Strike!

[Plumdaff]

I've changed union a few times. I have never been in the RCN despite being a nurse out of solidarity with my colleagues (back when I qualified HCAs couldn't join, and in MH I've always worked alongside allied health professionals, let alone admin colleagues etc). That's looking a bit outdated now . I've tended to join the most active union wherever I was - which means, annoyingly, I'm in Unite atm and still waiting for the result of our ballot.

 

[kalidarkone]

If you're in Bristol, I would definitely recommend getting in touch with the Health Workers United lot:

About us / Contact us

We are a bunch of people who work in and around the health sector and are in the early stages of getting a network together. Our main aim is to understand and support the struggles in our sector. W…

healthworkersunited.wordpress.com

Except I was not aware of their presence today. Where were they?

 

[LDC]

Except I was not aware of their presence today. Where were they?

There's only a few people in Bristol working at the BRI and Southmead, would have been at the pickets recently giving out the newsletter on that website. Probably not that visible tbh.

E2A: Like hitmouse said also, not a union, an off-shoot (spawn? love child?) of Angry Workers Home - Angry Workers

 

[kalidarkone]

There's only a few people in Bristol working at the BRI and Southmead, would have been at the pickets recently giving out the newsletter on that website. Probably not that visible tbh.

Do you think Unite rather then the RCN then? Clearly RCN have the biggest presence but originally I purposely did not consider the RCN because I found them very conservative until now......

I was in the RCM for years when I was in Maternity/ Midwifery because in comparison they were quite radical and got a lot done and our rep was fucking legend!

 

[Serge Forward]

I am considering changing Unions. I'm with GMB they did not get enough votes for Industrial action. However I feel they should of been there as an act of solidarity. I can't see how they are representing my interests as an unregistered health care worker?

It's odd cus they have always been way more radical then the RCN who have always been notoriously Conservative.

I'm guessing that the low vote for industrial action had something to do with members being on the lower end of the pay scale? (As I am)

I think I might need to go across to the RCN in order to be properly supported and represented.

What do Urban think?

GMB has a bad reputation for sweetheart deals and such like but I'm sure they're not the only union to do such shenanigans. In the end, it comes down to the activity and member engagement of the local branch, its committee and reps. I'd say whichever union was most active and visible on pickets, then that's the one to join.

 

[hitmouse]

Yeah, Health Workers United are a small grassroots cross-union network not a union themselves. Sounds like RCN probably makes the most sense in union terms, was there much Unite presence where you were then?
Also, still deeply frustrating that Unison did manage to get a strike vote in at least some parts of the NHS... and are going out tomorrow instead of today. Picket lines listed here:

Picket Lines — UNISON NHS pay

www.nhspay.org

Although some of them will be at weird times.

 

[Elpenor]

Depending on which method you use to pay your subs, i would either get your bank to stop the direct debit or ask your works hr/payroll to stop taking subs from your wages. Then join your preferred union.

If deducted via payroll, would most likely need to inform the union initially of your desire to leave and stop subs.

 

[hitmouse]

If deducted via payroll, would most likely need to inform the union initially of your desire to leave and stop subs.

Nah, think you can definitely just tell payroll directly. Although I suppose it is a courtesy to tell the union as well if doing it that way.

 

[kropotkin]

Do you think Unite rather then the RCN then? Clearly RCN have the biggest presence but originally I purposely did not consider the RCN because I found them very conservative until now......

I was in the RCM for years when I was in Maternity/ Midwifery because in comparison they were quite radical and got a lot done and our rep was fucking legend!

The one I've met would be in unite

 

[kalidarkone]

The one I've met would be in unite

Did they meet the vote threshold for Industrial action?
Certainly was not aware of their presence today outside the gates.

 

[moochedit]

If deducted via payroll, would most likely need to inform the union initially of your desire to leave and stop subs.

Nah, think you can definitely just tell payroll directly. Although I suppose it is a courtesy to tell the union as well if doing it that way.

Yeah i agree you should tell union as well (for either payment method).

 

[hitmouse]

Did they meet the vote threshold for Industrial action?
Certainly was not aware of their presence today outside the gates.

Unite seem to have some complicated strategy of balloting bit-by-bit, so they now have a mandate in some ambulance services and will be striking alongside Unison tomorrow:

Ambulance workers taking action

…

www.unitetheunion.org

They've just finished balloting in Wales but not announced the result yet:

NHS ballot | Wales

…

www.unitetheunion.org

And I think are currently running ballots in some other services in England, with more on the way, but not totally clear what that is?

Nearly 10,000 more NHS workers balloted to join widespread strike action this winter

…

www.unitetheunion.org

 

[kalidarkone]

Yeah, Health Workers United are a small grassroots cross-union network not a union themselves. Sounds like RCN probably makes the most sense in union terms, was there much Unite presence where you were then?
Also, still deeply frustrating that Unison did manage to get a strike vote in at least some parts of the NHS... and are going out tomorrow instead of today. Picket lines listed here:

Picket Lines — UNISON NHS pay

www.nhspay.org

Although some of them will be at weird times.

And weird places.....the one in Bristol is on an industrial estate.....

 

[LDC]

And weird places.....the one in Bristol is on an industrial estate.....

It's probably an ambulance 'station'. A few years ago they closed lots of stations and replaced them with portacabins in odd (cheap and usually grim) places with a few plastic chairs and a kettle in and grandly named them 'tactical replenishment points' or something.

 

[MickiQ]

Great to be out at the picket line. Met some Marxist fella who recognised me from radical bookfairs - quite a while ago now.
View attachment 356450
Played the Specials the whole time.

Looks like a decent turnout behind you, when Youngest Q came home from picketing with her sister, she told us there were getting on for a hundred people on theirs for much of the day. Lots of people stopped to speak and all were supportive including quite a few doctors on their way into the hospital.

 

[LDC]

Looks like Scotland joining the strikes as well now, just rejected the pay deal.

 

[Karl Masks]

Seen two ambulances on call today. Tories lying that there aren't any working

 

[Brainaddict]

So, Border Force strikes. I suppose they need to do it as much as anyone else, but would you actively support them in any way? I know I wouldn't.

 

[teqniq]

Seen two ambulances on call today. Tories lying that there aren't any working

Indeed:

 

[LDC]

Seen two ambulances on call today. Tories lying that there aren't any working

I haven't seen anyone say that, it's always been the plan that they respond to Category 1 calls.

 

[brogdale]

A purchasing power parity index is often useful to cut through the guff...

 

[Karl Masks]

Great to be out at the picket line. Met some Marxist fella who recognised me from radical bookfairs - quite a while ago now.
View attachment 356450
Played the Specials the whole time.

where is that?

 

[Karl Masks]

I haven't seen anyone say that, it's always been the plan that they respond to Category 1 calls.

Tories have spread the idea that we're all at risk because of greedy unions though. Have the Tories been presenting the situation accurately

 

[LDC]

Tories have spread the idea that we're all at risk because of greedy unions though. Have the Tories been presenting the situation accurately

No, but that wasn't what you said.

 

[kalidarkone]

Tories have spread the idea that we're all at risk because of greedy unions though. Have the Tories been presenting the situation accurately

Of course not, they have been gaslighting the public.

 

[SpookyFrank]

And weird places.....the one in Bristol is on an industrial estate.....

There's rules about how many people can picket on hospital grounds. Think the limit is six.

 

[Karl Masks]

There's rules about how many people can picket on hospital grounds. Think the limit is six.

That's what the rCN reps were saying at the BRI last week, obviously concerned they might get into trouble. But lunchtime it was clearly more than that and the union marshalls were making sure there was a visible space betwixt picket and civilian.

 

[LDC]

There's rules about how many people can picket on hospital grounds. Think the limit is six.

No, it's a vague recommendation not a rule or law iirc. And you can't be on the grounds anyway, you have to be outside them, so they're usually on the pavement just outside.

 

[sim667]

Seen two ambulances on call today. Tories lying that there aren't any working

I’m at work today, one of the three unions is striking and they’ve mitigated it so well we’re sitting around with nothing to do.

Some of the mitigations are questionable though, I for example am a band 3 but considered experienced so have been buddied with a member of the armed forces for non emergency transport and Cardiac arrests only. The only thing is anyone we go to who isn’t in cardiac arrest has theoretically been assessed by an HCP, but if I turn up and don’t assess them (because officially I’m not allowed), and they later die, I’ll then get asked why I didn’t assess them as I would day to day of working with an HCP.

I’m ex GMB, left because they pissed me off and am due to join unite, my station is all unite who aren’t striking, so they’ve rota’d shit loads of staff to make truck at my station to send to other areas where it’s predominantly striking GMB members. For example one of our main stations has a single ambulance on so a bunch of our crews have been sent there.

I’ve never been pro strike for ambulances, it’s far to east for our management to mitigate strikes, work to rule on the other hand would cause major issues.

 

[LDC]

AFAIK you know you can strike if there's a mandate in your Trust for any union, even if you're not a member of that union. I'm not RCN but I was striking yesterday.

And employers aren't allowed to get you to reveal your union membership status either...