Unions and Legal Advice
Trade unions like to pretend that they provide legal services to members' 'free of charge' - but this simply isn't true.
What happens is that trade unions pay a mixture of internal and external lawyers for advice - and to represent members in certain circumstances.
But the relationship is always controlled by the union - not the individual member - who has little say in what's going on.
In practical terms - the union bureaucracy acts as the 'client' - and therefore calls all the big shots.
The trade unions also pay their external lawyers from union funds which - of course - come from many thousands of union members - paying their individual contributions week in and week out.
So, while individual members don't pay at the point of delivery - they have already paid 'on account' for any legal services they receive.
But over which they have virtually no influence - and precious little control.
What happens is that trade unions pay a mixture of internal and external lawyers for advice - and to represent members in certain circumstances.
But the relationship is always controlled by the union - not the individual member - who has little say in what's going on.
In practical terms - the union bureaucracy acts as the 'client' - and therefore calls all the big shots.
The trade unions also pay their external lawyers from union funds which - of course - come from many thousands of union members - paying their individual contributions week in and week out.
So, while individual members don't pay at the point of delivery - they have already paid 'on account' for any legal services they receive.
But over which they have virtually no influence - and precious little control.
