1. The Future of Collectivism and Co-operation in Employment Relations William Brown and Sarah Oxenbridge (University of Cambridge)

2. What might be the future role of trade unions in Britain? Consider past changes in their role Implications for collective bargaining Look at recent developments Report on two ESRC research projects Implications for the future

3. Union membership and strike propensity 1893-2002 periodChange in union density (%) Strikes per million members pa Days lost per 1000 members pa 1893-190910 - 143203749 1910-195915 - 441742027 1960-197944 - 56252773 1980-199955 - 3071388 2000-200229 - 2924107

4. Changes in collective bargaining Different levels and forms –Local, national, enterprise, workplace –Negotiation or consultation –Pay, work management, strategic issues Dependence on strikes

5. Dual and varying aspects: Collective bargaining –Rules to protect members –Representation of members - ‘industrial citizenship’ Trade unions –Protecting vested interests of members –‘Sword of justice’ – social purpose

6. 1990s - trade unions in crisis Collapse of membership and influence Firms in crisis rethinking union relations Unions responding with a changing role: –Facilitating and legitimising innovation –Upholding increasing numbers of statutory individual rights

7. Did New Labour bring a change in direction? Project 1 Responses to 1999 Employment Relations Act –60 selected private sector employers –34 trade union officials –15 employer organisation officials

8. Findings: Employers forced to review union relations Responses from excluding to renegotiating Facilitated by Acas Where bargaining, scope often narrowed Whether or not bargaining, substantial increase in consultation Many cases of newly co-operative relations

9. Co-operative union/employer relationships ‘Partnership’ arrangements ranged from nurturing trade unions to containing them Project 2 The nature and conduct of co-operative union/employer relations - 9 cases covering different viewpoints - different degrees of formality and explicitness of partnership

10. Findings: Variation in implied union rights from robust to shallow-rooted Importance of mutuality of the relationship Need for substantial consultation on issues that matter Short life expectancy for the shallow-rooted Importance for the union of managing mixed union/non-union groups

11. Future of collective bargaining Much depends upon: Government agenda of ‘industrial citizenship’ –Implementation of Inf and Cons Directive Unions developing a ‘social purpose’ role –Facilitate change through effective representation –Upholding individual rights within the workplace –Win new membership within recognised sites –Organise the unorganised beyond