Who has the most powerful workers union?

Lickszz · 09-05-2003, 00:17

For me it's the RMT Union by a mile. Bob Crowe has got pretty good packages for the Tube drivers, but can it last?

£36,000 for a basically unskilled job with no qualifications.
also the least hours working time a week with the most holiday and benefits like free travel as well as london waiting and big sick pay.

And what really gets up most peoples nose.
They always seem to be on strike.

Jon · 09-05-2003, 00:22

I'm a member of the GMB

max · 09-05-2003, 07:25

I think the fat cats' union, CBI, is the most powerful.

halevan · 09-05-2003, 13:10

How about the T.G.& W.U.? that is a big one, I happen to be a life member.

Wildcat · 09-12-2010, 01:38

Looking internationally I would think it would be one of the Indian unions. For them to bring 100 million people out on strike simultaneously a month or so ago shows they have a lot of strength. Admittedly, they obviously have a lot of work to do in a country, so full of poverty and rich poor divide. But in raw terms the numbers involved are staggering.

http://newunionism.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/strikes/

Mecky · 09-12-2010, 06:49

So this is a union bashing thread rather than a legitimate question which was who has the most powerful workers union?

I don't know the answer to the question but the Chinese and Russians are pretty big on unions.

Stormy · 09-12-2010, 14:29

The RMT is too broad to be properly effective. ASLEF is probably the strongest that I know of. Very specialist and privatisation of the railways played right into their hands. They are very powerful, much more so than the RMT and other transport unions.

Stormy · 09-12-2010, 14:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lickszz

For me it's the RMT Union by a mile. Bob Crowe has got pretty good packages for the Tube drivers, but can it last?

£36,000 for a basically unskilled job with no qualifications.
also the least hours working time a week with the most holiday and benefits like free travel as well as london waiting and big sick pay.

And what really gets up most peoples nose.
They always seem to be on strike.

You have ASLEF (and privatisation) to thank for train driver pay. They get the large settlement for main line drivers, underground has to pay a similar wage to prevent loss of drivers to main line TOCs.

deltorso · 09-12-2010, 19:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon

I'm a member of the GMB

I'am a GMB member -but i try not to broadcast it.

ChrisT70 · 09-12-2010, 20:23

used to be in Unite but stopped paying shortly after Derek Simpson took over and started ruining the union. Members funds are now diverted to sponsoring african trade union reps and supporting "noble causes" in south america etc, whereas the paying members in the UK very rarely got to see their local rep. Mr Simpson now lives in a grace and favour pad paid for by members, and earns a massive salary, but the union cant get decent pay rises for uk members or support them.

TeaFan · 09-12-2010, 21:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lickszz

For me it's the RMT Union by a mile. Bob Crowe has got pretty good packages for the Tube drivers, but can it last?

£36,000 for a basically unskilled job with no qualifications.
also the least hours working time a week with the most holiday and benefits like free travel as well as london waiting and big sick pay.

And what really gets up most peoples nose.
They always seem to be on strike.

About 30 years ago, platform assistants on the Tube were paid the same as school meals staff. Now they are on double at least. That is where well co-ordinated and solid industrial action gets you.

bigwind · 10-12-2010, 11:01

as a (working) life long union member, T.G.W.U originally now UNITE, i would have to say the i believe ASLEF,the train drivers union may not be the biggest but i think it's the strongest, well supported etc etc, has won more disputes than it's lost, pay and working conditions 2nd to none.
after all a train can run with-out trained on-board staff, but it can't run without a fully trained, safety critical, driver