Sorry if this has been beaten/flogged to death before…
But today i was asked if i wanted to join the union at work, i was given some details to look at and an app form, pay £10 a month and you get benifts etc,
being only 25 i have never thought/considered joining the union but a few drivers at work are already memebers, are they worth joining? has anybody on here kept their job etc because they were part of the union? did they help you when you most needed them 
cheers
My union URTU has been useful to me on a personal level but like many unions these days, their power to influence Govt policy has been reduced over the years.
I used to be in the URTU in case I got in trouble while on the continent, but for no other reason. To my mind the other unions are worse than useless and only serve to fill the pockets of the few, so pointless for UK work, IMHO.
Until you have worked somewhere for 12 months you haven’t got many rights at all.Your employer can tell you that you are unsuitable for the job and let you go just like that.You wont get redundancy until 12 months also so as far as I can see there is little a union can protect you from until you have got some service in.£120 for the first year is better off in your pocket.
Deathstar:
Until you have worked somewhere for 12 months you haven’t got many rights at all.Your employer can tell you that you are unsuitable for the job and let you go just like that.You wont get redundancy until 12 months also so as far as I can see there is little a union can protect you from until you have got some service in.£120 for the first year is better off in your pocket.
ive been my work place for 8 years ever since i left college worked way through the ranks/departments
I was always a firm believer in unions and was a TGWU member for 20 years,but found the Area Shop Stewards are too deep in the pockets of the companies they should be protecting us from.Save your money and dont give away subscription fees to fund governments like the one we have now.Ive been stitched up once too often by union men who should have known better!.
My personal experience with unions…with a little time on the internet you’ll know more about law than they do! When I was with securicor and they tried sacking me, I decided to join the union, but I later found out the person representing me knew nothing and in the end I stood for myself.
The next day the union then called a big meeting, I tried to go but the big fat union man banned me from it as “I hadnt showed up on their system” depite having paid the joinin fee the week before.
My word of advice though…only join the union once things go wrong and you get a disciplinary letter come through, get their help then leave!
I’m in the GMB never had to use them but i know they have helped many people at my work
Adam_Mc:
My personal experience with unions…with a little time on the internet you’ll know more about law than they do! When I was with securicor and they tried sacking me, I decided to join the union, but I later found out the person representing me knew nothing and in the end I stood for myself.The next day the union then called a big meeting, I tried to go but the big fat union man banned me from it as “I hadnt showed up on their system” depite having paid the joinin fee the week before.
My word of advice though…only join the union once things go wrong and you get a disciplinary letter come through, get their help then leave!
Internet Lawyers are a wonderful thing, but with true repesentation and a knowledgable shop steward,most cases can be sorted at Unite, and management negotiations, the more experienced your steward the better the result will be in your favour 
fmtrucker:
I’m in the GMB never had to use them but i know they have helped many people at my work
Greetings Brother 
just remember part of your subscription goes to New Labour you don’t get a say on where your money goes now thats democracy 
they don’t seem to have drivers opinions at heart just who’s paying for their second home
im in the union thinking of pulling out my self i have found if your a decent employ and get on with the job with no fuss you can normally go to you line manager and if hes decent enough you should be able to sort out the problem for you i pay £11.00 a month i think they wont be getting that any more 
mick palmer:
I was always a firm believer in unions and was a TGWU member for 20 years,but found the Area Shop Stewards are too deep in the pockets of the companies they should be protecting us from.Save your money and dont give away subscription fees to fund governments like the one we have now.Ive been stitched up once too often by union men who should have known better!.
this is also my experience,i have now joined the urtu.if i had the choice,i wouldnt bother at all, cos they all talk the talk,but dont walk the walk.
i wouldnt join a union and more than i would join the FTA/RHA. waste of time and money. my feet work fine so if i dont like the conditions, i walk!
DieselDemon:
fmtrucker:
I’m in the GMB never had to use them but i know they have helped many people at my workGreetings Brother
Too many bloody ASDA drivers in here!!
Putting aside the ussual comments about drivers in the UK failing to stand together, and the fact that the transport industry is in such a diabolical state because of the refusal to join unions etc etc etc
For less than £3.00 pw what benefits does the Union offer?
Personally I was working for a Transport Company contracted out to Major Garage Door manufacturer, who covered their arses by putting a label on the garage door stating “Seek Assistance when Lifting”
Customers refused to get on the truck because they were not insured, there was no 2nd man so muggins had to do the dragging of the doors from the front to the back doors for offloading until I wrenched my back and ended up on SSP for 3 months or so, having had to drive back to the North East from London.
I argued the toss that I should be on at least half pay, but the Gaffer pointed out about the label on the doors
The URTU put a solicitor on the case and it’s marvellous how the Gaffer soon changed his views when the legal team pointed out that all 12 trucks should have a 2nd man on them because of the label.
You now see the same garage door company with Moffats on the back
Is £3.00 a week really too much to pay for peace of mind? If I think rightly the URTU also cover you for the likes of Speeding offences etc if you lose your job, along of course with the ussual sick pay if you become long term sick.
So yeah I suppose unions are a waste of time and money, if your happy to plod along in life taking the risks 
Davey Driver:
Putting aside the ussual comments about drivers in the UK failing to stand together, and the fact that the transport industry is in such a diabolical state because of the refusal to join unions etc etc etcFor less than £3.00 pw what benefits does the Union offer?
Personally I was working for a Transport Company contracted out to Major Garage Door manufacturer, who covered their arses by putting a label on the garage door stating “Seek Assistance when Lifting”
Customers refused to get on the truck because they were not insured, there was no 2nd man so muggins had to do the dragging of the doors from the front to the back doors for offloading until I wrenched my back and ended up on SSP for 3 months or so, having had to drive back to the North East from London.
I argued the toss that I should be on at least half pay, but the Gaffer pointed out about the label on the doors
The URTU put a solicitor on the case and it’s marvellous how the Gaffer soon changed his views when the legal team pointed out that all 12 trucks should have a 2nd man on them because of the label.
You now see the same garage door company with Moffats on the back
Is £3.00 a week really too much to pay for peace of mind? If I think rightly the URTU also cover you for the likes of Speeding offences etc if you lose your job, along of course with the ussual sick pay if you become long term sick.
So yeah I suppose unions are a waste of time and money, if your happy to plod along in life taking the risks
however davey there are always two sides to every story.
long story short,i had an accident in 2004 which involved me falling from a spare transporter that was not fitted with a safety fence.i landed on my feet and put my bottom two discs out and severed the nerve to my left leg.the union solicitor acted on my behalf and the company admitted full liability.however after dragging on for 3 years(even though there were no issues),a paltry amount was offered considering my injuries and disability i now suffer for life.the union would not go to court and said that i would be on my own expense.they only want quick win no fuss cases.i told the union and solicitor what i thought of them and promptly left.that along with untrained shop stewards,allowing jobs and wages to be undermined,taking 3 days to get in touch with a full time official(eventually had to go to head office in london) when my own job was at risk last year was the final icing on the cake.never again!.