No Pain No Gain? Shares v Pay as Economic Reward

Colleagues,

As a teacher of trade union/labour studies for over 15 years now I have never found a time that wasn't 'interesting'. Similarly, as a leftist, I always see the historic permutations in our modern times.

And so to the latest news that the British Airline Pilot's Association (BALPA) has agreed to a unique pay bargaining outcome which over the next five years will see pilots have share allocations instead of pay increases.

Some of you might find such an outcome deplorable. Please have a look at today's article in The Observer Will Hutton if that's the case: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/21/will-hutton-british-airways-pay

Although Hutton writes within the context of trade union 'partnership' in an era of decaying capitalism I personally don't think that we as trade unionists should write him off automatically.

Hutton's position is much broader and you can see this in his video following a Unions21 event earlier this year. In it he propounds a more fundamental review of, for example, the position of trade unions where the state takes a greater stake in financial services: http://www.unions21.org.uk/node/51

In addition, in the Observer piece, he cites the work of Daniel Kahneman (2002 Nobel Prize Winner for Economics) to support the increased recognition of the position of workers to validate their greater significance in pay determination. There is a great interview with Kahneman on YouTube where you can derive some sense of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4LdtAJaZPA

These events run alongside the momentous decision by the United Automotive Workers of America (UAW) to agree a controlling share in General Motors http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090529/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gm_uaw

For me much of these recent developments came together when earlier this month when I chaired a Unions21 event on the position of trade unions and cooperatives. Ultimately the suggestion at this event, and with what I have referred to here, suggests that we must discuss the controlling role of workers in relation to the organisation's they work for - a lot of this reminds me to some degree of what I read as a teenager in the work of Coates & Topham and workers' control.

The global economic depression is ironically accelerating the debate (and outcomes) around the greater degree of direct worker intervention in corporate financial activity.

Is this a bad thing?

Please let me know what you think.

As ever I hope that I stimulate alternative views. If I do please be constructive with your criticism.

Cheers

Ian

Long-Term Measures to Embed Migrant Workers

Colleagues,

Have just completed a challenging, lively weekend with the students (pictured) on the MA in International Labour & Trade Union Studies (ILTUS) at Ruskin College, Oxford. The MA was created by Sue Ledwith (pictured centre with blue top) and comprises a fantastic crop of students from across the globe.


One of the topics discussed over the weekend was the trade union response to migration. In particular students were providing feedback on their action research that combined migrant worker interviews. Within this area of work there is a need to consider the long-term measures that unions should adopt to ensure, for example, that these workers are encouraged into positions of leadership/activism.

This will feature in the work in some of the work I will be hopefully engaged in with the GFTU as part of their proposals for funding from the third round of the Union Modernisation Fund (UMF). The focus of UMF III is vulnerable workers and the need to ensure that, aside from activity to reduce/eradicate vulnerability/exploitation, trade unions should seek to work collaboratively with potentially marginalised workers to encourage greater self-organisation, assertion etc.

Naturally this isn't easy work and the UMF projects will operate within challening environments. This work is long-term and will require unions to maintain activity and prioritise this area of work long after UMF funds have gone.

How and where do you think this work needs to start and how do we maintain it?

Your thoughts, as ever, are welcome.

Cheers

Ian

Educate, Agitate, Organise!

Colleagues,

Given the time of year please excuse this naked marketing attempt to promote first class educational opportunities for trade unionists at two of the best trade union education institutions in the UK and internationally.

The Access to Higher Education Diploma at Northern College, Barnsley is aimed at those without a degree but who have significant experience of activism:

It aims to encourage activists to link what they do as activists with related subjects and so develop study and analytical skills.

You can get further information by going to:

http://www.northern.ac.uk/courses/courses.asp?dataID=tu&pageID=tudip

MA and BA options in International Labour & Trade Union Studies are available at Ruskin College, Oxford.

The BA blurb states:
You develop a depth of knowledge and complexity of analytical skills. You will be equiped with the skills, knowledge and confidence to succeed on the degree course and, where this is the desired outcome for you, provided with a suitable academic grounding if you wish to progress to Masters level of study.

The MA (on which I teach) states:
Labour movements worldwide are seen as being in crisis and are actively seeking ways of renewal. These issues are closely linked with globalisation and with fluidity among emergent transitional and developing states and countries. Ruskin’s place in the labour movement, together with academic staff researching, writing and teaching in the field, puts it in a good position to become a centre of debate and scholarship in this project. The Ruskin MA offers practitioners and scholars of such challenges the conceptual, analytical and critical framework for understanding and explaining labour movement change.

Further information is available at:
http://www.ruskin.ac.uk/courses/trade_union_studies/

Please note also that there is an open day for the MA/BA on Saturday 13th June. Contact me if you are interested.

I would be very grateful if you would forward the information above to anyone in the movement who wishes to develop greater knowledge of the challenges that face us and the methods to address them.

Cheers!

Ian

Trade Unions & Employee Ownership: Mutually Exclusive?

Colleagues,

On Friday I chaired the afternoon session of a lively, enjoyable event that had been organised jointly between Unions21, Ruskin College and Cooperatives UK, the umbrella body for the cooperative/employee-owned sector. The agenda for the event can be seen at: http://www.unions21.org.uk/node/80

Somewhat controversially the event was kicked off by Hazel Blears who, recent events apart, was welcome to the event as someone who had supported cooperative ideals not least as a method to support community cohesion and development. Pictured left also is Sue Ferns (Chair, Unions21) and Pauline Green (Chief Executive, Cooperatives UK).

The catalyst for the event was the need to stimulate some debate about a rejuvenation of activity between the cooperative and labour movements.

Although there is much mutually advantageous, collaborative work that can be done the event partly focused on the potentially contentious issue of the consideration of employee ownership/social enterprise in a situation of the externalising of public sector services.

Guy Collis, UNISON policy officer gave a largely oppositional view while Mick Taylor of Mutual Advantage outlined several case studies where employee ownership had safeguarded jobs, secured union recognition and improved terms and conditions of employment.

The event was a great opportunity to air and debate the issues surrounding this and will act as a springboard to further investigating the nature of joint work between the trade unions and the cooperative movement.

It will be interesting to have your views pro/anti about the concept of social enterprise as a route to safeguarding jobs.

Cheers

Ian

The Era of Anti-Politics

Colleagues,

Just back from a few days at Northern College and then today working with a fantastic group of activists from NAPO.

Whilst at Northern a colleague Phil Fitzpatrick drew my attention to the BNP's strategic (see image left) take on the mess that is parliamentary democracy in the UK.

As we rush head-long into the Euro elections on the 4th June the BNP has been offered the keen of marketing dream they could never of hoped for.

Positioning themselves as the anti-politics party of the UK it is likely that the BNP will poll well in two weeks time. We know of course that this bunch is far from anti-politics but how do we convince an electorate digusted with the greed of MPs that they don't all deserve a kicking via the Euro elections?

How goes the MP's expenses discussions in your own workplaces and do you sense a mood to vote for the BNP?

Cheers

Ian

Modern Times

Colleagues,

Back from France and straight into the thick of it.

On Tuesday I was with colleagues from UNITE, UCATT, PCS etc. in Birmingham at lunchtime marking our respect for International Workers' Memorial Day.


It is a highly poignant day and reminds us all of one of the primary reasons why we as trade unionists exists.

I was really pleased that most of the UNISON activists I was teaching that day came along to the event next to the Cathedral in Birmingham.

Please let me know what events you attended across the UK.

Many thanks

Ian

French Trade Unionism: The Way Forward?

Colleagues,

From tomorrow I am away to the French Republic for two weeks of lazing about and attempts at cultural refinement.

At the same time I am going to try follow the growth in the French tradition of bossnapping - as it is being called in the UK.

Today's Guardian reports on the latest manifestation of this tried and trusted method of arbitration: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/apr/08/bossnapping-france-scapa

The latest case involved three British managers of Scapa Group plc who have just been released.

Naturally Sarkozy condemns this form of action but the Guardian quite rightly recognises its historical importance in the trade union struggle:

The tactic, which became popular during the tumultuous days of 1968, is an extreme yet common measure used sporadically by unhappy French workers. Reserved for when other more orthodox forms of protest are going nowhere, bossnapping is the final card played by a workforce at the end of its tether.

Could such a thing catch on in the UK?

Au Reviour

Ian