The idea
I find it incredible that employers are required to pay union reps for undertaking union business during work time. In my experience (particularly in the public sector) this has led to members of staff spending the majority of their work time on union business, to the detriment of their employer's business requirements.
Why is it important?
There needs to be a recognition that employees first consideration in the workplace is to their employer (and a similar consideration from employer to employee). The practice of using employer time for union business is just a part of the damaging set of behaviours and expectations from union management that prevent proper partnership working in the interest of all employees an not just union members.