Trends in Contemporary Trade Union Membership - Essay Example

Trade union can broadly be described as collective outfit of workers that looks after their welfare. The concept of ‘unions’ has given a great stimulus to the employees to fight for their rights. Through large scale membership, the unions are able to generate collective bargaining system against the monopoly of the big corporate houses. In the current times, the new human resource strategy encourages membership to the unions as it helps the management to resolve contentious issues with them on collective basis.

TUC or Trade Union Congress of UK represents nearly 58 unions across the nation (TUC, 2011). They are major organizations that understand the needs and requirements of the working people and help provide them with safe working environment and help negotiate better pay and compensation. Trade unions play major role in the labor market in UK. The statistics of union membership is clear indication of its success as independent bodies that can negotiate successfully for the rights of the working population.

BIS, a leading government department, regularly analyses government policies and publishes range of information and data of various public and private organizations to promote transparency. The major aim is to reveal as to how taxpayers’ money is spent and whether resources are better used to deliver value for money. BIS’ statistics on trade union membership is an important aspect that demonstrates its proactive participation in the welfare of the workers (BIS, 2011). But the recent fall in membership has emerged as major concern (Table 1; BIS, 2011) for TUC and government.

The membership to unions has fallen from 2008 till 2011 showing its inability in negotiating welfare policies for workers in economic slowdown. The trend also highlights the fact that women have shown greater trust on the unions but membership has declined for workers for 60 years and above for the above period. The Table 2 (BIS, 2011) is hugely significant and shows that public sector has nearly double the union members (60.9%) as against the private sector employees (39.1%). Nearly 78.6% of members are full time workers, whereas only 21.

4% of part time workers are union members. Most distressing is the fact that disabled membership of union is only about 17.5%. Moreover, the table gives credence to the fact that workforce with higher qualifications has more awareness and trust in union whereas non-qualified constitute only 3.7% of union members.The recent trend in union membership is distressing for the working population because they increasingly describe the reducing power of the unions. The private sector has maintained its exploitive tendencies.

Moreover, the dismally low percentage of under privileged segment of society like people with disability illustrate that they are discriminated and not given opportunity to be part of social action groups like unions. The statistics demonstrate the failure of unions to maintain the trust of the people at large. The declining membership is testament to its ineffective mechanisms that are not able to fight for the causes of people who have been retrenched or have not been given their due rights.

Thus, the examination of membership statistics is hugely revealing and indicates the falling popularity and effectiveness of unions which needs to be addressed urgently. (words: 528)Reference BIS or Department of Business Innovation and Skills. (2011). Analysis. Retrieved from: http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/employment-matters/docs/t/12-p77-trade-union-membership-2011.pdfTrade Union Congress. (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/tuc-8681-f0.cfmAppendix 1Table 1Trade union density by gender and age group, 2002 to 2011 Per cent, not seasonally adjusted 2002200320042005200620072008200920102011All 16-194.95.23.93.35.23.84.44.14.03.120-2413.514.013.513.113.113.012.211.812.111.425-2922.022.422.721.821.919.520.221.019.518.230 to 3426.728.526.826.924.725.124.924.022.524.035 to 3932.332.531.029.429.030.027.427.526.926.740 to 4435.936.134.635.035.233.433.230.531.129.445 to 4939.738.839.937.737.737.035.436.134.133.650 to 5439.039.839.340.639.939.138.437.537.636.255 to 5934.835.436.337.536.538.538.238.937.035.360 to 6428.730.528.427.528.430.128.930.228.129.165-6914.613.38.815.615.312.919.116.413.614.1Over 70*****9.38.012.77.213.

5Male16 to 196.16.45.34.07.04.75.45.34.74.720 to 2413.413.113.413.013.211.813.012.311.011.425 to 2920.620.820.518.820.117.017.117.716.915.030 to 3424.826.125.023.321.121.621.819.918.220.335 to 3930.732.229.728.227.428.524.224.224.021.540 to 4437.835.834.533.833.831.131.228.027.026.445 to 4940.338.541.437.736.135.833.134.231.131.850 to 5440.241.538.441.739.137.936.435.834.933.655 to 5936.237.738.238.436.139.438.537.235.632.660 to 6429.533.730.427.829.031.030.730.628.128.165 to 6913.210.910.214.515.29.516.912.810.613.

4Over 70*****9.47.413.68.117.9Female16 to 193.74.12.72.73.53.13.33.13.31.720 to 2413.715.013.513.313.014.211.411.313.311.425 to 2923.524.325.125.123.922.523.724.522.421.930 to 3428.731.028.831.028.629.028.128.427.428.035 to 3934.032.732.530.530.631.630.731.130.032.240 to 4434.136.434.736.236.635.735.333.035.132.445 to 4939.139.038.437.739.238.037.537.836.935.350 to 5437.738.340.239.740.740.240.239.139.938.455 to 5933.433.034.336.736.837.737.940.538.337.960 to 6427.626.325.527.227.528.826.629.628.230.465 to 6916.115.87.016.815.516.921.820.016.714.9Over 70*****9.08.911.65.88.

7           Source: Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics. Excludes members of armed forces.Appendix 2Table 2Characteristics of union members and non-members, 2011Per cent, not seasonally adjusted Union membersNon-membersAll employeesGender   Male45.352.250.7Female54.747.849.3SectorPrivate39.183.572.4Public60.916.527.6Full-time/part-timeFull-time78.670.573.2Part-time21.429.526.8Age bands16 to 244.616.413.825 to 3418.224.123.435 to 4942.634.736.650 plus34.524.926.3EthnicityWhite92.090.090.1Mixed0.60.90.8Asian or Asian British4.15.25.

1Black or Black British2.42.22.4Chinese and other ethnic groups0.81.41.4NationalityUK95.690.091.2Other4.410.08.8DisabilityDisabled17.513.814.4Not disabled82.586.285.6Highest qualificationDegree or equivalent36.327.029.1Other higher education13.79.010.1A-level or equivalent21.324.723.9GCSE grades A-C or equivalent17.823.422.1Other qualifications7.29.38.9No qualification3.76.75.9Length of serviceLess than one year5.518.515.0One to two years4.911.710.2Two to five years16.824.523.2Five to ten years23.621.221.

7Ten to twenty years26.616.318.7Twenty years or more22.77.711.2Workplace sizeLess than 5029.853.847.450 or more70.246.252.6Source: Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics.