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Attention: Industrial correspondents

Recognition deals fall as US style union-busting hits the UK

As figures out today (Monday) show the number of recognition deals made between unions and companies fell by half last year, the TUC is calling on the government to protect employees from the bullying and intimidation increasingly used to pressure them not to choose union representation.

This year’s Trade Union Trends Recognition Survey 2003 recorded 166 new recognition deals, half the number recorded the year before and around a third of the 2001 survey. Although deals are now being made at the same rate as before the right to recognition came into force, more employees have gained a union voice at work compared to the year before (over 78,000) as unions are forming agreements with larger companies.

In 2003, we saw for the first time a number of high-profile examples of companies using US style union-busting techniques to pressure staff not to choose union representation in a recognition ballot. Tactics included special anti-union publications, videos, one-on-one briefings and all-staff letters to persuade employees that a union voice would damage the company and increase the likelihood of redundancies and outsourcing.

The TUC is urging the government to use the Employment Relations Bill, currently at committee stage, to give UK employees protection against bullying and intimidation and defend their right to choose union representation.

Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, said:

'The picture of union recognition deals is patchy. There were fewer agreements last year but they covered bigger workplaces, so over 78,000 extra workers now have a union voice at work. A minority of employers are determined not to give employees the right to choose recognition and are increasingly turning to union-busting consultants. The government must stop this trend that threatens to undo improvements to workplace relations.'

Findings from TUC Trade Union Trends Recognition Survey 2003

• Proportionately more unions (64%) are reporting they have concluded recognition deals than the year before (51%).

• Despite a fall in the number of agreements last year over 78,000 more employees are covered by a trade union recognised by their employer. The slight increase in the number of employees covered on the previous year reflects the fact that the average size of business recognising unions has more than doubled (471 workers in 2003, 195 in 2002).

• The vast majority of the recognition agreements were voluntary and a significantly increasing number covered information and consultation rights over a range of issues (79%), consultation over pensions (49%), training and learning (68%), and redundancies and transfers (69%).

Trends surveys 1995 - 2003

Period Number of new deals

July 95 - Dec 95 54

Jan 96 - June 96 54

July 96 - Dec 96 56

Jan 97- June 97 26

July 97 - Feb 98 55

Mar 98 - Nov 98 34

Dec 98 - Oct 99 75

Nov 99 - Oct 00 159

Nov 00 - Oct 01 450 (plus 20 through the CAC)

Nov 01 - Oct 02 282 (plus 24 through the CAC)

Nov 02 - Oct 03 137 (plus 29 through the CAC)

Notes to Editors:

- Trade Union Trends Recognition Survey 2003 covers the period from November 2002 to October 2003 - a full copy is available from TUC publications.

- Information for employees on how to establish union recognition in a workplace is available at www.workSMART.org.uk

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Ben Hurley 020 7467 1248 or 07626 317903 (pager) or email bhurley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (600 words) issued 16 Feb 2004