German Success
I can think of nothing good to say about Len McCluskey's piece - it reads like a comic book with its completely overblown, over the top description of the world of work - in 21st century UK.
As for the comparisons with Germany, here's a previous post from the blog site which may help to explain German success.
Part of which must surely be that our German neighbours do not suffer from - and in all likelihood would not put up with - partisan and politically motivated union leaders like Len.
Somehow 'Vorsprung durch Technik' is not the kind of slogan I would associate with Len McCluskey or Unite - more like 'Forward with Labour'.
Labour needs to restore dignity to British working people
We have a duty to the youth of today to protect them from the most vicious, anti-worker government in living memory
By Len McCluskey
'Unite research shows 5.5 million people could be on zero-hours contracts. Our fellow human beings are regarded as disposable.' Photograph: Christopher Thomond
It is said that rights come with responsibilities. I couldn't agree more.
The responsibility upon us now is to the young workers of today and to those entering the workplaces of tomorrow.
Our duty is not to make life harder for them than it already has been made by the most vicious, anti-worker government in memory.
Labour has used this conference to show whose side it is on. From bolstering childcare, strengthening the minimum wage and ditching the hated bedroom tax, Labour is finding its voice.
It can go further by committing to be the party that will restore dignity to working people.
This month, independent research conducted for Unite found that some 5.5 million people could be on zero-hours contracts.
In the seventh richest nation on the planet, one in five workers is treated as throwaway. Our fellow human beings are regarded as disposable.
Here, in Britain today, millions of workers go day to day not knowing if they will have a job tomorrow or what they will earn next week, if they earn at all.
What has happened to our country when a mum must work two or three jobs to put food on the table, yet is told by this government that she is a "burden" on big business, her meagre wages topped up by taxpayer-funded benefits while her employer recycles what ought to be her earnings as shareholder returns and CEO bounty?
Being poor and vulnerable at work deepens misery out of work – rental contracts demanding six months rent up front, mobile phones – vital to track work opportunities – denied on contract.
Insecure working has profound social consequences, none of them good. Our kids will be the first in generations to be worse off than their elders, and have to put their dreams aside – of having their own place, of living a life out of debt, of having a family.
Since the 1970s, as working people became more vulnerable, the share of their earnings kept by their employers as profit grew bigger.
The "bargain" successive governments proposed was that jobs and prosperity would come to Britain, as long as they put up with the worst rights in Europe.
Really? Germany, destroyed by war and tested by reunification, became the powerhouse economy of Europe because it invested in its workers – while their UK counterparts are poorer paid and first on the scrapheap: cheaper and easier to sack.
The time has come for a new settlement for the working people of this country, one built on dignity and fairness.
So it must be to Labour that working people can turn. A cabinet of multimillionaires, advisers from the worlds of loan-sharking and big business and a chancellor so out of touch that he proclaims that the economy has "turned a corner", when for many of us it simply slapped straight into a wall, know all too well whose side they are on.
There should never be a working life today lived in fear. Too often our country has failed working people, allowing business models built on human misery to flourish. From the cleaners on the 4am bus, to the kids told to sweep floors or lose their benefits, we are laying the foundations for misery.
We are not asking for the moon to be made of cheese – only for men and women to be able to hold their own against those with profound power yet too often misuse it.
Rights do have responsibilities. Our responsibility is upon us now. If we honour our values, then those desperate for a decent life Britain will know that Labour is on their side.
I've been thinking of late about the similarities and differences between trade unions in the UK - and other parts of Europe.
So in a mad rush of enthusiasm I dashed off an email to IG Metall - one of the biggest trade unions in Germany which has 3.7 million members - and a very user friendly web site.
I asked the IG Metall press office the following 3 questions and to my great delight I received an answer by email - within an astonishing 24 hours.
1 The position of women members in IG Metall
Question There seems to be a provision in your rules that women must be represented on Works Councils in direct proportion to the number of women in the workforce. Is that correct and do you have any figures to show how women are represented in this way?
Answer You are right. This rule is written in our national shop constitution act since 2001 and this will keep the minority of the workforce (in our branch normally women) in the works councils. 20 percent of our workforce (only our branch) are women. The result by the last elections in 2010: 22,8 percent of the members in works councils are women.
2 The political affiliation, if any, of IG Metall
Question Most but not all trade unions in the UK have a political affiliation, but all those that do have a relationship with only one party, the Labour Party. What is the position with IG Metall and other trade unions in Germany?
Answer The German Unions are formally independent. Paragraph 2 of the IG Metall Charter calls for Independency against parties, companies and institutions. Historically, there has been a strong partnership between the unions and the Social Democratic Party SPD.
3 Strike ballots
Question There appears to be a provision in your rules that a stike ballot is only valid if 75% members entitled to vote take part in the ballot. Is that correct and do other trade unions operate similar rules?
Answer Yes, this is correct.
So, there you have some really striking information to wrestle with and consider at your leisure.
In Germany women are represented in proportion to their numbers within the workforce - trade unions are politically independent from all parties - and strikes are sanctioned only if a big majority of union members (75%) have taken part in the pre-strike ballot.
Interesting to say the least - and worthy of inclusion in any serious debate about what makes a successful economy and fair society.
The only other point I would add is that I can't imagine any trade union in the UK being quite so efficient or helpful as IG Metall.
We have a duty to the youth of today to protect them from the most vicious, anti-worker government in living memory
By Len McCluskey
'Unite research shows 5.5 million people could be on zero-hours contracts. Our fellow human beings are regarded as disposable.' Photograph: Christopher Thomond
It is said that rights come with responsibilities. I couldn't agree more.
The responsibility upon us now is to the young workers of today and to those entering the workplaces of tomorrow.
Our duty is not to make life harder for them than it already has been made by the most vicious, anti-worker government in memory.
Labour has used this conference to show whose side it is on. From bolstering childcare, strengthening the minimum wage and ditching the hated bedroom tax, Labour is finding its voice.
It can go further by committing to be the party that will restore dignity to working people.
This month, independent research conducted for Unite found that some 5.5 million people could be on zero-hours contracts.
In the seventh richest nation on the planet, one in five workers is treated as throwaway. Our fellow human beings are regarded as disposable.
Here, in Britain today, millions of workers go day to day not knowing if they will have a job tomorrow or what they will earn next week, if they earn at all.
What has happened to our country when a mum must work two or three jobs to put food on the table, yet is told by this government that she is a "burden" on big business, her meagre wages topped up by taxpayer-funded benefits while her employer recycles what ought to be her earnings as shareholder returns and CEO bounty?
Being poor and vulnerable at work deepens misery out of work – rental contracts demanding six months rent up front, mobile phones – vital to track work opportunities – denied on contract.
Insecure working has profound social consequences, none of them good. Our kids will be the first in generations to be worse off than their elders, and have to put their dreams aside – of having their own place, of living a life out of debt, of having a family.
Since the 1970s, as working people became more vulnerable, the share of their earnings kept by their employers as profit grew bigger.
The "bargain" successive governments proposed was that jobs and prosperity would come to Britain, as long as they put up with the worst rights in Europe.
Really? Germany, destroyed by war and tested by reunification, became the powerhouse economy of Europe because it invested in its workers – while their UK counterparts are poorer paid and first on the scrapheap: cheaper and easier to sack.
The time has come for a new settlement for the working people of this country, one built on dignity and fairness.
So it must be to Labour that working people can turn. A cabinet of multimillionaires, advisers from the worlds of loan-sharking and big business and a chancellor so out of touch that he proclaims that the economy has "turned a corner", when for many of us it simply slapped straight into a wall, know all too well whose side they are on.
There should never be a working life today lived in fear. Too often our country has failed working people, allowing business models built on human misery to flourish. From the cleaners on the 4am bus, to the kids told to sweep floors or lose their benefits, we are laying the foundations for misery.
We are not asking for the moon to be made of cheese – only for men and women to be able to hold their own against those with profound power yet too often misuse it.
Rights do have responsibilities. Our responsibility is upon us now. If we honour our values, then those desperate for a decent life Britain will know that Labour is on their side.
German Success (11 June 2013)
I've been thinking of late about the similarities and differences between trade unions in the UK - and other parts of Europe.
So in a mad rush of enthusiasm I dashed off an email to IG Metall - one of the biggest trade unions in Germany which has 3.7 million members - and a very user friendly web site.
I asked the IG Metall press office the following 3 questions and to my great delight I received an answer by email - within an astonishing 24 hours.
1 The position of women members in IG Metall
Question There seems to be a provision in your rules that women must be represented on Works Councils in direct proportion to the number of women in the workforce. Is that correct and do you have any figures to show how women are represented in this way?
Answer You are right. This rule is written in our national shop constitution act since 2001 and this will keep the minority of the workforce (in our branch normally women) in the works councils. 20 percent of our workforce (only our branch) are women. The result by the last elections in 2010: 22,8 percent of the members in works councils are women.
2 The political affiliation, if any, of IG Metall
Question Most but not all trade unions in the UK have a political affiliation, but all those that do have a relationship with only one party, the Labour Party. What is the position with IG Metall and other trade unions in Germany?
Answer The German Unions are formally independent. Paragraph 2 of the IG Metall Charter calls for Independency against parties, companies and institutions. Historically, there has been a strong partnership between the unions and the Social Democratic Party SPD.
3 Strike ballots
Question There appears to be a provision in your rules that a stike ballot is only valid if 75% members entitled to vote take part in the ballot. Is that correct and do other trade unions operate similar rules?
Answer Yes, this is correct.
So, there you have some really striking information to wrestle with and consider at your leisure.
In Germany women are represented in proportion to their numbers within the workforce - trade unions are politically independent from all parties - and strikes are sanctioned only if a big majority of union members (75%) have taken part in the pre-strike ballot.
Interesting to say the least - and worthy of inclusion in any serious debate about what makes a successful economy and fair society.
The only other point I would add is that I can't imagine any trade union in the UK being quite so efficient or helpful as IG Metall.
