All trade unions offer varying degrees of protection at work but scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find that the protection is usually illusory rather than real.

Most trade unions simply don’t have the resources or expertise to represent all their members who need help. And often, the bigger trade unions are the less they can do to help because their staff are stretched too thinly.

So, these unions are forced to rely on lay representatives, fellow workers who cost nothing, to represent people with problems. This just doesn’t work for some rather obvious reasons.

Lay people may very good administrators, salespeople, care workers or technicians but no matter how committed they are, they are going to be out of their depth dealing with HR professionals who are backed up by the specialist lawyers most companies can afford. It’s an unequal struggle.

But even if they are able to deal with the simpler issues that arise at work, your colleagues’ interests may not be aligned with yours, for example they may be your superiors or they may personally be involved in the issue affecting you.

Affinity is different: whatever the problem, all our members are represented by experienced full-time officials. We work closely with members helping them find solutions to issues and providing legal support where that’s needed and attend any formal meetings presenting the member’s case.

And we get results. Although our major wins on Equal Pay, contracts and equalisation of pensions have grabbed the headlines, every day of the working week we represent members threatened with dismissal or who have serious unresolved grievances, saving their jobs and making their working lives easier.

But to get that support you need to join us before a problem arises. Like any form of insurance, you can’t join when you have a problem.

To sign up call us on 01234 716005 or email us at 24hours@workaffinity.co.uk and we’ll do the rest.