I have noticed a recurring theme in 2024 amongst the organisations I work with - how to develop effective methods for collective employee voice in organisations with long-established trade union relationships but declining union membership.
I tend to work with organisations that have a long tradition of union recognition. These can be in sectors such as manufacturing, travel, finance and retail. In these companies unions have been the main mechanism for collective voice for decades with defined structures for consultation and negotiation, escalation and disputes procedures, joint agreements, facilities and time off for reps. Increasingly, these organisations are faced with a dilemma. Union membership has fallen across the organisation or amongst key groups. Leaders used to talk to union representatives who had 70-80% membership in that company or amongst those groups. The leaders knew the union reps represented the majority of their employees and were speaking confidently on their behalf. But now, in some parts of the private sector, these unions may have less than 20% membership. New employees are not joining, perhaps they don’t see the relevance, can’t see the benefits, won’t pay or can’t afford the fees. They might not be interested in the same work issues as the longer established employees or have a different view of work.
Union membership has steadily declined and is now around 12% in the private sector in the UK, so this problem is not new or a surprise. There is no doubt in my mind that workers still want and need a collective voice to talk about how jobs and work are changing, about AI, about working hours and mental health, about trust and fairness and corporate responsibility, and, if unions aren't appealing to them, employees will find other ways to have a say in their own working lives.
The organisations I talk to aren't rubbing their hands with glee or seeing this as an opportunity to derecognise their union. These organisations know that listening to employees brings huge benefits to individuals and organisations. But they do want to make sure they are getting the diverse views of all their employees, using technology and a variety of methods to ensure inclusivity. They want to listen to employees to ensure their jobs and working environments, terms and conditions, culture and benefits are going to attract, motivate and retain.
Unions have been and still are a good counterbalance, providing a different way of looking at the world, providing a diverse view and aren’t afraid to challenge, supported by legal rights and responsibilities. If their membership continues to fall, good employers will continue to find ways to give people a voice. Some may choose to keep the union arrangement in place but supplement it with employee networks and new employee forums, utilising technology to the maximum. Others may choose to ask the union to help shape the solution. This could include inviting employee representatives onto existing forums alongside union reps, for example, or revamping and renewing partnership agreements to ensure they are up to date, relevant and inclusive.
The worst case is that unions continue to decline and nothing is put in their place.
When I speak to employers, I encourage them to be clear on the problem they are trying to solve, to talk to their union representatives with facts about what the problem is, to ask their employees what works for them, to consider a range of solutions, to ask other organisations what they are doing via networks and to work out what fits the organisation today. They should also consider where the organisation is heading in terms of jobs, locations and technology. If multiple mechanisms are put in place, its important to ensure they are aligned and compliment each other.
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