Toggle high contrast
Advanced search
Mobile menu

General Council Report - Chapter 5

Issue date

chapter 5 partnership institute

5.1 Introduction

This chapter outlines the work of the General Council on partnership in the workplace, in line with Composite Resolution 10 of the 1999 Congress. It covers the launch of the TUC Partnership Institute, the recent work of the TUC Partnership Institute and possible future developments.

The General Council have continued to promote partnership at work as an important approach to industrial relations, which will deliver improvements to members’ jobs and economic benefits for employers. The aim is to encourage unions and employers to develop effective working relationships. The intent is to extend union influence at a corporate level over an organisation’s policy and strategy, and increase reps’ and members’ involvement at a local level in the implementation of business decisions.

The six principles of partnership, approved by the General Council in 1999, underpin the whole ethos and style of the TUC Partnership Institute. Without these or similar principles there cannot be a genuine workplace partnership between unions and management.

The principles that should be shared by all parties to a partnership agreement are:

  • A commitment to the success of the organisation

  • A focus on the quality of working life

  • A recognition of and respect for the legitimate roles of the employer and the trade union

  • A commitment to employment security

  • Openness and transparency

  • Adding value to all concerned

An Advisory Board oversees the TUC Partnership Institute itself. Membership of this board is set out in the box below.

Partnership Institute Advisory Board

Professor William Brown (Chair)

General Council: Bill Connor, John Edmonds, Michael Leahy, Ed Sweeney, Jenny Thurston, John Monks.

Unions: Bob Abberley (UNISON), Jon Allen (TSSA), Peter Carter (MSF), Paul Gates (KFAT), Margaret Prosser (T&G).

Others: Andrew Foster (NHS Executive), Lesley James (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), Mike Kinski (Nomura International), Mavis McDonald CB (The Cabinet Office), Professor Peter Nolan (Leeds Business School), Professor Keith Sisson (University of Warwick), Ruth Spellman (Investors in People UK).

5.2 Launch of the TUC Partnership Institute

There were three main components to the successful launch of the Partnership Institute. The first was the careful selection and briefing of the Associate Consultant team, the second was the creation of high quality development materials and the third was the public launch evening itself.

The team of around 25 Associates was created following a rigorous interview and selection procedure during the autumn of 2000. The panel interviews were conducted by senior TUC staff and members of the Partnership Task Group. This team was then brought together for a comprehensive briefing in early January 2001. Speakers at this meeting included Isobel Butler and Michael Murray from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, John Monks and Brendan Barber as well as speakers from organisations already involved in partnership working.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has provided access to the materials they have developed and used successfully over recent years. This greatly assisted the development of high quality training and consultancy materials. These materials were then developed further by specialists in each of the specific topic areas to ensure their relevance to the UK workplace.

The launch event was held later in January 2001 and was attended by around 250 people. These included 41 senior representatives of affiliated unions, around 80 from organisations involved with, or interested in working with, the Partnership Institute and 23 from government including the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Stephen Byers. The Prime Minister had hoped to attend but was unable to do so because of developments in the Northern Ireland peace process. He did, however, record a video address which was shown at the event.

Following the launch and creation of a clear identity the TUC Partnership Institute has gone on to deliver its key services to unions and organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors.

The services provided fall into four main areas:

  • Consultancy and development

  • Training

  • Networking

  • Research

These services can be accessed through the programme of events that the Institute provides or, increasingly, through requesting bespoke support to specific projects or initiatives. Involvement with the Institute can be initiated through initial contact from the unions or from the employing organisation, recognising that the Institute policy is to work with both parties in all cases.

5.3 Progress in the private sector

Progress has been made on a number of initiatives that originated as pilots at the inception of the Institute. For example, the development of the partnership between Barclays and UNIFI has been supported through a pilot implementation programme in Barclaycard. This support has included running a development-needs analysis, providing consultancy and creating and running bespoke training programmes for UNIFI representatives and their line managers. The partnership at British Bakeries has been similarly supported by a series of training programmes in three of their 19 sites. This development support will then be progressed across the whole organisation. This work is of particular interest because the partnership agreement at British Bakeries is between the employer and six separate unions: BFAWU, AEEU, MSF, USDAW, GMB and URTU.

Other initiatives to provide support to new and established partnership relationships in a number of disparate organisations are at various stages of progress.

5.4 Progress in the public sector

Here the Institute is involved in a range of initiatives across the health service and local government. For example, after a number of unavoidable delays, the partnership initiative at University Hospital Birmingham is progressing via a series of workshops for the key personnel involved. Further initiatives are being discussed in other NHS Trusts.

In addition, the Partnership Institute has had a presence at two major Health Service HR conferences.

There is currently a major project being developed in local government. This will involve a number of authorities and the full cross-section of representative unions. This initiative is being undertaken with support from the Economic and Social Affairs Department.

5.5 Progress in the voluntary sector

Two major initiatives are underway here. The first is a comprehensive programme of consultancy and development, supporting the partnership agreement between NCH, UNISON and MSF.

The second is that in September and October 2001 the Partnership Institute will be working with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations to present two conferences on partnership at work.

5.6 Cross-sector working

In addition to the work in specific organisations, the Institute has held two very successful workshops with participants drawn from across the range of sectors. These have been on the theme of Improving Workplace Partnerships and have been attended by representatives from both unions and employing organisations. This networking and sharing of best practice across sectors has had particularly favourable feedback.

The Institute has also been asked to speak at partnership related conferences.

5.7 The future

Partnership is currently being used to embrace a whole host of concepts. The TUC Partnership Institute must be clearly seen as the centre of excellence for developing and supporting workplace partnership relationships specifically between unions and employers. Inevitably too there will be a growth in the number of organisations working in a partnership way leading to an acceptance and understanding of the principles. The TUC Partnership Institute must evolve to meet these changes in its working environment. To do this the Institute is continuing to enhance and augment its skills base by the development of its Associate pool. This will enable it to meet the changing requirements of its clients while maintaining the underpinning principles. The Institute is also working to a clear marketing strategy to enable unions and organisations to understand and easily access its support and services.

Join a union
Enable Two-Factor Authentication

To access the admin area, you will need to setup two-factor authentication (TFA).

Setup now