This research examines five campaigns where trade unions are seeking recognition for collective bargaining for the first time. They all take place within organisations that predominantly employ front-line service workers, with large constituencies of women and part-time workers. As these groups have increased within the workforce, trade union representation has declined. Therefore successfully recruiting and representing these groups remains central to any efforts of British unions to renew themselves. The campaigns have all been selected because they have had some success (although varied) in improving workplace representation structures. And the longitudinal, qualitative approach to the data collection gives insight into the dynamic social processes involved in the campaigns. The research focuses on five key areas of interest: the origins of the campaigns, the roles adopted by key actors (union officials, specialist organisers and workplace activists), the issues around which the unions have campaigned, the organising methods they have used, and the response of the employers targeted. This gives important insight into areas that have, to date, been under-explored. Finally, it is possible to comment on how these factors interact to influence a range of different measures of the 'outcomes' of organising activity. The study concludes that the most effective organising campaigns develop where there is support from both workplace level and from central unions, creating 'articulated' union structures. The role of union experts in securing resources, and in identifying and framing workers' demands is fundamental. The importance of the external context (specifically the business environment and legislative support for union organising) is also emphasised.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:511444 |
| Date | January 2005 |
| Creators | Simms, Melannie |
| Publisher | Cardiff University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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