Carl Roper's Archive

Carl Roper

Carl Roper is the TUC National Organiser

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http://www.strongerunions.org

Carl Roper
Union reps: A better investment than a FTSE250 company

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Today, the TUC releases new research that shows the significant benefits that workplace union reps produce for employers and taxpayers. The report also reveals serious inaccuracies in figures used by the so-called Taxpayers Alliance relating to the cost of paid time off.

“Facility Time for union reps – separating fact from fiction” not only updates the value of the savings to employers and the taxpayer that result from the work that reps do, but also reveals a significant return on investment in relation to the cost of the paid time off that reps receive.

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Posted on January 24th, 2012 by Carl Roper filed under: Union reps
Carl Roper
Attack on union reps defeated

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Earlier today I blogged about MP and former investment banker Jesse Norman’s 10 Minute Rule Bill attacking union reps. I’m pleased to report that Mr Norman’s motion was defeated by 79 votes. You can read Jesse Norman’s speech introducing the Bill, and John Healey’s response on TheyWorkForYou.

Such is the deep seated antipathy towards unions felt by the likes of Mr Norman and the determination of the Taxpayers Alliance and TURC to persecute workplace reps that I’m certain that this wont be the end of their attacks. For now though we should celebrate this small victory for workplace reps, employees and employers.

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Posted on January 11th, 2012 by Carl Roper filed under: Union news, Union reps
Carl Roper
Investment banker attacks workplace volunteers

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Jesse Norman MP. Cartoon © Alex Hughes

If I was to tell you that today, a former employee of an industry that in 2009 received a bailout from the taxpayer amounting to over £1 TRILLION (and that still owes over £450 BILLION) was to move a motion attacking volunteer workplace union reps and demanding that unions should be forced to repay employers for the time they have negotiated that allows workplace reps to represent employees and negotiate with employers, you would think I’d taken leave of my senses.

But that’s exactly what is going to happen today when Jesse Norman MP, a former Barclays Investment banker stands up and moves a 10 Minute Rule Bill in the House of Commons.

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Posted on January 11th, 2012 by Carl Roper filed under: Union reps
Carl Roper
Tories admit union cash doesn’t influence Labour (well kind of)!

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One of the more spurious yet central reasons why right wing front groups hate union reps getting paid time to represent employees and negotiate with employers is because they’ve convinced themselves that this frees up cash that unions (or at least the minority of them that affiliate) can then give to the Labour party. And a union trying to influence public policy is the thing they hate the most – apart from unions themselves obviously!

But wait – what’s this? It seems that unions aren’t the only groups that give cash to political parties.

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Posted on December 9th, 2011 by Carl Roper filed under: Union reps
Carl Roper
#N30 saw a movement find a voice that spoke for all workers

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I’m writing this post having just returned from the Liverpool TUC March and Rally for Pensions Justice so you may have to excuse some post march euphoria. However it’s clear that in terms of the support the Day of Action has received from public sector workers, it has been an enormous success.

My Twitter feed is filled with reports about attendance at afternoon marches and rallies all over the country. We might have expected the huge turnouts at rallies in Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, London and Glasgow, but we also saw 5000 in Chester, 2000 in Cambridge, 2000 in Gloucester, 1200 in Lancaster.

As well as a reflection of the genuine anger felt by public sector workers about the almost daily attacks on their pay and conditions by the Coalition government, this is also a sign of a movement regaining its confidence and finding a voice to speak on behalf of all workers regardless of which sector they work in.

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Posted on November 30th, 2011 by Carl Roper filed under: Union campaigns
Carl Roper
Introducing unionreps ACTION!

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The TUC is pleased to announce the launch of a new set of on-line resources for union reps to help them organise, campaign and build stronger unions – unionreps ACTION!

We believe that these are the most comprehensive set of on-line resources of their kind available to reps in the UK. They include everything needed to build the union and campaign to win.

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Posted on November 21st, 2011 by Carl Roper filed under: Union reps
Carl Roper
Launching the TUC Pocket Guide to Organising and Campaigning

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If you’ve ever wished that there was a booklet available that as well as containing all of the basic information, hints and tips you need to build strong workplace unions and run effective campaigns, was also handy enough to carry around with you, then you’ll be pleased to hear that today the TUC is launching its all new ‘Pocket Guide to Organising and Campaigning‘.

The guide contains sections on the essential skills for organising, how to carry out effective research, building an organising team, putting together a campaign plan, campaigning with others beyond the workplace and evaluating your campaign activity.

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Posted on November 4th, 2011 by Carl Roper filed under: Union organising