My wife works for Neath Port Talbot Council and is not a member of a trades union. During the recent strike over pension rights, she wanted to work, but was ‘strongly advised’ by a senior manager not to attempt to cross a picket line. She was told that her place of work would be closed for the day, so she could not report for work. We later found that her particular place of work was both open to receive emergency phone calls and was not picketed, so she could have gone to work without crossing a picket line. As a result she has lost a day’s pay because her absence from work will have been recorded as an unauthorised absence, even though she was not on strike and had no wish to support the strike.

With further strikes planned, we would like to know:
1. What entitlement does a non-union member of staff have in such circumstances?
2. Must an employer make provision for non-union staff to work if they wish to?
3. Was the senior manager (personnel!) correct in strongly advising her not to report for work?
4. is it appropriate for management to pressurise staff into joining a union against their will?
Alun Brookfield