Registered Charity No. England 1108595.
The role of Trade Unions is to support employees and we are keen to facilitate this help where we can
Why and Which Union?
ADS support and encourage its employees to join a union and is not tied to any single trade union so you can join whichever you prefer and feel best represents you.
Whichever union you choose, we believe it is better to join now so you have the support in place for a time in the future when you may need it. So, during your onboarding, we will give you information to help you decide and a link to join.
The Benefits
There are many benefits in becoming a member of a trade union. The most important thing all unions will offer is advice, support and representation during formal meetings with your employer. However, many will also offer some or all the following. • Free legal advice for both work and personal matters, • Access to free financial advice and assistance, • Preferential benefits through their partner organisations like insurance companies, • Free training and education on a range of subjects,
Joining, the four week rule
All unions have a ‘four week rule’ whereby new members need four weeks membership before they can access the benefits including advice, support and representation. Unions do this to protect themselves from employees who only join when things go wrong and leave as soon as their work placed issues are resolved. This may sound harsh but if unions are not financially sustainable, they cannot be there to support you and your colleagues in the future.
Subscriptions
All members pay a monthly fee/subscription. This is usually based on your salary so the more you earn the more you pay and many unions have a cap on the most you can be asked to pay. For example, UNISON currently cap this at a maximum of £22.50 per month for a salary of £35K or above. This is for illustration purposes only and for the current cap please contact UNISON or your chosen union. Subscriptions are paid from your bank account by direct debit.
Individual and Group support
Support provided to members in the workplace can be on an individual or a group basis. Group or collective support usually relates to organisational change, some may be minor such as changes to working practice, for example a change in work patterns, such as shifts or major such as whole service reorganisation, TUPE transfers or redundancy.
Which Union?
Currently the most popular union for ADS employees is UNISON, the largest union in the UK which has a long history with and, knowledge of the health and social care sector. However, you are free to join any union of your choice. If you wish to find out more about UNISON and how to join you can do so through the link HERE