Organising Academy blog

Bristol, Newcastle and a trip to Washington DC

2006-12-06T10:05:00.000Z

Over the last week or so the Academy has been to Bristol, Newcastle and today I am trvelling over to Washington DC (more of which later)

BRISTOL - I went dowen to Bristol on November 28 for a meeting of the TUC South West Region's Organising Forum and to promote the 16-day Academy Course for union oifficers and staff that we are running there (see the Organising Academy website for details). Its always encouraging to see officers and organisers from different unions come together to discuss organising experiences, practices and strategies. Unions represented were: TGWU, Amicus, Usdaw, Unison and Prospect. Particulalrly interesting was a presentation by Nigel Costly our TUC Regional Secreatry in the South West on the issues faced by Migrant Workers coming into the Region and the challenges that union's face in organising them.

NEWCASTLE - We were in Newcastle on November 29 and 30 to deliver the first of this year's courses under our Advanced Organising Programme, Organising Beyond Recognition. The course looks at how unions can build sustainable union structures and develop strategies for memebr involvement in workplaces where recognition has been achieved. Unions represented on the course were PCS, ATL, TGWU, Amicus and the CWU.

WASHINGTON DC - I am travelling over to Washington DC today to attend a conference organised by the AFL-CIUO to look at the different organising strategies being implemented by union centres across the globe and how unions in the US can take maximum advantage of the victory by the Democrats in the recent US mid-term elections. I'll try and post something about the event each day and hopefully also include a few pictures.

Nuff Respect!!!

2006-01-09T12:05:00.000Z

Never really liked him. But at least he's doing it for a good reason - apparently!!!!

"I want to attempt to connect with the politically untouched, the millions of people – most of them young people – who are completely turned-off by conventional approaches. It’s the Generation X-Factor. One of the crucial elements in the equation, the success of which will be the removal of this corrupt and discredited government and the replacement with a genuinely socially democratic one. We need to use new and innovative methods to put across our arguments. I’m determined that there are no no-go areas for us and I believe Celebrity Big Brother will be hugely successful for our ideals."

Bit of a rant

2005-12-05T21:59:00.000Z

Read excellent article in the paper today about the disproportionate exposure given by the media to various lobby groups etc.

For example, MigrationWatch UK an organisation concerned with the apparent scale of migration into the UK has NO formal membership yet its representatives have been interviewed by TV and radio 400 times since 2002. Media Watch UK has just 5000 members yet has been featured in broadcast interviews over 1000 times since 1994.

Another "over exposure" issue that causes me to tear my hair out is the increasing trend of TV and radio stations to run text polls and to read out comments on news stories submitted by viewers/listeners via email and text.

A particularly awful example of this was in the aftermath of the shhoting by the Met Police of Charles de Menuez an innocent commuter- whom the police believed to be a suicide bomber.

On the day after the shooting BBC Radio 5 Live ran a text poll on the police having a shoot to kill policy. After a while, the station was including the results of the poll in its news headlines - 95% thought a shoot to kill policy was right. This figure was presented as though it was the result of a properly constituted poll and not of something that was really no more than an ad hoc vox pop.

F U M E!!!

Darling, you were wonderful

2005-11-11T06:49:00.000Z

Went a bit North London last night and went to the theatre to see an amateur production of the "Ragged Trousered Philanthropists".

Despite the accents of some of the cast causing some difficulty in identifying which country the fictional town of Mugsborough was in for the purposes of the play (was it the North of England, New Zealand or South Africa) it was an enjoyable night and an interesting take on an absolutely fabulous book (sorry - turned into a bit of a luvvie there).

Favourite Places (part 1)

2005-11-07T13:10:00.000Z

In Liverpool again today ahead of a week that will take me to Manchester, Warrington, Newcastle and London. A busy week ahead but spent yesterday in one of my favourite places - Goodison Park the home of Everton FC. Result by the way, a hard earned 1-0 victory for the Blues - deep joy!!

I'm reliably informed by my Dad that hes been taking me to the match since I was 4 years of age, although my earliest memory is of an FA Cup Quarter Final in 1975 - result Everton 0 Fulham (then of the old Second Division, what is this season called The Championship I think) 1. That was a shock result (honest) and Fulham went on to reach the 1975 FA Cup Final where they were beaten 2-0 by West Ham.

Since then - my career as an Evertonian has had lots more downs than ups but its never diluted the pleasure of being at the match. Ive attached a picture of the view from my seat - Gwladys Street Lower, Rox W, Seat 175. Forever Everton!!!

Back to base

2005-11-04T14:02:00.000Z

After almost two weeks out of the office, I'm in Liverpool today working at the North West TUC Office in Liverpool. Whilst the most enjoyable part of my job is getting out and about meeting and working with unions and organisers - not to mention running Organising Academy training programmes, its always good to have a day in the office to catch up with numerous things that are always on my "To Do" list.

Ive included a picture of the office in Liverpool that I share with Paul Nowak (or he shares with me) the TUC's National Organiser. As you can see, we dont do palatial offices at the TUC.

Year 8 Underway

2005-11-01T15:51:00.000Z

Im in Newcastle all this week with the Year 8 intake into the TUC Organising Academy for the first week of the 20-day Training Programme that accompanies the Trainee Organisers' year long placement with their sponsoring unions.

On this years Organising Academy Trainee Organiser programme are:

Jude Ritchie (sponsored by Community), Mary Hanson (Community), John Sweeney (CWU), Steve Eldridge (CWU), Israr Mohammed (CATU), April Molloy-Barker (CATU), Jacqueline Taylor (Society of Radiographers), Jennifer Mitchell (Unison), Duncan Woodhead (ATL), Jon Pritchard (ATL), Andy Hearn (USDAW), Simon Brown (Connect), Pamela Morton (NUJ).

This years Academy Organisers are pictured at the Newcastle College Trade Union Learning Centre.

Building an Organising union

2005-10-29T16:17:00.000+01:00

Spent Friday in Manchester (again) with Amicus North West Regional officers.

The event was the second of 5 regional Organising briefings that the Organising Academy is facilitating for the union. The events bring together Regional Officers to discuss how they can adopt a more focused and strategic Organising approach to their work.

Following the courses in the New Year will be a specially designed Organising course.

Amicus is one of the UKs biggest unions and it is exciting for the Organising Academt to be involved in the unions's Organising Strategy.

Bringing it all back home

2005-10-27T20:28:00.000+01:00

This week ive been in Manchester delivering the first course of this of the Organising Academy 2005/06 training programme - a 16-day programme for union officers and staff. Unions represented on the course include Amicus, Unison, ATL and the GMB.

Delivering the course has been particularly enjoyable because it has been held at the Mechanics Institute in Manchester, the place where in June 1868 the first meeting of the Trades Union Congress took place.

Pictured are some of the course members in the actual room where that historic event was held.

Proceed to Gate......Gourmet

2005-08-12T14:35:00.000+01:00

Interesting - if not entirely unpredicatable - reaction to the dispute affecting British Airways flights out of Heathrow. The dispute began when over 600 workers at Gate Gourmet catering (the firm that produces in-flight meals) were sacked for taking "illegal" industrial action. Those sacked included workers off sick and on leave.

In response to this, BA ground crew took the decision to go on strike in support of their union colleagues at Gate Gourmet. This had thrown BAs network into chaos and disrupted the holidays of thousands of people.

Listening to coverage of the dispute this morning, you had to hang in there for a while before you heard any mention of 600 sacked workers. The media were determined to portray the biggest victims of the dispute as those whose holiday plans have been disrupted.

Whilst its entirely understandable that anybody whose holiday plans are affected by industrial action would be frustrated and angry, isnt it a reflection of the kind of society in which we live, that people who have had a day or two shaved off their (what on the radio this morning wappeared to be quite exotic) holidays are seen as the bigger victims as opposed to the 600 low paid workers who have lost their jobs and possibly now face all manner of financial problems?

It was possible on the radio to hear all manner of stories of how so and so's trip to China/the Bahamas/Dubai (insert suitably impressive location) had been ruined but stories about the conditions of service and the treatment of workers by Gate Gourmet managers were notable by their absense.

If this entirely commendable action by TGWU members goes some way to reminding dodgy employers that they cant always act with impunity when it comes to how they treat workers, there may be benefits for all workers - including many of those whose holiday plans have been affected.

A perspective on the dispute that you wont get on the BBC can be found here.

Routes to recognition

2005-07-19T21:07:00.000+01:00

Interesting article from last Saturday's Guardian on types of recognition agreements being signed by UK unions - last year over 170 were signed. The report draws comparisons between the approaches used by unions in securing recognition and the relationships between the union nad the employer.

Bloggers Block

2005-07-18T21:46:00.000+01:00

Havent posted for a while - victim of bloggers block I think. Not that there has been a shortage of things to blog about.

The Organising Academy is currently in the middle of this years Development Centres the first stage of the recruitment process for places with the Organising Academy but also an opportunity for those interested to find out more about what Organising Unions are doing to build strong workplace trade union structures.

So far we have held Development centres in London, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow and Newcastle. This weekend we are in Cardiff and London.

Last Friday the Organising Academy welocomed four colleagues from the Dutch Trade Union confederation, the FNV. Our Dutch colleagues were over to learn about the Organ ising Academy and took the opportunity to sit in on the first day of the Liverpool Development centre.

2005-06-30T13:37:00.000+01:00

Was in Birmingham yesterday delivering a Why Organise briefing for colleagues in the TUC Midlands Region. These briefings are part of the TUCs effort to develop the skills and knowledge of its own members of staff in relation to organising and provide more effective support to unions.

Later in the day I met up with NASUWT regarding the Organising Academy providing organising training to union staff.

2005-06-28T21:50:00.000+01:00

I was up in Newcastle today for meetings at Newcastle College regarding the development of Organising Academy on-line training materials. Also put the finishing touches to next years Organising Academy Training Programme - which will include organising training for union officers and staff in addition to the Organising Academy Advanced Programme. Full details of the programme will be made public in the second half of July.

Meanwhile, noticed this story on the LabourStart website about bosses at Asda firstly sacking a GMB Steward then wanting to pick the replacement themselves.

Lost in Translation

2005-06-27T21:23:00.000+01:00

Last week I completed the second week of my fortnight long residency of the capital as the final session of the Organising Academy Programme foe Officers and Staff took place.

This course has been particularly interesting and enjoyable to deliver as there was an interesting mix of unions - Unison, GMB, Prospect, Amicus, NATFHE and PCS and job roles amongst the attendees. It was pleasing that most on the course got something out of the training and were committed to putting what had been covered into practice.

The Programme for Officers and Staff is a major part of the Organising Academy's development as unions look to give their officers an appreciation of the Organising approach and the skills to build it into their existing roles and duties and the addressing the challenge of puuting Organising into all that unions do.

Friday had an international flavour. In the morning I gave a presentation on the work of the Organising Academy to a delegation of Iraqi trade unionists. Hearing at first hand of the violence and intimidation they had (and continue to) faced placed into context the challenges that we in the UK deal with. The group showed a great deal of interest in the work of the Academy and were keen to get hold of materials that we use to deliver training.

During the afternoon, alomng with a number of TUC colleagues I met a delegation from RENGO the Japanese Trade Union Confederation. Again, we group were very interested in the work of the Academy and the materials. They asked for copies to be sent over - just the materials, not alas the Organising Academy Director. I'd fancied myself as a TUC version of Bill Murray in the wonderful film, Lost in Translation - without of course the flirting with Scarlett Johansson!!!

US Change to Win coalition gathers momentum

2005-06-27T21:06:00.000+01:00

UK union Organisers have been following events in the US around the debate within the AFL-CIO on the movements future direction and startegy with great interest. A few weeks ago 5 of the AFL-CIO's biggest affiliates formed the "Change to Win" coalition. Today, the Carpenters union joined the coalition increasing the momentum ofd the coalition and increasing the prospect of a spliy within the US labour movement.

The Change to Win coalition has 5 aims:

1. Make it our first priority to help millions more workers form unions so we can build a strong movement for rewarding work in America.

2. Unite the strength of everyone who works in the same industry so we can negotiate with today's huge global corporations for everyone's benefit.

3. Reflect the diversity and commitment to change of today's workforce.

4. Build a growing, independent voice for working people in politics based on economic issues, not party.

5. Modernize the strategies, structure, and priorities of the AFL-CIO to make these changes possible

The basic argument is that the US Labour movement needs to shift major resources into organising if it to grow and build real sustainable worker power in the USA.

Things will come to a head at the AFL-CIO convention in late July.

Organising Academy at TUC General Council

2005-06-22T18:36:00.000+01:00

Today was a big day for the Organising Academy as three of this years Academy Organisers and I gave presentations to the TUC General Council. The three Academy Organisers were Mick Orpin from the TGWU, Juanita Charles form PCS and Lee Cash who is with Community.

Mick, Juanita and Lee described the work that they had been involved with during their placements on the Organising Academy and I gave an update on the some of the development work that been going on with the Organising Academy over the last few months.

That was the week that was

2005-06-18T12:30:00.000+01:00

Hectic week in London training the Year 7 Organising Academy intake and attending the TUC Leading Change programme.

The highlight of the Organising Academy training was on Wednesday morning when each of this years Academy Organisers gave a presentation on their placement year so far to TUC Deputy General Secretary, Frances O'Grady. It was good to hear in some detail what the Academy Organisers had been getting up to with their unions and was heartening to hear about their attempts to utilise what they had covered during their training with us at the TUC.

This years Academy Organisers are Organising in bookmakers, low-cost airlines, the civil service, museums, mobile phone companies, courts and newspapers to name just a a few sectors.

If you are interested in joining the Organising Academy then your first port of call is one of this years Organising Academy Development Centres.

The Leading Change programme on the Thursday and Friday was also hugely enjoyable. Undoubted highlight for me were the sessions taken by David Weil of the University of Boston and Harvard University. One of the teaching methods used by David is to get his students to look at case studies in advance of the training - the actual training sessions take the form of a discussion of the cases with David provoking comments and responses. Sounds simple, but the thing that made the sessions so hugely effective was Davids vast knowledge and relaxed but enthusiastric style. A great 2 days. In fact, so enthused was I by David I am thinking of having a go at one of his papers - Population, Technology, and Growth: From the Malthusian Regime to the Demographic Transition But maybe not!!!

The week ahead

2005-06-12T20:36:00.000+01:00

I am in London all of this week. During the first part of the week I will be with this years Organising Academy Trainee Organisers for their final week of training at the HQ of the TGWU. A few guests are visiting the sessions this week. On Tuesday we have John Kelly of Birkbeck College giving a talk to the group and on Wednesday, Frances O'Grady, TUD Deputy General Secretary will be with the group. During the seesion that Frances will be attending each Academy Organiser will eb ginving a short presentation on their experiences so fare on the Organising Academy.

For the second half of the week I will be attending the second session of the TUC's Leading Change programme.

Down south

2005-06-08T21:12:00.000+01:00

Spent Monday and Tuesday in the South East - banging the drum for Organising. I spent Monday in Surrey with a group of Prospect activists working at the Veterinary Labortatories Agency taking them through some approaches to building branch membership and activism. Whilst the jobs that they they and the majority and their members did were quite specialised, many of the siisues that they faced were similar to those you would find in nay workplace. Staff were worried about job security and changes to working practices. Against this background, the reps were finding it difficult to mobilise members into taking a more active role in the union. They also faced difficulties caused by low density and the issue of "Free-riders" (those workers not in the union but who enjoy the benefits won by the union through collective bargaining).

On Tuesady I was in Brighton at the annual conferenec of the union in which I was an activist for 13 years - the PCS. I spoke at the conference of the Department for Constitutional Affairs group within PCS. PCS is one of the fastest growing unions in the UK a position achieved through dedicating resources to organising - PCS sponsors three of this years Academy Organisers - and mounting high profile campaigns against jobcuts and increases in the retirement age.

The DCA group had given over part of their conferenece for a workshop on organising in which delagates were able to come together to discuss both progress and areas foe improvement in developing a more focused and strategic Organising approach within their branches.

My visit was also an opportunity to catch up with friends from my old MOD Liverpool Branch and in particular Paul Heaney who was attending his final conference before retiring. Paul is a great trade unionist from whom I and many others learnt a lot. He was mainly responsible for me becoming active within the union and for that I will always be grateful. The valedictory motion and all of the good wishes he received at the Conference were well deserved and I was glad to be there for it.

Join the Organising Academy

2005-06-05T11:59:00.000+01:00

The last week or so has been spent sorting out this years Organising Academy Development centres. There have been venues to confirm, materials to write and bring up to date, scoring systems to devise, assessors to arrange - not very exciting but quite time time consuming all the same.

The enjoyable part of the work is knowing that the Development Centres - this year being held each weekend in July - are an enjoyable experience both to deliver and judging by the feedback we get, also to attend. Also for some of those attending, the Development centres will be the start of what quite literally will be a life changing experience - joing the Organising Academy as an Academy Organiser.

If you are reading this and are interested in attending a Development centre - either as a potential route into the Organising Academy or just to find out more about the Organising approach to trade unionism - visit the TUC website here. It would be great to see you.

Roperblog goes international

2005-06-05T11:54:00.000+01:00

Deep within the code that make up this blog there is something that counts how many visitors this blog gets. Believe me when I say that the figures arent doing anything to boost my ego but on the last check I made I noticed that I'd had a visitor from the USA and Poland. If they read this I would like to say thank you for your interest and I hope you aren't spending too much time wondering just who Cilla and Tarby are.

Priorities

2005-05-30T20:55:00.000+01:00

Been a bit quiet on the old blogging front lately - to be honest I've imposed a bit of a media blackout on myself until the hysteria over recent events in Istanbul has calmed down. Before normal service is resumed - I make this small contribution to helping the calming process. It appears that when you dont think that things are possible they dont seem so important.

The Cilla and Tarby test

2005-05-24T13:02:00.000+01:00

Back in the 80's when I was a radical left wing branch distributor of CPSA literature at the Ministry of Defence in Liverpool, I kept a list of celebrity Tories - those who had exposed themselves during Tory Party election rallies. In Liverpool (well the local press at least), there was always a degree of consternation that supposed salt of the earth scousers like Cilla [Black](who by the way I can absolutely guarentee has an accent so completely unlike any Liverpool accent Ive ever heard - and i've lived there all my life) and Tarby [Jimmy Tarbuck]could possibly have become so removed from their "roots" as to become supporters of a party that gave every impression of having declared war on the city.

Somehow it was never that great a suprprise to me that these "professional scousers" as we called them (well that was the polite name) had such views. Cilla and Tarby et al aside, I always get a feeling of uneasiness when a "personality" that I like identifies with a party or expresses an opinion that I dont agree with. Somehow, I can never see them in the same light.

Yesterday I was reminded of that feeling when I heard who had crossed the picket lines formed by union members at the BBC, striking against massive job cuts. Pretty awful that people such as Terry Wogan ("I have to cross, I am on a contract"), Chris Moyles and Jo - down with the young radicals - Whiley decided to cross the picket lines when you can guarentee that their massive wages etc will be preserved.

I bet John Peel wouldnt have crossed ( and he was a Red).

News on the strike here and here.

Campaigning in the Community

2005-05-23T09:47:00.000+01:00

Spent a few days out of the office since my last post. I was in Newcastle last Friday for a meeting at the college with Gaye Hutchinson who is taking over the department of the college that manages the partnership with the Organising Academy. If you are really interested you can read about the joys of travelling to Newcastle from Liverpool on Paul Nowak's blog.

On Saturday I was at Northern College near Barnsley for a taster day of a new course "Campaigning in a Political Context". The course is the idea of John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Economic Secretary to the Treasury and is about developing the campaigning skills of activists from political organisations, trade unions and other campainging groups.

Saturday's event was about giving a flavour of and consulting on what the course might include. The TUC and the Organising Academy had been asked along to see if there were ways in which we could provide support.

In addition to a series of workshops, there were contributions from John Healey MP - who presented some research on perceptions of politics and political activity, Paul Nowak, TUC National Organiser and Ed Balls MP. It was interesting to hear Ed's contribution and his experiences of on the ground local campaigning activity and how it contrasted with his days as Chief Economic Advisor to the Treasury (and Gordon Brown's apparent right-hand man).

The day also enanbled me to catch up with Natascha Engel, Organising Academy graduate and newly elected MP for North East Derbyshire. When I was with TUC Learning Services North West, Natascha helped us out with one of the first conferences that we ran linking union learning activity to Organising.

2005-05-19T12:54:00.000+01:00

I was in London yesterday at TUC HQ for a few meetings and also got the chance to sit in on part of the TUC Exectutive meeting to listen to a discussion on proposed new Organising initiatives. It was a good opportunity to hear the opinions of senior figures within the UK trade union movement on ways to build union organisation.

One interesting aspect of the discussion was on the practicality of building union organisation outside the workplace - an aspect of union organising that is particularly relevant to green-field organising or at workplaces where the employer is hostile.

Whilst it is correct that a key part of the Organising approach is to re-build and root unions and union activity at the workplace, there are practical issues that have to be confronted by unions in situations where there is no union structure in a workplace or where workers are fearful because of the attitude of the employer. It follows that unions may have to adopt new and inivative ways of reaching potential members. This may include contacting workers at home and in other non-workplace environments.

This solution does of course come with its own set of issues, not least how would workers feel about being contacted at home about something like union membership - do they prefer to leave work behind when the leave the workplace? This may be so but the problem is that many workers in non-unionised workplaces DO actually take the results of working in such a workplace home with them in terms of lower pay, longer hours and restricted access to family-friendly policies.

Labour Pains?

2005-05-16T14:11:00.000+01:00

No blogs for a week as I've been on holiday. First post back is a chance to look at the election results and my predictions as posted in the last blog before I went away.

The Labour Party's victory is without doubt to be welcomed although obviously the next term will be a lot different given that Labour cant rely on a huge majority to force through any legislation that may be controversial. Time will tell whether thats a good or a bad thing. Good if it ensures that the Government takes a more concensual approach - particularly towards those in its own ranks - than it has previously. Bad, if rebellions aren't used wisely and the result is that the government is seen as too weak.

How the government plays this may stem from the conclusion it draws as to why its majority was cut so drastically. Was this due to Tories returning to the fold in seats that in any normal political environment Labour would have no expectation of winning or was it because of disaffected Labour voters protesting about things like the war and tuition fees?

One thing is for certain, the next election will be a bit of a thriller as Labour has over 40 seats that will go to the Tories on even the smallest of swings. Will New Labour shore up traditional Labour heartlands or will it make a renewed effort to win over "returning" Tories?

As for my predictions? Well, I said Labour would win with a majority of between 65 and 80. The result, Labour finished with a majority of 67. I said the Tories would get over 200 seats - they got 195 and I said the Lib Dems would make the biggest gains - they gained 11 with the Tories making the most gains with 33.

the votes cast were as follows.....

2005-05-05T20:24:00.000+01:00

Well...you can dream

Its 8.25pm as I type this and there is just over 90 minutes until the polls close. My prediction is a Labour majority of between 65 and 80 (my boss Paul Nowak says 70 -86). I think the Tories (although apparently they dont like being called that anymore - my description of them is un-bloggable) may just get above the 200 figure meaning that they have got their core vote going again.

The Lib Dems may be the biggest winners of new seats. They always do well when there is either cause for people to vote tactically (as in '97 to keep Tory MPs out) or when there is a single issue to protest about (as in the Iraq war). At this election both apply hence why I think they'll do well.

Of course these predictions could (and probably will) be way off beam. If they are so wrong that the Tories win the election....well, some things just dont bare thinking about. Come on you reds..............(seems strange saying that)

Become an Academy Organiser

2005-05-04T10:10:00.000+01:00

The recruitment process for positions on Year 8 of the Organising Academy starts in July when the Organising Academy holds its regional Development Centres. As well as forming the first part of the Organising Academy recruitment process, the Development Centres are also an ideal opprtunity for those interested in the UK trade union movements to revive itself through Organising to learn more and hear about the practical ways that unions can organisie themselves in the workplace.

If you would like to attend one of our Development Centres - either as a potential route into the Organising Academy as an Academy Trainee Organiser or just to learn more about the Organising approach - vist the following link:

Organising Academy Development Centre Application

2005-04-27T21:27:00.000+01:00

Moyesiah

Couldn't let this momentus event go by un-blogged. Yes, Everton FC qualified for the UEFA Cup earlier this week - our first European qualification for 10 years. And its all thanks to man in the picture above - Manager of the Year David Moyes.

2005-04-27T21:13:00.000+01:00

Today Ive been in Cardiff at the PCS Wales Organising Conference. PCS is one of the fastest growing unions in the UK. It has launched high profile national campaigns to fight proposed job cuts and attacks on pensions and as a result has seen its membership increase.

In addition to this, it is putting resources in to Organsing its existing branches and ensuring it is able to Organise in new sites.

Which way Left?

2005-04-27T21:01:00.000+01:00

Found some of the points raised in this article by Polly Toynbee in todays Guardian interesting. Toynbee is in effect saying that there are more reasons to vote for Labour than to vote against it and that the reasons for are more closely linked to traditional Labour values around social justice.

I think that she has a point. While its understandably depressing for anybody who has to compromise a point that they feel deeply about when casting their vote - the fact is that there is so much more at stake in this election than the priciple of whether or not we should have gone to war - particularly for trade unionists. For the record, I was against the war but will still vote Labour - thinking about the work the government has done on fighting child poverty and the investment in education and health.

2005-04-25T21:09:00.000+01:00

Today I was in Newcastle with Academy Organisers Ffion Evans and Laura Plumb to give a talk on the Organising Academy to a group of first and second year students at the University of Northumbria. The talk was part of the "Working Lives" series that is run by John Sterling (see previous posts).

The session consisted of a short presentation by me on the role of the Organising Academy in efforts to revive the trade union movement and Laura and Ffion telling the group about their day to day experiences as Academy Organisers.

To close the session we had a short plenary session during which we asked the students what their perceptions of trade unions were and how relevant they thought unions were in the 21st century. The session revealed that there is a whole generation preparing to enter the world of work who have no, or very little, knowledge of unions.

Union card is key to better pay

2005-04-25T21:02:00.000+01:00

Who says this - why, believe it or not that staunch friend of the trade union movement the eer Mail on Sunday. Yes colleagues, the MoS gave coverage of a report from the DtI that found that regardless of the sector, union members earn more than workers from the same sector who aren't in unions. In the public sector the union wage premium is an impressive 17%, whilst in the private sector the difference is a not to be sniffed at 6%. Full text of the article below:

PLAY THE UNION CARD FOR A BETTER PAY DEAL.

BY DAN ATKINSON
24 April 2005
The Mail on Sunday

Times are tough for trade unions with tumbling numbers in manufacturing and stricter rules on strikes and picketing. But a union card is the ticket to a bigger pay packet, according to government figures just out.

They show that members still earn much more than non-members. And that goes for the private sector as well as the public sector, though the 'union wage premium' is higher for state employees.

Department of Trade and Industry figures for trade union membership last year show that members earned 17 per cent more overall than non-members.

In the private sector, the premium was just over six per cent, with members earning Â£10.29 an hour and non-members Â£9.69. But in the public sector, the premium was more than 23 per cent, with workers in unions earning Â£12.26 an hour and non-members Â£9.94.

Yet in 1995, union members overall earned 26 per cent more than non-members. Union members working in the private sector enjoyed a 13 per cent edge while public-sector members took home 31 per cent more than non-members.

Even so, the premium remains well worth having, which makes it all the more puzzling that the DTI figures show a continuing decline in the number of unionised workers.

From just over seven million members in 1995, the figure is now 6.8 million, a fall in the percentage of the total workforce belonging to a trade union from 29 per cent to 26 per cent.

The number of male members has dropped during that time from 3.9 million to 3.4 million, cutting the share of the male workforce belonging to a union from 29 per cent to 24.7 per cent.

Mark Evans, 31, is a full-time works convenor at aerospace company Marshalls, where members of Amicus, the biggest manufacturing, technical and skilled workers' union, voted recently to accept an improved pay and grading offer after strike action at the Cambridge plant.

He says: 'This wouldn't have happened without union support, but membership isn't just about better pay - it offers a whole range of benefits for workers.'

This includes representation for workers facing disciplinary hearings and backing a drive to extend the right to request flexible working to the whole company. Yet only 670 of the firm's 1,300 employees belong to Amicus.

One growth area has been in the number of female members, up from 3.1 million in 1995 to 3.6 million. But with the number of female workers growing rapidly, the percentage of women in work who are union members has edged down from 28 per cent in 1995 to 27.6 per cent.

2005-04-24T14:59:00.000+01:00

I spent Thursday and Friday of last week in London as a participant on the first part of this year's TUC Leading Change programme. All of the participants on this years course - with the obvious exception of me - are senior union officers so it was a challenging but incredibly interesting couple of days hearing key people in the UK trade union movement talk frankly about how they see the future for the movement.

The course included a number of presentations by acadenmics and union officials from France and the UK. John Kelly, who heads up Birkbeck College School of Management and who has written extensively on trade unions and in particular strategies for revival gave two particularly interesting talks on aspects of union revival in the UK and around the world

2005-04-19T22:41:00.000+01:00

I was in Newcastle today for meetings with the Organising Academy's partner organisation - Newcastle College. Amongst the items discussed at the meeting was the timetable for recruitmenbt of the Year 8 entry into the Organiisng Academy.

The recruitment process will begin in July when we hold the reagional development centres and continues with interviews for successful candidates with the TUC and sponsoring unions. We will be announcing that dates and locations of the Developemnt Centres in the next week, but if you are interested in joining the Organising Academy, you can follow the link on the right - Join the Organising Academy - to register your interest.

JUSTICE!!!

2005-04-17T16:26:00.000+01:00

Last Friday was the 16th Anniversary of the Hilsborough Disaster in which 96 football supporters died.

Whilst it was Liverpool Football Club and its supporters that were obviously most directly affected - many Evertonians had friends and family at Hillsborough that day. Since 1989, the Hillsborough Justice Campaign has maintained the fight for justice for the 96 victims and their families as well as providing support. The 3 main purposes of the group are:

(1) To pursue Justice for those 96 people who died in the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster of 1989, the bereaved Families, the Survivors who came perilously close to dying in Pens 3 and 4 and those unfortunate people still suffering from the ensuing trauma of the Disaster.

(2) To recruit members to the Organisation for the purpose of raising support for the Justice Campaign

(3) To raise funds for the furtherance of the Justice Campaign

I was at Villa Park with my dad on April 15th 1989, watching the other of that years FA Cup Semi Finals. But for the "luck of the draw" we could have been at Hillsborough. I say that only to illustrate the point that ALL genuine football supporters have an interest in the success of the Justice campaign and should show their support - it could have been you.

New Dads

2005-04-17T10:48:00.000+01:00

Kennedy asleep

This cartoon by the wonderful Steve Bell reminded me what I felt like when I became a dad. Heaven knows how my wife felt...

2005-04-15T13:02:00.000+01:00

This week I have been in Newcastle leading the Training of this years Organising Academy intake (for details see previous posts). The focus of the training during the week was on building campaigns and developing union activists.

On Wednesday, Doug Miller of the ITGLWF and John Stirling from the Work and Employment Research Centre at Northumbria University gave a really interesting talk on the issue of Global Organising.

Their presentation covered issues such as Organising and the EU, European Works Councils, Ethical Trading Initiatives and international initiatives aimed at establishing global minimal ethical standards for the treatment of workers, such as The Global Compact which seeks to advance responsible corporate citizenship and develop partnerships of businesses and other organisations (including trade unions)to create a more sustainable and inclusive global economy.

2005-04-08T19:45:00.000+01:00

Been at the HQ of the TGWU today running an Assessment Centre for new Organiser positions. The talk amongst all at the centre was naturally about events at Rover in the Midlands. During the linch break, TGWU Deputy General Secretary told us that there was still hope and he was on his way to Birmingham for meetings with the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Rover workers. Latest from the T&G on the situation at Rover is here.

Today's Guardian has an interesting background article on how some have done very well out of their association with the company.

2005-04-06T21:24:00.000+01:00

Today I was in Leeds for a meeting with the TUC Regional Education Officer for the Northern region - Bill Adams. Bill is assisting the Organising Academy on a number of issues but I was in Leeds today to specifically discuss the creation of an Organising Academy Tutors Group.

The members of the Tutors Group will deliver courses that form part of the Oragnising Academy programme.

Tomorrow I am in London for meetings regarding the accreditation of the Organising Academy programme. I will also be in London on Friday and Saturday to facilitate the TGWU Assessment Centre for Team Leaders, Organisers and Organisers in Training.

2005-04-06T21:19:00.000+01:00

Interesting article here from the US about the attempts of a company to bust a union AFTER recognition. The company - DHL - you will have heard of, the tactic - busting by proxy - you may not have.

Culture of Capital

2005-03-28T21:19:00.000+01:00

The run up to Liverpool becoming the European City of Culture in 2008 has been marked by another move by the city council to make sure that the city really does become one that values and celebrates cultural activities.........err reducing the opening hours of the city's Central Library.

As the opening hours of the city's libraries are cut but more and more buildings are converted into flats that hardly anybody from and working in the city can afford - even if they are in what for Liverpool would be regarded as a well paid job - many are asking if in 2008 we will really be celebrating the city's status as the European Capital of Culture or merely the Culture of Capital

Chicken or Egg?

2005-03-28T20:39:00.000+01:00

Observers of the US Labor movement will be aware of the current debate within the AFL-CIO around the issue of future Organising strategy and the resources devoted by unions to Organising efforts.

This article provides an interesting commentary on the debate and asks - What’s more important right now.....politics or organizing?

Confessions of a Union Buster

2005-03-28T20:18:00.000+01:00

A number of union Organisers who are on the Organising Academy Trainee Organisers programme as well as a number who have attended other Organising Acadmey courses have asked how they can get hold of the above book.

Visitors to the LabourStart website will find that it is today's Book of the Day. Cick on the title above to find out where you can get a copy from. Its definately recommended for all those involved in Organising.

Think cleaners!

2005-03-24T11:51:00.000Z

Dirty hospitals increase the risk of hospital acquired infections such as MRSA and are unacceptable to patients and staff.

Yet the number of cleaners working in the NHS has almost halved in the last 18 years.

The More Cleaners = Cleaner Hospitals campaign launched by Unison brings to light the fact that privatisation of hospital cleaning services has seen the number of cleaners halved, cuts in pay and working conditions and standards plummet. Now, spiralling hospital acquired infections cost the NHS more than £1 billion and at least 5,000 lives a year.

2005-03-24T11:09:00.000Z

The TUC Organising Academy "Busting the Union Busters " course that took place in Ja nuary was delivered by Andy Banks the Director of Organisiation of the United States union IFPTE/AUSES. While Andy was in the UK, he attended meetings related to a camapaign for union recognition being fought by locally based workers at the UK Embassy in Washington and at consulates across the US.

Paul Nowak, the TUC's Head of Organising (and my boss)has been following the dispute and reports the latest developments at his blog site.

2005-03-23T21:17:00.000Z

In January, the TUC Organising Academy ran its first course aimed at raising awareness of - and building the capacity of UK union Organisers to combat - the practices of Union Busting companies and more generally hostile employers in undermining Organising campiagns and workplace union activity.

This article - describing how a company in the United States (Angelica Textile Services) is attempting to get workers to have the UNITE HERE union de-recognised (decertfied) - shows that even after recognition has been achieved unions need to continue to build strength in the workplace.

UNITE HERE alleges a numnber of unfair labour practices (and outright intimidation of workers engaged in union activity) in its response to the companys attempt to have the union decertified.

The website www.thedirtylaundry.org describes in details the company's record.

T&G Organises for Growth

2005-03-23T16:07:00.000Z

Over the last month the TUC Organising Academy has been assisting the TGWU with their recruitment of a new group of Senior Organisers, Organising Team Leaders, Organisers and Organisers in Training. We have been developing materials for and facilitating the assessment centres that form part of the recruitment process for these positions.

This process forms part of the T&G's Strategy for Growth which aims to build membership and workplace activity in workplaces where the union already has members and recognition as well as in new workplaces and sectors. The T&G is matching this commitment by increasing the financial resources that it puts into Organising.

The 100% campaign focuses on rebuilding workplace organisation to enable workers to sort out the bulk of their own problems.

In addition, the T&G is currently sponsoring two Organising Academy Trainee Organisers - Laura Plumb and Mick Orpin.

T-Mobile: Stop Busting, Start Talking

2005-03-23T15:34:00.000Z

1 in 8 of T-Mobile's UK employees face the prospect of being made redundant or having their jobs outsourced. Furthermore, the company refuses to enter into negotiations with unions.

T-Mobile are notorious for their past use of US "Union Busters" to thwart union recognition campaigns. Despite this, membership and activity at the company is on the increase.

CWU Organiser and Organising Academy graduate Nick Childs is asking people to write to T-Mobile to protest at these moves by the company and call upon them to recognise the union.

2005-03-23T09:12:00.000Z

The Government has just sold off the franchise to operate the East Coast main line to GNER for £1 billion. GNER is an exception as most of the UK's private rail operators are heavily subsidised by the government. Against this, profits of the rail operators are soaring - yet for many people their daily experience of using the UK's rail network is to say the least, frustrating (even the new trains on the West Coast main line are cramped and if when travelling to London from Liverpool you get to Rugby without the toilets breaking down you are very lucky). In addition, working on the railways in becoming more dangerous as this article by the General Secretary of the RMT union, Bob Crow illustrates.

Statement from RMT Website on the sale here

2005-03-22T22:25:00.000Z

I've never been a huge fan of Jamie Oliver - all seems a bit contrived to me. But I have to say I admire his campaign to promote healthier eating by kids in the UK. As the Dad of a 3-year old daughter I know that the healthy option is definately not the easiest. If you are concerned about the constituent parts of a chicken nugget or a smiley face then Jamie's Feed Me Better campaign deserves your support.

Learning & Organising

2005-03-22T22:01:00.000Z

There is now a concerted effort within the TUC and unions to link union activity around the learrning and skills agenda with Organsing. The excellent work carried out by unions - through the ever-growing army of Union Learning Representatives - has enabled tens of thousands of working people to gain new skills.

This article shows how one of the UK's biggest unions is using the work it does on learning to engage new members.

Public Sector Pension Strike Off as Ministers Climbdown

2005-03-22T21:58:00.000Z

Unions representing more than 1m public sector workers have called off tomorrow's planned one-day strike following the government's climbdown last week over plans to change pension arrangements.

Teachers union chiefs hold talks

2005-03-22T21:46:00.000Z

They compete for members, and spend Easter fortnight trying to outdo each other for headlines. But as their annual conferences begin, the leaders of the main teacher unions come together

Organising Academy Training Week 2

2004-12-15T23:19:00.000Z

This week, the Year 7 entry to the TUC Organising Academy were in Birmingham for the second week of the Academy Training programme. The 13 trainees are from a number of unions in the UK and Ireland:

Justin Adams
Ffion Evans (PCS)
Nicola Coleman (NUJ Ireland)
Lee Cash (Community)
Ian Telford (Community)
Andrea Innis (Connect)
Mick Orpin (TGWU)
Claire Johnston (Prospect)
Trudy Allen (PCS)
Laura Plumb (TGWU)
Jessica Fenn (Connect)

The Academy training programme is a 20-day accredited programme that's sits within the year long placements with TUC affiliate unions.

For furter information on the TUC Organising Academy visit the website at either www.tucorganisingacademy.org or at www.tuc.org.uk

Friday November 26 2004

2004-11-26T18:40:00.000Z

I have spent the majority of the last 2 weeks delivering the first sessions of the TUC Organising Academy's training programme.

Last week I was in Newcastle with the Year 7 intake of the Organising Academy. There are 13 organisers on this part of the Academy programme. They represent the following unions: Community, TGWU, PCS, Prospect, Connect and Amicus/Unifi. Last week was the first session of a 20 day programme. The next session will take place in Birmingham from December 13 to 16.

This week I have been in London with the first group of union officers undertaking the Academy programme. This was the first week of a 16 programme. Unions represented on the programme were Unison, GMB, Amicus, PCS, Prospect and NATFHE.

Additional details of the Academy programme can be found at the Organising Academy website at www.tucorganisingacademy.org. See "links" section.

For additional details

Friday November 26, 2004 - FIRST BLOG

2004-11-26T14:30:00.000Z

Hi there - the inspiration for my setting up this blog was a conference that I attended in London on November 12th around the issue of how trade unions in the UK could use the internet more effectively as a tool in recruiting in organising workers.

For trade unions, there is perhaps no bigger challenge today than the one that faces us in relation to recruiting and organising new members and reasserting the effectiveness of trade unions within the workplace. The internet has had a major impact on so many areas of life - the question for modern trades unions today is how it can be used to become an effective tool in the organising effort.