news analysis: union recognition
WORKERS, MARCH 2003 ISSUE
UNIONS ARE coming back into the workplace across Britain, according to the TUC’s annual survey of recognition, covering deals up to October 2002. But the going is getting tougher now that deals with more receptive employers have been done, leaving the more resistant ones still to crack.
There were more than 300 new recognition agreements last year, with the vast majority achieved through without disputes. Some well-known employers having to concede recognition include American Airlines, Boots, Meridian TV, the Church of Scotland, Kwik-Fit, Greenpeace and Air New Zealand.
At Kwik-Fit 574 workers in London won recognition in a ballot in which 92.2% voted in favour. This led to a voluntary agreement covering 3,200 workers in over 600 auto centres across Britain.
Another excellent example of how recognition in one area can lead to a breakthrough in a whole organisation, came with NUJ recognition at the Bristol Evening Post, part of the Northcliffe Newspapers chain, a regional subsidiary of the Daily Mail Group. The agreement covers 90 journalists.
Other important examples are recognition secured by Amicus for 6,000 staff employed by financial company AMP UK, by UNISON for 200 domestics employed by ISS Mediclean in South Durham last July and by GPMU for 160 workers at Norcor, after a 12 -year campaign.
Although there was a big increase in deals after the introduction of statutory recognition, anti-union employers are getting better at exploiting the loopholes. The TUC wants the government to address this problem when it reviews the Employment Relations Act this summer.
The TUC is calling for an end to the exclusion of employees of firms employing fewer than 21. Also at present a union needs a 40% vote from the entire bargaining unit – a failure to vote counts as a "No" vote – but the TUC believes a simple majority of those voting should be sufficient. That said, in practice most votes are overwhelming.
While it is tough going in many workplaces (when has it ever been easy?) many agreements are far-reaching, cover ing more than pay, hours and holidays. According to TUC figures, 91% cover representation at grievance and disciplinary hearings and a significant number cover issues such as training and equal rights.
70,000 more workers are covered by a recognised trade union, almost three times the total covered by the survey carried out in 2000. This brings the total number of workers covered since the Employment Relations Act 1999 to around 200,000.