I’ve just this year changed jobs after decades in the same job. I wanted to ask in the interview if they have a Unionised shop floor but the company was American owned (in the UK) so I thought it best to just wonder instead of asking.
Now I’m contracted to the Company instead of an Agency and know there is actually a Union and it’s the same one I’m a member of, which is nice. So i had a word with the Rep and got them to tell the Union I’m working there.
Then this week I was in my first Union meeting at this company and was a little confused why the manager that interviewed me AND HIS MANAGER were in the meeting. I thought perhaps they were just there talking to the Union to see what they thought on a subject.
Nope, they’re members! I thought they were really nice and understanding Managers before but now I know why.
That’s very interesting. Where I live in the United States managers are almost never allowed to be part of a union. I’ve never been a manager so I’m not sure why but my understanding is most companies claim it’s a “conflict of interest.” Maybe I’ve just worked at shitty places but it just surprised me to read your managers are union members.
Yeah it confused me too since in my last company I know for a fact that the mangers were asked to leave the Union when they were promoted because it is a conflict of interests as you say.
I mean they are lower level management, the guy that interviewed me is a Team Leader and his Manager is the guy who organises the personelle although I don’t know his title.
I don’t think any higher ups are Union members.
Interestingly, my first interaction with this Union is a shift change that affects me. They’re compressing our hours to be done over 3 days instead of 5 and they’re making us work a Saturday shift. We’re happy with the change as a majority but the Union doesn’t like the Saturday and wanted to fight for more money for the shift.
They stepped in too late though, and all suggestions have fallen on deaf ears so there’s a potential for a Fight, but I don’t think it’s gonna happen.
What I found interesting was the Manager that’s a Union member agreed with the Union interceding at the time, but then later said it was a mistake that was justaking the process more complicated than it needed to be. The higher up manager was REALLY PISSED OFF with the Union interference, and that was for the good in my opinion, because it meant that the Union still has enough clout to cause headaches.
