This afternoon I chaired a meeting of a UNISON working group on industrial action at our headquarters in Euston, London (with an NEC member from the West Midlands video conference into the meeting).
While taking industrial action (strikes, overtimes bans, working to rule etc) is nearly always a last resort, we need to ensure that when we do take action and our members can lose money by being on strike, that we have an impact and that we can win the dispute for members.
I have very limited patience for those who advocate "glorious defeats" for our members. I recognise that we do need to take risks in disputes and I have been on a number of "risky" strikes, some very successful, some ill conceived disasters.
In light that most of our members being very low paid (but no-one wants to lose money unnecessary) and Tory Government anti trade union legislation, we need to box clever and make sure when we have a fight with employers or the government, we not only have an effective union machine to support members and win, we also have the support of our members that this is a issue that is important to them and a plan to win.
There were a number of really positive ideas and proposals to come out of this working group. Watch this space.
While taking industrial action (strikes, overtimes bans, working to rule etc) is nearly always a last resort, we need to ensure that when we do take action and our members can lose money by being on strike, that we have an impact and that we can win the dispute for members.
I have very limited patience for those who advocate "glorious defeats" for our members. I recognise that we do need to take risks in disputes and I have been on a number of "risky" strikes, some very successful, some ill conceived disasters.
In light that most of our members being very low paid (but no-one wants to lose money unnecessary) and Tory Government anti trade union legislation, we need to box clever and make sure when we have a fight with employers or the government, we not only have an effective union machine to support members and win, we also have the support of our members that this is a issue that is important to them and a plan to win.
There were a number of really positive ideas and proposals to come out of this working group. Watch this space.
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