Reps struggle in the workplace
A TUC survey of union representatives shows that it is the attitude of employers that has the biggest impact on the ability of union reps to do their jobs. Although most bosses are either supportive or neutral towards workplace reps, 15 per cent said that their employers were either very or quite hostile.
Reps spoke of being picked on and bullied, set impossible deadlines, with life generally made difficult, simply because they had decided to volunteer as the workplace rep. Some described how the attitude towards the union varied enormously depending upon which level of management in the company they were dealing with. Often local managers who were keen to work closely with the union found themselves over-ruled by bosses higher up the chain. And there were instances where senior managers' good relationship with the union was constantly undermined by supervisors at a local level.
The more than a thousand reps questioned for the survey complained that managers made them feel like they were letting their workmates down by spending time away from their jobs on union duties, and others said a variety excuses were made to stop a rep being released for union work. Being refused time off to attend union training courses was another common grievance.
The average time spent on union activities by reps was between one and five hours a week, but nearly 15 per cent of those replying were involved in union business for more than 21 hours a week. Almost six out of ten reps were paid by their employers for the time they spent on union tasks, but 16 per cent said that more than three quarters of their union work was carried out in their own time.
Not surprisingly, workplace reps are using e-mail and the internet more and more to do their work, but where relations were not good with employers, reps were reluctant to go online. They complained that their employers wanted to see all e-mails before they were sent around to members, that they were denied web access at work, and that bosses had been caught accessing the union's e-mail account.
Click here to download a pdf copy of the survey.
Back | Top
|
