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Do people professionals join their workplace union?

Claire

As people professionals we are often involved in decisions and policy development that will be something that union reps (and therefore the union members) are consulted on. I feel this could be a conflict of interest or at least raise an ethical concern of knowing more about how organisational decisions or changes are being developed, whilst also knowing how people within the union are feeling or what they want to see changes on.

Notwithstanding confidential matters which should remain confidential, I foresee situations where it would be difficult to know how much to say or how much to allow wider your knowledge to impact conversations that you're part of, whether that's within the union or within organisational management discussions.

Obviously, everyone should feel able to join if they want to, but what's the reality for people professionals?

Parents

  • I'm confident that I know where the line is with regards to having knolwedge on business matters and acting on that knowledge in the correct forums (I have had to draft my own at risk letter in a previous workplace as well as my own pay increase letters).

    I'd also like to think working in HR has allowed me to have a more rounded approach to work matters e.g. I work in schools and find it crazy that the support staff unions have, over the last few years, been pushing for a 10% salary increase, an extra 2 days holiday and a 2 hour reduction to the FTE working week. This has created significant delays in pay rises being processed and impacts the most vulnerable employees as backpay affects benefits. However, as an employee who also has the ear of the powers that be, I'm able to try and influence decisions and policy by talking about us folk on the ground.

    On a slightly seperate note, we have had a union ask those on SLT to leave a meeting, despite them being members of that union - who knows what they would do if our team happened to rock up to one! 

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  • I'm confident that I know where the line is with regards to having knolwedge on business matters and acting on that knowledge in the correct forums (I have had to draft my own at risk letter in a previous workplace as well as my own pay increase letters).

    I'd also like to think working in HR has allowed me to have a more rounded approach to work matters e.g. I work in schools and find it crazy that the support staff unions have, over the last few years, been pushing for a 10% salary increase, an extra 2 days holiday and a 2 hour reduction to the FTE working week. This has created significant delays in pay rises being processed and impacts the most vulnerable employees as backpay affects benefits. However, as an employee who also has the ear of the powers that be, I'm able to try and influence decisions and policy by talking about us folk on the ground.

    On a slightly seperate note, we have had a union ask those on SLT to leave a meeting, despite them being members of that union - who knows what they would do if our team happened to rock up to one! 

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