Frequently asked Questions

Workers Of England Union FAQ’s

Q1 Who can be a member of the union?
A. We are a general union and anyone can be a member as we cover all workplaces.

Q2. Are you affiliated to a political party?
A. We are not affiliated to any political party.

Q3 Are you a member of the TUC
A. Trade unions doe not have to affiliate to any Trade Union Congress, whether the British TUC, Scottish TUC, Welsh TUC or Irish TUC. The Workers of England helped form the English TUC.

Q4. I have a problem at work, what should I do?
A. If you are a Workers of England member then you should make contact with our head office at admin@workersofengland.co.uk please include your full name, membership number, contact number and a brief description of the problem and a representative will be in touch.

Q5. I have a problem but I don’t know/have a rep in my workplace.
A. We do not have workplace reps due to the conflict of interest this can cause. Our representatives are based around the country and will always be independent from your employer so they can truly represent you without any conflict of interest issues. We do however have some Workplace Liaison Officers who support and promote the union in the workplace however the do not do representations.

Q6. I have a problem at work but I am not a Workers Of England member.
A.  We can only assist members. If you become a member we can offer immediate advice. If you require a representative for a meeting you will have had to have been a member for 3 months. We do currently have the option to back pay the 3 months membership in order to gain representation for meetings immediately with your employer, this does not apply to employment tribunals which are reviewed on a case by case basis.

Q7. I have a problem at work but I think my membership may have lapsed.
A. See the above answer at Q6 and you may not be eligible for legal assistance if you are in arrears of contributions, any arrears will need to be paid in full.

Q8. I have just joined Workers of England because I have a problem at work, am I entitled to help?
A. See the above answer at Q6

Q9. My subscriptions have stopped and no one contacted me to say I am no longer paying. Now I have a problem, what do I do?
A. It is a member’s responsibility to ensure that their subscriptions are paid at the correct level and in a timely manner. The office does keep records of joiners and leavers. You may be able to pay the subscriptions that you missed in order to receive the full benefits of membership. Contact the head office at admin@workersofengland.co.uk for further advice. A lot can depend on the length of time that your subs have not been paid. In some case you may need to complete a fresh membership form. Any legal assistance or representation is always given at Workers of England’s discretion. Workers of England do not look kindly on those who repeatedly cancel their membership then wish to re-join when they have a problem.
 
Q10. My son/daughter has a problem, can Workers of England Union help as I am a member?
A. There are some services available to the family of a WEU member. Please ask us at admin@workersofengland.co.uk. The services do however exclude employment advice and representation for work issues.

The Workers of England needs you. Did you know that people in workplaces with union support statistically earn more, get more holidays, get better training and are less likely to be discriminated against?

Every member of Workers of England Union belongs to a community of workers. Why not get active by becoming a workplace advocate or a rep? You’ll be made very welcome and it’s a great chance to find out more about what the union is doing for you.