UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Monday 24 June 2013

Are unions missing the mark in low paid Britain?

David Goodhart, former FT employment editor, analyses the expansion of low paid employment in Britain - a product of a low wage flexible labour market - and notes that ‘unions have a particularly weak presence in the low-skilled and poorly paid one-third of the labour market where they are needed most, both from the point of view of individual workers and, arguably, from that of the British economy.’ We might take issue with his caricature of
UNISON and failure to acknowledge our sustained growth over the past 15 years (until 2012) but otherwise a challenging read for all trade unionists who oppose wage exploitation and a wake up call for rebuilding union strength in the private sector:
http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/low-skilled-jobs-trade-unions-david-goodhart/#.UcaxOlpwbIU