Adding Insult To Injury !

                                                                        Throughout my working life I was always a member of a trade union of one description or another . From the memory of years ago when the shop steward used to come around on payday , which was invariably always Friday . You kinda had a sense of belonging , a feeling of being protected in relation to your rights as a worker . When the wage agreements came round I  always attended the meetings , so I would understand where our hopes lay , or if we had anything to hope for at all . The companies always declared their inability to pay a wage rise because of fluctuations in the market place , and we always assumed that to keep our jobs we must comply with whatever our Union representative told us .
                                                                       It was a trust between worker and union , we paid our dues and they represented us . It was as simple as that . Sometimes we got our bonuses and wage increases due to hard bargaining , sometimes we didn't . We were always reminded of how lucky we were to have a job in the first place , and we believed all of it .
                                                                      Now in my mind the function of a union is quite simple . It is there to protect a workers rights . It is there to make sure he doesn't get victimized , or lose his job and position due to some trivial reason . It's strength is in its numbers . The number of members determine how strong the union is . But at all times , I repeat all times , the membership are the ones who decide what's acceptable and what's not acceptable . That's why you have that silly little thing called democracy .

Larkin & Connolly , would turn in their graves !

                                                                     Democracy is an entitlement ! It is the only weapon you have as an individual . And when real democracy comes together , the possibilities can be endless . You may make the wrong decision with that democracy that you hold so dear , but it will be YOUR decision not somebody else's . And if in a democratic vote you don't get what you personally voted for , you'll accept the outcome simply because it's democratic .
                                                                     History tells us , that the unions have always had a degree of influence with the Labour Party . They have always gone hand in hand . Workers = Unions =Labour , simple enough . But when that same Labour party betrays its roots i.e. the workers , and the unions back the  Labour Party , things start to smell a little .
                                                                     The existence of a union depends on the contributions of its members . The contributions pay their wages . And when the unions decide to abandon their electorate , in my eyes something drastic needs to be done .
                                                                     There was a time when union membership meant fair play . That has changed over the years for various reasons . The main one is that they are no longer in a position to argue with government over pay increases . To be honest , being a member of a union has one function and one function only . And that is when you join you have a licence to work , simple . It doesn't entitle you to the representation that is forever written in the union manifesto . Why ? Because that manifesto just like the union itself is outdated and useless , and should be questioned under the trades description act .
                                                                     Unions have no power . Unions have no position . And them siding with an unfair and unjust political party is simply blasphemous .
                                                                    I would like to propose here and now , that all contributions paid to the unions should be frozen and with held until such time as they re-invent themselves . Contributions should be stopped forthwith . Remember , you are the union . You tell them what to do , not the other way round . People like Jim Larkin and James Connolly fought for our democracy , and to allow union chiefs sell us THE WORKERS down that dirty filthy river is a an outrageous insult to both our Labour and our intelligence .
                                   THE POWERFUL APPEAR POWERFUL BECAUSE WE ARE ON OUR KNEES..............................ITS TIME TO RISE UP !