Now -read the book!

Here is a link to my memoirs which, if you are a glutton for punishment, you can purchase online at https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/an-obscure-footnote-in-trade-union-history.
Men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name. (William Morris - A Dream of John Ball)

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Dog barks, caravan moves, ostrich stays put, oblivious

It's not often, in the blogosphere, that one is treated to a semi-official "ostrich-eye view" of internal trade union controversy (http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2011/04/dogs-bark-but-caravan-moves-on.html).



Without quite being able to mention the name Yunus Bakhsh the anonymous user of cliches over at UNISON Active draws this conclusion about the order of reinstatement made in a case of proven victimisation of a trade union activist;



"In such circumstances the outcome of litigation is of no significance to the union."



The success of a victimised union activist in securing an order for reinstatement is, on the contrary, of significance for all trade unionists.



Ostriches, by hiding their heads in the sand, do of course, put themselves in a position, at one and the same time, where they can see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.



What does that remind me of?

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The situation is worse than you say, Jon. I'm afraid that there are powerful people in UNISON who are terrified by dissent, and lots of other people who blindly support them. If it's a choice between Yunus Bakhsh and Ann Picking, these people support Picking.

Anonymous said...

I agree. I didn't intend that my comment should be read as despairing.

Anonymous said...

Why do certain activists demand or expect different /special treatment from UNISON in comparison to other members?

If youre no longer a member then dont expect special treatment 7 support

Thousands of members are rejected on legal advice grounds each year on claims of unfair dismissal etc etc

Weve got enough to be getting on with given the attacks on our pensions/jobs/t's &c's that I do not expect my union to defend non members.