I love the trade union movement, it is full of wonderful committed people that are passionate about representation, fairness and standing up for those who do not feel able to stand up for themselves.
The union movement is a big driver of social change, and is critical to the good functioning of our economy. Powerful effective worker representation in our economy makes our country a better place and it will support the ambition to improve the lives of ordinary working people.
In short #joinaunion.
With Labour back in Government and around the negotiating table, unionised workers will and (finally) are being listened to. The headline noise about record breaking pay increases simplify these discussions and do a disservice to the public.
Whilst the headline pay increase is important, these negotiations will be conducted with hard facts, detailed labour market analysis and statistical data on the workforce and its challenges.
Negotiations will start with a shared objective of ensuring a skilled, productive and sustainable workforce that is delivering effectively in the best interests of the public, whether that is doctors or GP’s, train drivers or NHS workers. We can’t run our public services without people, and if we want excellent services then we need an excellent workforce.
In September The TUC will meet for their Annual Congress. This year, more people will be watching, I’m sure more will attend.
The relationship between the unions and the new Labour Government is now at its strongest, but it will be tested over the course of Government as decisions and trade offs will need to be made. The first tests look likely to be around the new employment bill and the exact scope and nature of day one rights for workers, we are also likely to see tensions on investment in public services and the pace and scale of the energy transition and the resulting impact on jobs.
In the interests of an effective social partnership I would like to see a much stronger voice for the non-unionised worker in these conversations. Union membership has been falling and now hovers somewhere between 20 – 25% of the workforce. Whilst the unions have been a powerful force for progress in our society, they have a collective blind spot. SME’s, and in many sectors, particularly new industries, have little presence.
Driving growth in the economy needs new business and enterprise to thrive, it needs risk takers to employ people and make mistakes, it needs the voice of all workers represented.
I’ll be listening to the keynote speeches at TUC with interest, I hope that grown up politics will prevail, that the movement will look outward, that the voice of those workers not in a union will be reflected, that there is an ambition to give them their voice, to speak on behalf of all ordinary working people.
If the unions don’t do this, then who will?
