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Union poaching

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  • 03-05-2018 10:04pm
    #1
    robbieoin
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭


    Has anyone experienced a union trying to poach another union's members?
    It is happening in my workplace with the blessings of the CEO and the board of directors.


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    #2
    Fann Linn
    Registered Users Posts: 7,800 ✭✭✭Fann Linn


    robbieoin wrote: »
    Has anyone experienced a union trying to poach another union's members?
    It is happening in my workplace with the blessings of the CEO and the board of directors.

    The other union if affiliated to ICTU wont get away with it.


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    #3
    robbieoin
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭robbieoin


    Fann Linn wrote: »
    The other union if affiliated to ICTU wont get away with it.

    The union which has a Labour Court recommendation ruling that management should recognise it for collective bargaining are being undermined by the other union. They held membership drives a few weeks ago in the workplace with senior management in attendance.
    Up to the Labour Court recommendation the management were totally anti union and refused to recognise any union saying that the consultative forum was the only way that they were willing to talk with its employees.
    The management do not want the union with a majority of its employees in the workplace and are doing everything to force it's employees to switch unions including targeting the branch officers.
    What can ICTU do?


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    #4
    Fann Linn
    Registered Users Posts: 7,800 ✭✭✭Fann Linn


    Section 8 of standing orders of Ictu deals with disputes between affiliated unions in matters concerning organising and membership.

    Firstly op, what union are you in? If it is one of the main ones ie Siptu, Teeu, etc these unions will know exactly how to deal with this matter. As an aside, does your original union actually know what is going on in your workplace.

    Go to paragraph 46 of ICTUs standing orders which deal specifically with your case. This isn't a dispute between employer and employee, although it probably does suit you boss. You really should be getting onto your full time union official.


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    #5
    jimmycrackcorm
    Registered Users Posts: 14,339 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    Why is it a problem? Surely workers are better off having representation from a union that suits them.


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    #6
    robbieoin
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭robbieoin


    jimmycrackcorm wrote: »
    Why is it a problem? Surely workers are better off having representation from a union that suits them.

    It appears to be a big problem for the employer. Why would they favour one union over the union that has the majority of employees in it?


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    #7
    robbieoin
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭robbieoin


    Fann Linn wrote: »
    Section 8 of standing orders of Ictu deals with disputes between affiliated unions in matters concerning organising and membership.

    Firstly op, what union are you in? If it is one of the main ones ie Siptu, Teeu, etc these unions will know exactly how to deal with this matter. As an aside, does your original union actually know what is going on in your workplace.

    Go to paragraph 46 of ICTUs standing orders which deal specifically with your case. This isn't a dispute between employer and employee, although it probably does suit you boss. You really should be getting onto your full time union official.

    Both unions are members of ICTU, they are both aware of the rules governing poaching of members.


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    #8
    Fann Linn
    Registered Users Posts: 7,800 ✭✭✭Fann Linn


    robbieoin wrote: »
    Both unions are members of ICTU, they are both aware of the rules governing poaching of members.

    Well then let them sort it out. There are dispute resolutions available for situations such as this.


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    #9
    robbieoin
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭robbieoin


    Fann Linn wrote: »
    Well then let them sort it out. There are dispute resolutions available for situations such as this.

    That is good to hear.

    The question principally for me is, why would a union cooperate with a blatantly anti-union employer when the majority of its employees are in another union that has the backing of a Labour Court recommendation?


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    #10
    soccerdad
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭soccerdad


    robbieoin wrote: »
    The union which has a Labour Court recommendation ruling that management should recognise it for collective bargaining are being undermined by the other union. They held membership drives a few weeks ago in the workplace with senior management in attendance.
    Up to the Labour Court recommendation the management were totally anti union and refused to recognise any union saying that the consultative forum was the only way that they were willing to talk with its employees.
    The management do not want the union with a majority of its employees in the workplace and are doing everything to force it's employees to switch unions including targeting the branch officers.
    What can ICTU do?

    You would expect that ICTU would adjudicate and stop this happening but I guess there are staff thinking they must change unions. How long has the other union been involved?


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    #11
    Wisestar
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭Wisestar


    I have experienced something similar at work. Forsa or Impact as they were known then, tried to poach members from another union. Looks like they are up to their old tricks again! Not surprised to hear that they are doing it in cahoots with the management either, I heard from a reliable source that they are the employers union of choice and have allowed management to get their way at the expense of staff on a number of occasions.


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    #12
    robbieoin
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭robbieoin


    soccerdad wrote: »
    You would expect that ICTU would adjudicate and stop this happening but I guess there are staff thinking they must change unions. How long has the other union been involved?

    The union with the majority of the staff and Labour Court recommendation have been there about 20 months. The other union came on the scene with the CEO's blessing the day before the Labour Court recommendation which was about 2 months ago.


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    #13
    soccerdad
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭soccerdad


    robbieoin wrote: »
    The union with the majority of the staff and Labour Court recommendation have been there about 20 months. The other union came on the scene with the CEO's blessing the day before the Labour Court recommendation which was about 2 months ago.



    The Irish constitution gives employers the upper hand in a voluntary arrangement to recognise or not and the Labour Court have no "real" power to back up their recommendation. Good luck with this.


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    #14
    robbieoin
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭robbieoin


    Wisestar wrote: »
    I have experienced something similar at work. Forsa or Impact as they were known then, tried to poach members from another union. Looks like they are up to their old tricks again! Not surprised to hear that they are doing it in cahoots with the management either, I heard from a reliable source that they are the employers union of choice and have allowed management to get their way at the expense of staff on a number of occasions.

    That's interesting. A union cooperating with an anti-union employer to the detriment of the employees?


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    #15
    granturismo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,919 ✭✭✭granturismo


    robbieoin wrote: »
    The union with the majority of the staff and Labour Court recommendation have been there about 20 months. The other union came on the scene with the CEO's blessing the day before the Labour Court recommendation which was about 2 months ago.

    Exactly how did the CEO give their blessing?


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