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Post Info TOPIC: Urgent advice on trade unions role
Anonymous

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Urgent advice on trade unions role
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Good day,

 

I urgently need advice.  My trade union is not doing what they are supposed to be doing.  Our employer has been changing staff policies unilaterally and the union has been agreeing on our behalf to these changes.  This has been happening for some time now.  With the latest salary negotiations, our employer offered a zero percent salary increase saying that we are already paid enough – this is the first time in my 17 years with this employer that this has happened.  The union sent an e-mail to its members and we are a group of union members who prepared a response providing them with arguments which they could use in their negotiations.  We replied to all on the e-mail message sent from the union, thereby including all union members. 

 

However, the union is not too happy with us disclosing information about their activity or inactivity to all members and sent the following e-mail to me, which I regard as a threat:

 

I have given the matter much consideration over the past weekend and believe that a reply from the Union to the 18 pages of  comments that you have submitted  presents a  good opportunity to displace any concerns that any  member may have in regards to the issues mentioned in said comments ( herein after referred to as “the comments “ )  .

 

After having had the opportunity over the weekend to properly study the comments submitted via your office, it, however, became evidently clear that such a concise reply would not be possible. A proper detailed exchange of correspondence with the aim to remove any possible misconceptions is therefore anticipated .In addition to the above, I also asked myself whether the Union’s request for comments in the previous union Newsflash could have reasonably been understood as an invitation that all members be occupied with the exchange of elaborative correspondence (via e-mail or otherwise) that will no doubt eventually result in an abuse of the workplace e-mail facility. I note this against the background  that  the Union’s previous Newsflash essentially aimed at making members aware of the current situation in regards to salary negotiations as well as to  gauge support for the stance that the Union hasadopted  . In light of the afore mentionedand in reference to you requesting “…… confirmation that the correspondence will be directed to all union members”, I therefore wish toadvise that I do not intend copying all members in regards to all correspondence. May I also remind you that the concession granted by the employer to the union to communicate to our members through electronic means should not be abused and currently it is evident that you are exploiting this privilege by copying all our members in your e-mailsIn the event where the employer detects any exploitation, it reserves the right to block all electronic communication between the Union and its members and withdraw any concession with immediate effect.  The Union uses this privilege as an essential means to communicate with its members and it is of pivotal importance to us to keep the communication lines up and running between us and our members (having regard to the current situation that we are confronted with in particular).

 

The question that is should be asked is: What happens if a substantial number of members reply to each and every other member?

 

Therefore, for your protection and in the interest of our members, I recommend that you limit all future communication to the two us as I am not willing to sacrifice any rights given to the Union in this regard. Alternatively, please send me the names of the concerned members so that I can meet with them collectively or on a one on one basis (whichever is preferred by the concerned members).  

 

Reverting to the concerned members (hereinafter referred to as the “CM “) comments, I deem it best to deal with your contentions on a point by point basis.  

……………………..

 

I would like to know if I am allowed to correspond via the employers’ e-mail facility to my fellow union members and if not, how can members who are dissatisfied with their union discuss these issues as the union is currently unwilling to facilitate communication between all members?

 

Your urgent assistance would be highly appreciated.

 



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