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unions
– What do
workers think?
S P O N S O R E D BY U N I T Y T R U S T B A N K
Introduction Motivation to work
In 2001, the TUC commissioned a British Workplace On an average day 42% of all respondents look forward
Representation and Participation Survey to examine to going to work, compared with 33% who wish they didn’t
the future of trade unions in modern Britain. Professor have to go and 25% who don’t care one way or another.
Richard Freeman (Harvard University) and Wayne Workers in the voluntary sector, those in smaller work-
Diamond (LSE) led an extensive research project based places (2-23 employees), with management responsibility,
on this survey and two TUC publications resulted What men and older workers (45+) are all more positive than
Workers Want (2001) and A Perfect Union? (2003). the average about going to work. Workers in construction
Ten years on workplaces, the economy and the and education are more likely than other groups to say
political situation look quite different but the need to that they look forward to going to work, and workers in
renew the debate about the future of trade unions has manufacturing and transport/communications are more
never been more important. likely than others to wish they didn’t have to go. There is
Professor Freeman gave permission to Unions 21 not a straightforward correlation between pay level and
to use questions from the 2001 survey, and in early motivation to go to work. Those at either end of the pay
2010 YouGov ran an online survey on this basis. All distribution (earning up to £200 a week and over £800 a
figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. week) are the most positive groups, and workers earning
Total sample size was 2,224 working adults. Fieldwork from £300-£400 a week are least positive.
was undertaken between 4-17 January 2010. The As shown below, past union members are more positive
survey was carried out online. The figures have been about going to work than current union members and
weighted and are representative of the UK workforce by those that are members of a union not recognised at their
union membership, industry sector and business size. workplace are most likely to wish they didn’t have to go.
Responses were also structured by gender, age, working
pattern, pay level, grade and regional location. FEELINGS ABOUT GOING TO WORK
In March, Unions 21 published an initial briefing on 50
the survey results focusing on union presence and effec- 45
44
43
42
40
40
39
30
29
28
25
25
23
1Enduring 20
21
1
1Members value highly the professional services 15 All
provided by unions and non-members also recognise 10 Union members – recognised workplace
Union members – unrecognised workplace
the need for such support. 5
Past members Never members
1
1The challenge to unions to demonstrate that a 0
Look forward to it Don’t want to go Don’t care
collective voice is most effectively organised through Attitudes
the union route.
1
1Workers are more likely to be ignorant or indifferent to
what unions do rather than hostile to union activity. Attitudes to work
The survey also asked a series of questions about The table below summarises a generally positive approach
motivation and attitudes to work; perceptions about to work, with a clear perception that individuals work very
workplace relationships; what matters most to workers; hard. Interestingly there is no clear difference of opinion
and the quality and effectiveness of management and between union members and non-members about whether
unions. These issues are explored in more detail in this their job is interesting and enjoyable or that they are
briefing. required to work very hard, but union members are more
likely than non-members to disagree on other counts.
41
Percentage of respondents
35
36
Workers in the private sector are less likely than others
39
40
30
37
to consider either that their job is interesting and enjoyable
25
(17% strongly agreed, compared with 27% in the public
35
25
27
25
sector and 38% in the voluntary sector) or that it is secure 20
23
23
19
– though feelings about job security elsewhere are likely to
20
18
18
24
24
15
16
17
15
16
have diminished since the survey was undertaken.
12
10
13
15
Managers (25%) and workers aged 55+(22%) are more 5
6
likely than others to strongly agree that their job is inter-
4
3
0
3
esting and enjoyable whereas one in five young workers All 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
Age
(18-24) disagree.
Unfair wages Unfair dismissal or discipline
More than 70% of respondents earning over £600 a week
Preferential treatment Bullying Discrimination
agreed that their job is interesting and enjoyable, compared
with 59% of the lowest paid workers (earning up to £200
a week). However, one in five of the lowest paid disagreed Trust in the workplace
compared with just under one in ten of the highest paid. 25% of all respondents said that they trusted their employer
Respondents from education, health, social and a lot to keep promises to employees and 41% trusted their
community work are in strongest agreement that their work employer to some extent; whereas 23% said that they
is interesting and enjoyable and those in wholesale/retail trusted their employer only a little and 12% did not trust
and transport/communications most strongly disagree. their employer at all. Never and past members are most
At the time of the survey respondents from health and likely to trust their employer a lot (29% of each group)
social work expressed the strongest confidence in their job whereas only 11% of union members in recognised work-
security and those from the finance sector and manufac- places and 20% in non-recognised workplaces showed
turing felt least secure. this level of trust. Around three quarters of respondents
Respondents from the voluntary sector are most likely in education and construction said that they trusted their
to agree that managers at their workplace are understanding employer a lot or somewhat compared with just 54% in
about employees having to meet family responsibilities. public administration and defence. Levels of trust were
Those in the private sector are most likely to disagree. lowest amongst respondents earning £500-600 per week.
Managers, women and older workers (55+) are in
strongest agreement that employees are encouraged to Relationships between
develop their skills and are also more likely to express
management and employees
loyalty to their organisation. Young workers (18-24) are
Overall respondents are positive about their relationships
most likely to disagree on both counts.
with management in the workplace – with 61% reporting
excellent or good relationships and just one in ten describing
Workplace problems relationships as poor. Private sector employees are most
Preferential treatment by management or senior staff likely to report excellent relationships. Respondents from
was the most commonly cited workplace problem by all organisations employing up to 99 staff and non-members are
respondents, irrespective of sector, size of organisation or also more likely than others to report excellent relationships.
union membership.
The future for unions 3
Workers in larger organisations and union members are transport/communications are most likely to think that
more likely to say that the relationship is only fair or poor. they have no influence over hours of work, and those
It is striking that one in five respondents from the finance from wholesale/retail and transport/communications
sector reported excellent relationships with management that they have no influence over use of new equipment
compared with just one in ten in transport/communications or software.
and one in twenty in public administration and defence. The chart below compares respondents’ assessments of
Respondents earning £500-600 per week were most likely to the influence they have over issues that are very important
characterise relationships between management and unions to them. It is notable that the two issues identified as most
in their workplace as poor. important by respondents are those over which they are
also most likely to think that they have a lot of influence.
Voice at work
The table below shows that workers feel they have most
INFLUENCE AND IMPORTANCE
direct involvement and influence over deciding how to do
70
their job and organise work and the pace at which they
work. 60 61 Lot of influence
Percentage of respondents
A lot Some A little None 50 53 Very important
40
41
interesting and enjoyable. Those in transport/
36
communications are most likely to regard managers as
33
33
30
31
31
31
31
24
23
20 1Respondents
21
20
14
10
10
9
7
7
1
1Respondents both from the smallest organisations
3
0
2
bo ses
ses
of b nding
s
ed
rtu l
ies
ble d
rk
inf staff
po ua
yee
nes
oya an
wo
orm
nit
and rea
nu
op g eq
emcern
enj sting
usi
g
sta
inc
pin
tin
n
ere
Kee
ay
mo
rp
Un
Int
Pro
Fai
40 42 80 41
36 70 31 36 31
30 33 33
30 35
60
20 25 36
41
50
48
10 40
44
0 30
54 51 54
ble nd
rtu l
ies
ed
of b ding
s
bo ses
ses
plo or
s
rk
inf staff
44
po ua
nes
yee
20
wo
em ern f
orm
39
oya g a
nit
op eq
and crea
nu
usi
n
g
33
enj restin
sta
g
pin
nc
in
tin
der
Co
Kee
ay
mo
23
e
10
rp
Un
Int
Pro
Fai
14
Union membership status 0
kno Un bonu es/
and usi /
acc ness
ng mbe e
inf rs
on
rkin tun l
s
u e
kin y
Pro enjoy ork
un ting le
atm t
ent
Wo ppor equa
tre ains
qu g itie
en f b ing
wle der ses
Ma ctivit
Sh o mentabl
rod rov
ab
ati
s
gw
rea
Op dge o tand
y/p imp
fair ag
orm
o g
t ou
inc
tin
s
alit to
1
1Respondents from the public sector are least likely to
mo
ay
tec
rp
Pro
ari
Fai
0
Union/management relationships
Respondents across all sectors are more likely to agree that
kno Un bonu es/
and usi /
acc ness
ng mbe e
inf rs
on
rkin tun l
s
u e
kin y
Pro enjoy ork
un ting le
atm t
ent
Wo ppor equa
tre ains
qu g itie
en f b ing
wle der ses
Ma ctivit
Sh o mentabl
rod rov
ab
ati
s
gw
Op dge o tand
y/p imp
fair ag
orm
o g
t ou
inc
tin
s
alit to
mo
ay
tec
Pro
ari
Fai
Issue
UNIONS AND MANAGEMENT
ARE USUALLY AT LOGGERHEADS
1 out of ten respondents from the public and voluntary
1Six
sectors think their union has an excellent or good
10% 4%
understanding of their employer’s business compared 13%
with just under half in the private sector.
1
1Respondents from the private sector (37%) are also less 35%
likely than others to rate their union as excellent or good 38%
for being open and accountable to members (48% in the
Strongly agree
public sector and 63% in the voluntary sector). Agree
1
1Respondents from the public sector are most positive Neither agree nor disagree
and respondents from the private sector least positive Disagree
about union activity to promote equal opportunities. Strongly disagree
1
1Respondents earning between £300-400 per week are Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
most impressed by union knowledge and understanding
Strongly disagree
of their employer’s business.
likely than others to report opportunities to develop their social responsibility, combined with
financial prudence and expertise is
T: 020 7462 5603
M:07711 412 869
skills and express lower levels of loyalty to the organisations unique in the banking sector. E: laurie.bell@unity.co.uk
they work for, but are more likely to encounter problems of Kevin Moran
Development Manager
unfair wages or unfair discipline. Low paid workers are least T: 0121 616 4142
M:07711 412 868
likely to think that they have much influence over how to E: kevin.moran@unity.co.uk
Design: editionperiodicals.co.uk