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MSE News: Jobs market 'set to get worse'
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Pressure on Labour? Who?
The big unions are back to paying the vast majority of the fiddler's wage. Many members already realise that this subversion of the minimum wage is having a harmful effect on their own employment security, but those out-of-work only see the (almost non-existent) hope of a permanent placement combined with the threat of loss of JSA. If the latter were to see that they have the same problem as the former - lack of secure employment under reasonable conditions - they might begin to speak as one instead of allowing themselves to be divided and conquered.
If the unions were to grow, the working (and wanting-to-be-working) people's voice in the Labour Party would grow and they'd begin to put pressure on the government to review the current programme. Contrary to over-cynical opinion, much of Labour's behaviour over the past decade was directed by the unions: but since they've dwindled in significance it was usually only specific issues relating to fields where union membership is strong, rather than issues which concern the general worker. (In particular, public sector workers fared better than private - now the bitter private sector wants to pull the other down to its level rather than follow the example of the successful. 30 November approaches...)
Since the LDs have all but lost any semblance of core support, Labour have a serious chance at the next election. None of my remarks were considering the short term.0 -
The big unions are back to paying the vast majority of the fiddler's wage. Many members already realise that this subversion of the minimum wage is having a harmful effect on their own employment security, but those out-of-work only see the (almost non-existent) hope of a permanent placement combined with the threat of loss of JSA. If the latter were to see that they have the same problem as the former - lack of secure employment under reasonable conditions - they might begin to speak as one instead of allowing themselves to be divided and conquered.
If the unions were to grow, the working (and wanting-to-be-working) people's voice in the Labour Party would grow and they'd begin to put pressure on the government to review the current programme. Contrary to over-cynical opinion, much of Labour's behaviour over the past decade was directed by the unions: but since they've dwindled in significance it was usually only specific issues relating to fields where union membership is strong, rather than issues which concern the general worker. (In particular, public sector workers fared better than private - now the bitter private sector wants to pull the other down to its level rather than follow the example of the successful. 30 November approaches...)
Since the LDs have all but lost any semblance of core support, Labour have a serious chance at the next election. None of my remarks were considering the short term.
I would never join a union and they do not and would never represent the out of work0 -
Best Union for the unemployed is Civil Unrest and Protest.Wanted a job, now have one. :beer:0
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they do not and would never represent the out of work
I've just addressed one way in which they could/do represent the out-of-work: by rejecting exploitative workfare schemes which subvert the labour provided by their own membership.
A good union doesn't just protect the good job you already have: it also protects the opportunity to have a good job and good quality of life in old age / sickness. To take a specific example, the unions' challenge to the change from RPI to CPI linking affects everyone - even those with few resources and who haven't paid a week of NI and so are on Pension Credit.
Now a bad union or professional association makes the barrier to entry into some industry or workplace too high. But that's not a problem with the major UK unions at all.0 -
How can any union protect a job? No union could have stopped 3 people at my last job getting made redundant.I've just addressed one way in which they could/do represent the out-of-work: by rejecting exploitative workfare schemes which subvert the labour provided by their own membership.
A good union doesn't just protect the good job you already have: it also protects the opportunity to have a good job and good quality of life in old age / sickness. To take a specific example, the unions' challenge to the change from RPI to CPI linking affects everyone - even those with few resources and who haven't paid a week of NI and so are on Pension Credit.
Now a bad union or professional association makes the barrier to entry into some industry or workplace too high. But that's not a problem with the major UK unions at all.0 -
Mediation and/or representation during any dispute/disciplinary action; legal action or mere threat of legal action (union members are less likely to lose their jobs) if any change wasn't entirely within the law; strike or threat of strike if any change affects several people or even egregiously affects only one; judicial reviews where law seems to have been applied wrongly; lobbying for change of law.How can any union protect a job?
Note also good job. It's not just about having the job but about having a job under good conditions.
The less direct answer would be that workers treated well are likely to be more able and willing to learn their trade properly and execute the job better, creating a more stable and profitable company. This is just as relevant in a service-based economy.
I have no idea what the circumstances of your last job were at, before or after the redundancies. A doctor brought in at the last moment often cannot save a patient. But you might want to look into how easy it is to get rid of someone in this country vs much of continental Europe to find out how organised labour has produced an environment to "stop" people getting made redundant: sometimes through rational laws which stop the employer making dishonest excuses or using threats to push people out, other times through over-zealous protectionism which drives the company into the ground.No union could have stopped 3 people at my last job getting made redundant.
Speaking of doctors, if you perhaps merely have an aversion to groups of workers calling themselves "unions", consider organisations calling themselves "associations" or "institutes": the BMA, the IEE/IET, the RICS, the IMA... how do they protect the interests of jobs and jobseekers? They may give practitioners a well-defined set of standards to attain (perhaps associated with post-nominals); they may provide codes of ethics; they may provide dispute resolution services.
Cooperation works. Anyone who tells you otherwise has almost certainly benefitted from the help of some group of individuals sharing interests (even if it's just an Old Boys' network!) while not wanting you to benefit in the same way.0 -
Mediation and/or representation during any dispute/disciplinary action; legal action or mere threat of legal action (union members are less likely to lose their jobs) if any change wasn't entirely within the law; strike or threat of strike if any change affects several people or even egregiously affects only one; judicial reviews where law seems to have been applied wrongly; lobbying for change of law.
Note also good job. It's not just about having the job but about having a job under good conditions.
The less direct answer would be that workers treated well are likely to be more able and willing to learn their trade properly and execute the job better, creating a more stable and profitable company. This is just as relevant in a service-based economy.
I have no idea what the circumstances of your last job were at, before or after the redundancies. A doctor brought in at the last moment often cannot save a patient. But you might want to look into how easy it is to get rid of someone in this country vs much of continental Europe to find out how organised labour has produced an environment to "stop" people getting made redundant: sometimes through rational laws which stop the employer making dishonest excuses or using threats to push people out, other times through over-zealous protectionism which drives the company into the ground.
Speaking of doctors, if you perhaps merely have an aversion to groups of workers calling themselves "unions", consider organisations calling themselves "associations" or "institutes": the BMA, the IEE/IET, the RICS, the IMA... how do they protect the interests of jobs and jobseekers? They may give practitioners a well-defined set of standards to attain (perhaps associated with post-nominals); they may provide codes of ethics; they may provide dispute resolution services.
Cooperation works. Anyone who tells you otherwise has almost certainly benefitted from the help of some group of individuals sharing interests (even if it's just an Old Boys' network!) while not wanting you to benefit in the same way.
Of course it's easy to get rid of someone. No work means no staff needed.
Company has 40+ sites and then closes 15 over 5 years due to people not spending and a new computer system comes on board so people in accounts and payroll lose their jobs as the job becomes partly automated and the new system doesn't do payroll
Like I say no union can save those so a waste of time all round.0 -
Yes, on another thread I've had people attacking me for 'daring' to work for the NMW, because I am young and relatively inexperienced. A couple of years ago people walked straight into retail/unskilled jobs with no skills or qualifications. Now it seems that we have to 'learn' these skills by going on voluntary placements. Have these jobs really become more complicated?
I've met people who have worked in retail stores for months on end while being on a work placement. One bloke was working at HMV for 6 months and had taken over the assistant manager's roles while the assistant manager went on holiday!!
Other places such as my nearby Tesco and Primark take on 5-6 placements at a time and have been doing so more than a year, saving themselves thousands of pounds in wages.
I'm sick and tired of hearing the 'valuable experience' line why is it we need to be 'trained' for jobs that don't exist?0
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