FUTURE OF THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN 21CENTURY

Future of the Trade Union Movement In 21century

Future of the Trade Union Movement In 21century

Introduction

Trade union members, on the basis of their work experiences and aspirations, tend to develop an implicit paradigm within which they expect their trade union to function. Its been more than hundred years since trade unions have existed to protect and improve their members' terms and conditions of employment. During this period there have been many changes to the laws relating to trade unions. Modern trade unions provide a wide range of services for members: They still represent members to employers and negotiate on their behalf for better wages and working conditions. This is called 'collective bargaining. They provide information and advice to individual members if they have a problem at work they also provide a network of health and safety representatives at the workplace. Since the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have had to provide health and safety policies and procedures for putting it in place. Trade unions help people at work with problems like

redundancy, grievance, disciplinary procedures and legal action. They provide information, advice and support to people who belong to trade unions.Trade unions provide trained health and safety representatives who employers can consult. Trade unions are interested in actively promoting equal opportunities at work and providing advice and support to their members on the legislation. Trade unions run campaigns to improve working conditions and working lives, not just for British workers, but also for workers in other countries affected by globalisation.

There are a number of other services that trade unions provide to individual members: welfare benefits, legal assistance, education and training, financial services and discounts.Yet, despite the growing heterogeneity of trade union constituents there is still a significant group of workers who uphold the traditional and ideal vision of trade unionism. Trade Unions may be organised on the basis of occupation, industry or may draw together different groups of workers in a general union. In many countries trade unions have been most strongly represented in the public sector. Trade unions have an important campaigning role. They take up issues and causes and try to gain publicity so that government and employers take action to improve people's lives at work.Structural adjustment programmes, which have reduced the size of the public sector in recent years, have had a significant impact on union membership.

Structures vary, but in general unions are organised at individual workplaces, and at the national and international level. Representatives elected at the workplace lead discussions with management and link the membership with regional and national level union structures and services. At local and national level, the focus is primarily on negotiations with employers over pay and conditions. Nevertheless the changes taking place in the labour market also require that new recruitment initiatives be undertaken. (Winthrope 2008 Pp. 40)

Failing this, the trade union movement may end up representing merely a “labour aristocracy” rather than a wide section of contemporary ...