Someone way up the thread asked..

What is the GMB like?

'king brilliant!

I am not generally Bolshi, or pro Union (having given up on Unison some
years ago because they seemed to be more interested in minorities and
overseas workers (all worthy causes in their way) than their own
members problems).

However, I felt that my employers were angling to get rid of me, or
else alter my conditions of employment to my detriment.

I joined the GMB quick, and when push came to shove, instead of going
into a metting with my manager and the HR manager either on my own, or
with an interested but non expert friend, I wnt in with someone who
knew the law better than they did, and who very cleverly "won my case",
but in such a way that the management still cant work out what
happened!

If I had gone in there without him, I think we would quickly have come
to blows, and I would probably have told them to stuff the job.

As it was he did a fair impression of Columbo "I just don't understand
why you would ask someone to give up some of their salary? I mean why
would he want to??"

They have learnt that

1. I'm not friendless.

2. They can't sack me, reduce my salary without negotiation, or push me
around.

3. And they don't realise they've been taught this as they still can't
figure out what went on in the meeting :=)) (or so they say).