Trade Unions

[JonCris]

The Union gets no 'cut'.

 

The agreement with the union is a CCFA (Collective Conditional Fee Agreement) which is unlike an individual CFA (Conditional Fee Agreement). In other words the union agreement is collective meaning there is no requirement for each member to enter into a CFA when they have a claim to pursue.

 

The union does not pay for any Employment Tribunal representation and there are no costs recoverable by the winning side/solicitor only compensation all of which goes to the claimant

 

The Union practice earns fees from all of the other work it does on behalf of the members primarily EL ie. injuries in the workplace, but it only collects if it wins as the fees are met by the losing side & not the Union. If the Union Solicitor loses they get nothing

 

Hope this clarifies their position a little better

[mortlake]

Yes -thanks!

If you know of any of these contracts on the net I'd like to see one.

Or maybe they are so tightly regulated that the regulations tell us all we need to know (I haven't read the regulations)?

[Pliny the Penuriosus]

Here

 

http://www.cwu.org/uploads/documents/ccfaarrangements.doc

[kennythecelt]

Hi

can the unions not address this issue at a much higher level, in tandem with the steward/ branch approach. They have direct access to politicians within Labour Party and government. The unions bankroll Labour. Threaten to withdraw that funding, lets see some REAL support from the unions for a change.

After all the unions are bank customers as well but they are also representatives of members, who pay for representation.

We pay and the unions receive massive union fees, month on month. Use that clout. Move the accounts to a bank that appears less problematic, if there is one. If there is not one, just move union accounts to the Co-operative Bank, en masse, where there are far fewer customers involved in claiming due to coops lower customer base.

[Pliny the Penuriosus]

kenny problem is some of the unions themselves have become credit card providers. So the unions are now in the business of fleecing members/consumers

[kennythecelt]

So you are saying that the unions at that level won't do anything! Perhaps that is the case. Stewards do not have enough clout. That would appear to be tinkering at the edges.

 

That may well be the case, but perhaps make the approach, let the unions decline to be involved and then let the members know about it.

 

Remember I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, just widening the debate.

 

Regards, Kennythecelt

[Pliny the Penuriosus]

I am kenny.

 

It's very hard to tell the difference between the capitalists & the so called socialists these days

[kennythecelt]

Lets open a thread for victims of fraudulent charges who have credit cards/ accounts issued/ endorsed by their unions. Lets see how that goes for starters. That way we can monitor whats happening and then consider the issue further.

 

Thoughts?

[Pliny the Penuriosus]

Good Idea Kenny

 

You realise that you could issue a penalty charges claim against in who's name the card is provided.

 

Claims against the union!! That might get their attention

[kennythecelt]

You are right about the distinction between capialists and so called socialists blurring over time. That is another story.

 

There are however quite a few real socialists still about! People power therefore seems appropriate at this time. No better vehicle about than CAG itself.

 

What I don't know is do they actually issue a card in their own name or is it a contract with an institution. ie is there a UNISON card. I know they used to have an arrangement with Frizzels, etc.

 

I think a few cases against Unions would be brilliant! How would it happen!! As you say, it would get their attention.

 

Might stop some of them driving about in 2 jags!

[kennythecelt]

But they would probably still run about in the remaining one.

[Pliny the Penuriosus]

They do but when the banks cards Visa or Mastercard imposes a penalty charge It's acting on behalf of the bank just like Frizzell does for the unions. They puts their name to it they is liable

[kennythecelt]

Good. What is the best way forward?

[kennythecelt]

Pliny the Penuriosus-how are U! Update.

 

Have posted threads on the subject in the following forums

 

General+ Scotland (sub)

 

Other institutions

 

Lets see if anything happens.

 

It may need a notice on the stickies which someone might be able to help with.

 

Catch up later!!

 

kenny the celt

[kennythecelt]

Just another thought, but football clubs etc do this sort of thing!

[Pliny the Penuriosus]

Lets expose them as well

[kennythecelt]

Hi there again

Yes, fine re footie.

What others are there like that, which you normally wouldn't have thought of?

[kennythecelt]

Football club cards started- same forums.

[silou]

Just wanted to clear up a point made earlier, I'm not surprised that T&G's helpline doesn't cover employment law matters, thats what shop stewards reps/ officers and then the local office of whichever solicitors the union use are there for. The helplines are pretty much a call centre set up and deal with any other legal issues. Also union officers (at least in my union) don't filter which cases get put through to the solicitors as such but officers are trained to recognise which cases may have merit and if there is any doubt then the case will be passed to a solicitor for their opinion, it's not in any union officers best interest to tell members they don't have a legal case if theres any chance at all that they might. That would just leave the union open to being sued for misrepresenting members.

I do think the issue of unions endorsing credit cards etc is a good one though, I've never thought that that was a particularly good move, especially with the mounting debt problems in this country!

[GlasweJen]

I don't belong to a trade union, I'd like to though I'm only part time

[The Phantom]

I am a member of GMB down here in the South West of the UK

[spicester]

I am no longer a member of a union used to be TGWU but i and several other workers needed representation when we had our depot closed down and they just sat back and took it, didn't even try to fight it because there was only 3 of us affected - even though the reasons were not true.

In my experience - in transport anyway the local reps tend to be just in it for themselves and roll over brownosing when management says JUMP!!

Trade unions lost their real power under Maggie Thatcher in the transport industry so no not a member and never again will be because the only benefit to me was insurance through them if I lost my licence to drive buses - and I got that elsewhere anyway!!!

[bobbycat]

I am with USDAW.

 

From what I understand this is the biggest retail union.

[sallysas]

I am with GMB. Is it too late to ask our unions to raise this concern at Congress?

[MilkTrayMan]

Should this Thread REALLY be languishing in the Bailiffs + Sheriffs Forum??...