Trade Unions: representative, relevant and required

Speaking last week at TUC Congress the Shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna, addressed delegates in Liverpool.  Headline writers will – quite rightly – focus on Chuka’s commitment, if elected, to “end blacklisting, once and for all”, in our construction industry.

But among his remarks, the Shadow Business Secretary said something which I’m sure struck an equally resounding chord with trade union leaders and members alike saying, “We need unions to be engaged - not just in times of dispute or crisis, but much earlier, in a continuous discussion, shaping the process of change.”

Chuka went on to say: “It is essential trade unions are included and play an active part on different sector bodies in shaping the different industrial strategies we have. And the Government must of course play its role in the implementation of those industrial strategies across all departments, bringing employers and union representatives together to help forge that future.”

This is the language of ‘workers’ voice’ and it could not be more important. Workers’ voice is and will always remain a key feature of trade union campaigning up to the next election and beyond.

Our Shadow Business Secretary also said he would support a wholesale reform of employment tribunals, which he described as the cornerstone of ‘tackling discrimination and unfair practices in the workplace’ starting by cutting the costs of pursuing tribunal claims: costs that have spiralled under the current government and driven an 80% fall in cases.

He told unions: "We have fought to defend people's rights and voice in opposition, but these rights are only meaningful if you can get proper redress. The current employment tribunal system is unfair, unsustainable and has resulted in prohibitive costs, locking people out of the justice they are entitled to."

Since fees were introduced the number of tribunal claims has fallen by four fifths, confirming fears that the introduction of fees would discourage workers on low incomes from pursuing cases. Labour say claims relating to age discrimination and unfair dismissal as a result of pregnancy are both down by 26% while claims against breaches of the Working Time Directive have fallen by 94%.

If Chuka Umunna does become Business Secretary next year, I look forward to the implementation of this commitment to earlier union engagement and ‘democracy in the workplace’ - focused specifically on rights to information and consultation and fairer access to justice. In the process, we can move towards a better, fairer economy for companies and their workforces.

In essence, the message was that Trade unions bring the people dimension to company decisions and need to be instrumental in shaping the process of change from the outset.  Not a bad précis of what we do in 2014, why we’re still as relevant as ever – and even more necessary. 

Beth Farhat

Northern TUC Regional Secretary