fray as well as their members.
As a valued member (hmmm!) of a large organisation, I was completely ignorant of the role of TUs until the happy notion that my interests were always congruent with those of my employer were badly shaken.
Shock horror! The personnel department was not primarily concerned with my well-being or that of my colleagues
Union-represented colleagues called in help, advice - and at the end of the day, legal representation. And I've got to say that assistance was spot-on in being moderate and effective: all then-employees, future workers, whether union member or not, benefited from the union's involvement.
Since then I've had great respect for the work unions do. Tactics are not always sensible, sometime OTT, but these define, or are defined by, negotiating positions. I've been on the "other side" in negotiations and resent not one jot the role the union reps took on in representing their members' interests.
Taking offence at an employee displaying in a modest way his or her affliliation to a TU is, well, ever so slightly Genghis.