Roy Rickhuss responds to David Coats’ article The politics of work
Looking at the reality for today’s workforce and listening to their concerns should be the starting point for mapping what the next Labour government should do to have an impact on the workplace of 2020. Trade unions are still the best vehicle through which to do that, in the ongoing absence of a better alternative, but if that is to remain the case we must keep changing to be relevant to the evolving needs and aspirations of today’s workers. The union movement itself will have to look different by 2020 if it is to be part of the solution to challenges of the world of work.
David Coats is right to highlight concerns about low pay and poor pay growth. To tackle the United Kingdom’s low pay problems and to ensure workers are fairly rewarded for their part in an organisation’s success, unions have a role and a duty to continue to organise workers, particularly in the private sector where only 16 per cent are in a union. Where unions have maintained high membership density, workers have also enjoyed the benefits of productivity gains. Building relationships with employers is an important part of this. Too often the stories of positive partnerships between companies and unions go untold. Government should consider what more it can do to encourage greater partnership working between unions and employers.
This would also help to overcome the challenges of insecurity at work and the UK’s poor level of employee engagement. I have plenty of examples of situations where, through meaningful consultation and engagement, the union ‘side’ has come up with solutions that have saved jobs, won new business or improved productivity. But this way of working needs to be spread throughout the economy and that will only happen through a more hands-on approach from government and a commitment to acknowledge the challenges and understand what happens inside the workplace.
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Roy Rickhuss is general secretary of Community the union
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Articles in the Britain 2020 series are all available to read on the Progress website