Alan Mathison, Hastings Branch Secretary, Unite the Union
Have you ever thought about joining a trade union? The Hastings branch of Unite the Union is holding our Annual General Meeting on March 12th and we want to open it up to anyone in the town who is interested in finding out what our union is all about.
At its heart Unite is about organising workers at work, but we also want our branch to be more active and visible in the town, campaigning on all the issues that our members care about – low pay, housing, disability rights, welfare benefits, the NHS … basically issues of fairness and social justice.
It’s easy to join and get involved so come along to find out more, or join up now and come and take part as a voting member.
We’ve invited guest speakers from the Four Courts estate in Hollington where 400 social housing flats are about to be demolished, from the Hastings Examiner (the new community paper promoting grassroots campaigns that is publishing this article!) and from the Unite-Shu’fat group who work in solidarity with a community in Palestine.
We will also be electing our committee and discussing our campaign plans for the coming year.
Why join a union?
For most of us the chances are you’ll spend roughly a quarter of your life at work because that is the only – legal – way to earn money. Anyone that goes to work and who cares about their pay and conditions – holiday entitlement, pension and so on – equal rights, safety and training needs a trade union. This applies to both within and outside the workplace and can include help with employment matters, personal injury, wills, conveyancing and more. Younger workers are most likely to be vulnerable to exploitation as some unscrupulous employers will assume that they are less likely to know their rights. One in four young workers has experienced bullying and 53 percent fear they can’t support a family on their wages.
Union membership is more diverse than perhaps you would imagine and includes full time, part time, agency and seasonal workers. Time and time again it has been proven that workers in unionised workplaces get far better pay and terms and conditions than those that aren’t in a union. As a member of a union, you are entitled to free representation, and legal advice should you ever need it.
Who is Unite the Union?
Unite sees its prime purpose is protecting and improving the pay and conditions at work of its members. We negotiate on behalf of our members with employers to secure better pay, working conditions, and other employment-related benefits. We also provide legal assistance, representation in case of disputes, and access to various support services, education and training and more. Additionally, we are involved in campaigning for workers’ rights and social justice. Unite has over 1.2 million members along with its Unite Community membership.
We are open to workers from multiple industries and sectors. Most employed and self-employed individuals are eligible to join and whether you are in or out of work, studying or retired you can join Unite. Unite provides a range of free training courses for reps across the United Kingdom and Ireland. These courses cover a wide variety of subjects from rights at work, negotiation skills through to equalities, health and safety, and organising and bargaining at work. Unite members who use Unite Legal Services to pursue a personal injury or employment claim keep 100% of their compensation – whatever the injury, however complex the claim. Every year, Unite wins tens of millions of pounds for members and their families.
Despite what the right-wing media and politicians will have you believe, going on strike in the UK is very difficult and is always the last resort for workers and trade unions. But the right to withdraw labour is internationally recognised as a human right. Going on strike remains rare here and is a tough call for those taking strike action.
Whilst a trade union’s primary role is to represent their members on employment issues, trade unions have a much bigger part to play in civil society. They offer educational, lifelong learning and training opportunities to their members, many of whom would not have had this chance had it not been for their union. Historically, trade unions have not only negotiated for and championed workplace rights in the UK but for a better deal overall for working people in the wider world. Having battled to extend the right to vote, to have workers’ interests recognised by the Government and for workers to be elected to Parliament.
Everyone has the right to join a union regardless of whether their employer formally recognises trade unions, or a union organises within their workplace. When you sign up, if there’s not a union branch in your workplace you can ask to be in the union for your local area like the Hastings branch. Unite also has helplines for members to access legal advice. You can get more active in your union by getting involved with campaigns and other activities or events.
Community members
Don’t think there is any point in joining a union if you are not working? Unite’s reduced rate ‘Community Membership‘ is specifically for members of the community who are not currently in work.
Organising and activism are at the centre of strong communities, which is why Unite’s community membership provides a way people can find and use their political voice. Whether it is taking a stand against a service closure or coming together to improve your living environment, as a community member, Unite will be on your side.
We will work with you to make life better; we will give you the platform you need to create a fairer society. Our trade unions are the biggest voluntary group in the UK and Ireland. At Unite we have more than a million members – just imagine what you can achieve with them standing by your side?
Annual General Meeting
Hastings is the geographical Unite branch covering all of East Sussex. Our next meeting is our AGM at 6.30pm on Wednesday the 12th of March in the Isabel Blackman Centre, Winding Street, Hastings, TN34 3AT – Behind the Royal Standard Pub on the front in the Old Town of Hastings.
We look forward to seeing you there!