Hi,
I increasingly feel like there's no point in being a member of USDAW. They don't realistically do anything, I never see any reps anywhere in my store.
I'm also a law student who's spent years studying employment law, who also knows quite a bit of tesco policy already - so I feel like I could adequately rep myself.
Obviously there's some of the insurance policies with usdaw, but I don't think it warrants £135 a year.
Thoughts?
Usdaw = Fake Union. Don't waste your time and money on them. I've no idea what they've ever achieved or why they even exist.
Quote from: yeetus on 16-08-22, 06:06PMHi,
I increasingly feel like there's no point in being a member of USDAW. They don't realistically do anything, I never see any reps anywhere in my store.
I'm also a law student who's spent years studying employment law, who also knows quite a bit of tesco policy already - so I feel like I could adequately rep myself.
Obviously there's some of the insurance policies with usdaw, but I don't think it warrants £135 a year.
Thoughts?
And there's your answer. Take a colleague in for back up and to take notes, then swot up and do your thing! You'll probably know more than the jumped up manager, the policies are all on line to check out beforehand anyway.
If you feel up to it, go in to support other colleagues, as a companion and don't let them tell you that you're not able to speak!! You're the colleagues chosen representative, therefore have the same rights as a union rep!!
If for no other reason, it will be good experience in your law student studies!
The union insurances agreed through USDAW, aren't that competitive in todays market anymore!
The reason you probably don't see reps instore, is because they've all stepped down, too much expected of them, little training, little support from the 9-5 Monday-Friday area rep, who's on a good salary, whilst the reps don't get anything!! There's no incentive to take the constant flak they get from managers, and most colleagues are under the illusion that reps are paid extra for their support???
I joined because I felt I had no choice when a rep was pushed in front of me at my induction. I unjoined a month later... ;)
Another thing to take into account is that the tories are looking at outlawing strike action, a Unions bread and butter, not that USDAW would allow a ballot for a strike anyway because of the partnership agreement.
Unions like RMT and Aslef are worth being members of, if the leader of the union is willing to test the wills of Prime ministers and want companies to go bankrupt, they will fight your corner, the best analogy of USDAW is that Tesco is Russia and USDAW is s state owned entity for the protection of employees rights, except they won't because it would be contrary to the interests of the state.
We had usdaw personnel in our store this week looking for new members!! Their first line was,if you join you get a free will service and other freebies have a look online!!!! Not we will fight your corner and be ready to rep you or even we are fighting to get you better wages!! No free will service! Shame I'm not earning anything to leave anything to benefit from it! Should be barred from store worse than a shoplifter! >:D
I was with USDAw for 30 years even was a rep at one time but left after they lost us double time not worth the money .
An USDAW rep was in our store recently trying to recruit members, I asked him if USDAW had lost members due to the new contract that they recently negotiated, supposedly on our behalf and it being so obvious they are in the pocket of Tesco, he informed me that the membership had actually increased, this I find hard to believe, does anyone have the numbers? I had the thought USDAW were getting worried about the gravy train drying up and their salary and no doubt very good pensions disappearing. is it not time for us to have a new union that would really represent us?
I asked exactly the same question of our union area rep who I managed to collar when he came in store. He also said union membership had increased which I was very suprised about, I wonder if we're just being told that so that more of us don't jump ship. He asked what I didn't like about the new deal done without our say so and then said that if more colleagues were in the union USDAW would have more bargaining power. Jumped up, arrogant little :-X :-X
In times of restructure membership does go up.
Quote from: mr tom on 19-08-22, 04:38PMAn USDAW rep was in our store recently trying to recruit members, I asked him if USDAW had lost members due to the new contract that they recently negotiated, supposedly on our behalf and it being so obvious they are in the pocket of Tesco, he informed me that the membership had actually increased, this I find hard to believe, does anyone have the numbers? I had the thought USDAW were getting worried about the gravy train drying up and their salary and no doubt very good pensions disappearing. is it not time for us to have a new union that would really represent us?
:thumbup:
Quote from: lucgeo on 16-08-22, 07:02PMQuote from: yeetus on 16-08-22, 06:06PMHi,
I increasingly feel like there's no point in being a member of USDAW. They don't realistically do anything, I never see any reps anywhere in my store.
I'm also a law student who's spent years studying employment law, who also knows quite a bit of tesco policy already - so I feel like I could adequately rep myself.
Obviously there's some of the insurance policies with usdaw, but I don't think it warrants £135 a year.
Thoughts?
And there's your answer. Take a colleague in for back up and to take notes, then swot up and do your thing! You'll probably know more than the jumped up manager, the policies are all on line to check out beforehand anyway.
If you feel up to it, go in to support other colleagues, as a companion and don't let them tell you that you're not able to speak!! You're the colleagues chosen representative, therefore have the same rights as a union rep!!
If for no other reason, it will be good experience in your law student studies!
The union insurances agreed through USDAW, aren't that competitive in todays market anymore!
The reason you probably don't see reps instore, is because they've all stepped down, too much expected of them, little training, little support from the 9-5 Monday-Friday area rep, who's on a good salary, whilst the reps don't get anything!! There's no incentive to take the constant flak they get from managers, and most colleagues are under the illusion that reps are paid extra for their support???
Sounds like you're encouraging someone to become the rep that's missing in that store
I abandoned the union years ago and never regretted it...
I'm very high up in the company now and the line is to try to promote union membership.
I am not a member out of principle (and the fact that USDAW isn't the default union in my area of the business, nor do I feel I need one), the partnership agreement undermines the role of the union to a significant extent, for a union to be effective it should act as a checks and balance against employers to ensure fairness throughout, because of the partnership arrangement, that is compromised to a degree, certainly enough where union membership doesn't offer good value for money.
While I have no gripes now with Tesco, in another incarnation I did, I seen first and third hand how much was left to be desired from USDAW.
Just to be clear however, some unions are better than others, while I have no experience in other unions (mainly because the jobs I've held, union membership didn't feel necessary) you just have to compare USDAW to the likes of RMT to see how much of a difference there can be.
USDAW = FAKE UNION :thumbdown:
I left as soon as they took the double time away what incentive is there to work Sundays / bank holidays
USDAW are useless to be honest when it comes to Tesco, I must give credit where its due however the reps in stores I met over the years always did a good job for the members, not always an easy job when some people in AR or conduct meetings just assume a rep will get them off etc. However above store level USDAW should not even be called a union, its just a nodding dog to Tesco thanks to the partnership, no other union would ever have entertained such a thing in the first place.
Also came out of the union as they are worse than useless the lady in my local office had the stone face cheek to tell me that usdaw has worked wonders for Tesco staff and has gotten store workers fantastic perks lol ..