Best trade union for an Apprentice engineer.

[adamskiodp]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, or even if this is the right place to ask in the first place.

Asking for a friend who is an apprentice plant/depot engineer employed by one of the larger TOC's.

They have been told that they can't join a union until qualified which seems incorrect.

Surely every railway employee (whether an apprentice or not) has the right to join a union or am I ill informed?

Assuming they are able to join a union, which is the most appropriate one?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, or even if this is the right place to ask in the first place.

Asking for a friend who is an apprentice plant/depot engineer employed by one of the larger TOC's.

They have been told that they can't join a union until qualified which seems incorrect.

Surely every railway employee (whether an apprentice or not) has the right to join a union or am I ill informed?

Assuming they are able to join a union, which is the most appropriate one?

Find out which union represents his grade at his location, and join that one.

 

[Spurs1961]

I will admit that I wasn't an apprentice on the railway but I worked on aircrafts as an apprentice for a company who was very unionised and we were not allowed to join until our apprenticeship was completed.
I think the union were allowed to be involved in any issues but I know it was deemed we were not allowed to be involved in any industrial action, I think that was the main reason we were not allowed to join until a full member of staff.
Hope this helps.

 

[Efini92]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, or even if this is the right place to ask in the first place.

Asking for a friend who is an apprentice plant/depot engineer employed by one of the larger TOC's.

They have been told that they can't join a union until qualified which seems incorrect.

Surely every railway employee (whether an apprentice or not) has the right to join a union or am I ill informed?

Assuming they are able to join a union, which is the most appropriate one?

I would guess RMT, but as @tiptoptaff says, get them to ask at their place of work.

 

[Ken X]

I will admit that I wasn't an apprentice on the railway but I worked on aircrafts as an apprentice for a company who was very unionised and we were not allowed to join until our apprenticeship was completed.
I think the union were allowed to be involved in any issues but I know it was deemed we were not allowed to be involved in any industrial action, I think that was the main reason we were not allowed to join until a full member of staff.
Hope this helps.

My experience is identical. I was an apprentice at an engineering company. Apprentices weren't allowed to join the union until apprenticeship was completed. Made it interesting when they did strike and we had to attend site.

 

[transportphoto]

Any grade on the railway can join the union, including apprenticeships. It’s likely to be the RMT. Have a look at the Union posters up around the depot

 

[REO Nate]

Been an apprentice on the railway twice and was able to be a union member from the off. Not sure why engineering apprentice would be any different.