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Subject:RE: NO to unions...for us! From:"Jane Carnall" <jane -dot- carnall -at- digitalbridges -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 2 Nov 2001 12:16:48 -0000
Fabien makes a good point: he and his colleagues acted collectively (forming
a small union) and decided that the larger union had to prove to their small
union that they would benefit by joining the large union. If he and his
colleagues hadn't formed a small union, stood together, and collectively
refused, the larger union might have succeeded in winning them over.
Fabien's story is a tribute to the power of collective action... <g>
My feeling is just the reverse. To my employers, should they ask (they are
not, in the UK, legally allowed to do so) I would say: "Prove to me that I
lose out by joining a union."
It's true that there was a time in my life when my union dues (£3.25 a
week - the cost of about 5 meals back when I was hungry and broke and knew
how to stretch pennies a lot further than I bother to do now...) would have
been a substantial item in my budget. But these days? I pay almost the
equivalent of my union dues for my TV licence. I may not watch the BBC all
that often, but it's nice to know it's there. I may not use the services my
union provides all that often, but it's good to know I have them.
Jane Carnall
Technical Writer, MSF member, Scotland
Unless stated otherwise, these opinions are mine, and mine alone.
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