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Comment on 2011 trade union membership figures released by Trade Union membership: We are the ones we have been waiting for | STRONGER UNIONS

Fri, 04 May 2012 07:55:46 +0000

[...] release of the 2011 trade union membership figures by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills provides much food for thought for the trade [...]

Comment on Widening the debate on Trade Union membership by Terence Eden

Terence Eden — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:35:48 +0000

There are two issues which I think need to be addressed to increase trade union membership.

1) Get university graduates to join unions via a link with the NUS. The NUS is the default choice for most students – mostly for the benefits it gives them. The NUS should advise graduates which Trade Union is most suitable for them when joining the workforce. It’s then up to the union to “sell” themselves – either by promoting their benefits, or via discount rates for people in their first few years of employment.

2) Better focus on recruiting managers and senior staff. Having a workforce which is unionised and an management team who are not really creates an “us against them” attitude. That’s not what we want. Unions need to run the sorts of events – and offer the sorts of services – which other professional bodies offer.

Comment on 2011 trade union membership figures released by Widening the debate on Trade Union membership | STRONGER UNIONS

Widening the debate on Trade Union membership | STRONGER UNIONS — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:39:18 +0000

[...] to Becky for her analysis of the 2011 trade union membership figures released by BIS last [...]

Comment on 2011 trade union membership figures released by Martin Smith

Martin Smith — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 15:57:22 +0000

The current economic and political climate provides no significant obstacles to building unions as working people face a new attack on their living standards and aspirations almost every week by organised employers and the Coalition Ministers they control. But new and existing union members see these attacks falling on their communities and workplaces and these are the places where effective union organising responses are best located. Much of the debate around trade union membership trends focusses on an analysis of sector, industry and national economic and industrial developments – and this makes little contribution to an understanding of what helps and what hinders union building where people work. Credible workplace campaigns on local issues that mobilise all those affected is succeeding in building union membership in 2012 in the public, private and the growing public-private hybrid sectors.

Comment on 2011 trade union membership figures released by Sampson Low

Sampson Low — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:45:03 +0000

The TUPE transfer of workers between public and private sectors due to out sourcing (and occasional in-sourcing) can alter these figures and show private sector union growth and public sector decline without any members leaving or joining. Could this be significant?

Comment on 2011 trade union membership figures released by Dave Plummer

Dave Plummer — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:55:33 +0000

Given the perpetual casualisation of the workforce I think we’re doing pretty well. The reappearance of relatively high profile TU action in the private sector (Unilever, Ford, Balfour Beatty etc) helps but inaction (Unite’s shameful lack of action initially with Balfour Beatty etc, BECTU’s failure to do anything to defend their Tesco members’ pensions) could make us appear irrelevant.

And as for the public sector pensions debacle….

If the TU movement is going to grow (as it must) we need to make more of our wins and do a little less procrastination and capitulation.

Comment on 2011 trade union membership figures released by jim jepps

jim jepps — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:15:40 +0000

I could ask you this in purpose as I’ll be seeing you in a minute, but while it’s in my head…

If public sector density has gone up but actual membership has gone down does this mean that there is a direct correlation with job losses? If union membership is going down because employees in highly unionised areas are being laid off this may help explain some of these figures.

Comment on High heels: Lies, damned lies and politics by High heels: Lies, damned lies and politics « UNITE – NASUWT staff branch

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:11:49 +0000

[...] http://strongerunions.org/2012/04/18/lies-damned-lies-and-politics/ Share this:EmailPrintFacebookTwitterLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. Tags: health, policy, politics, Rights at work, safety [...]

Comment on High heels: Lies, damned lies and politics by Paul Bright

Paul Bright — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:17:13 +0000

ThIs ConDem regime (that was never properly elected) is a massive risk to the UK.
RMT member station staff have been got rid of so there will be no defence on the
front line against terrorist attacks. Muggers and criminals increasingly rule the
railway. The biggest criminal is the Al Cameron network rail which skimps on
Maintenance, taking massive risks with the lives of passengers. In the Gulf
the UK is now on the terrorist side, using known Al Qaeda terrorists to fight
in Libya and Syria. In Bahrain, a Brutal dictatorship, Cameron says all is OK
and F1 is OK too, many jobs etc. What a nonsense. This is NOT OK. The
ConDem regime is exporting deadly weapons to terrorist backing states
and is taking massive risks with Londoners’ lives. Stop Bin Boris Laden:
STOP RISK !

Comment on Help a trade unionist jailed on his way through Serbia by Hasan free – union campaigns work | STRONGER UNIONS

Hasan free – union campaigns work | STRONGER UNIONS — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:06:57 +0000

[...] from LabourStart is an update on the campaign to get Kosovan metalworker trade union leader Hasan Abazi out of a Serbian jail. Key point: Hasan is back [...]