Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to provide an insight into the relationship between young workers and trade unions in the UK. As noted by Hodder and Kretsos (Introduction, this volume), it is largely accepted that young workers are less likely to be union members when compared to older workers, and there have been a number of academic studies into the reasons behind this. Existing literature groups these reasons into three categories — the changing nature of labour markets and increasing employer resistance to trade unionism, inefficiencies of unions to reform themselves and engage with more young people, and the attitudinal problems of young workers themselves (Waddington and Kerr, 2002). The way in which UK unions have tried to reverse this is discussed, whilst the rest of the chapter provides an insight into the Young Members’ Network (YMN) of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS). The methods used involved analysis of internal PCS documents and discussions with 20 (full-time and lay) officials from across the union at the union’s Annual Delegate Conference in May 2014 and the National Young Members Seminar in June 2014. Widely acknowledged as the most successful youth structure in contemporary UK unionism, the YMN has been subject to previous academic enquiry (Hodder, 2014) and the insights provided in this chapter complement this existing research.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bailey, J., Price, R., Esders, L. and McDonald, P. (2010) ‘Daggy shirts, daggy slogans? Marketing unions to young people’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 52 (1): 43–60.
Bakker, T. and de Vreese, C. (2011) ‘Good news for the future? Young people, internet use, and political participation’, Communication Research, 38 (4): 451–470.
Bielski Boris, M., Grabelsky, J., Margolies, K. and Reynolds, D. (2013) ‘Next up: The promise of AFL–CIO-affiliated young worker groups’, Working USA, 16 (2): 227–252.
Brown, W., Deakin, S. and Ryan, P. (1997) ‘The effects of British industrial relations legislation 1979–97’, National Institute Economic Review, 161 (1): 69–83.
Bryson, A., Gomez, R. and Willman, P. (2010) ‘Online social networking and trade union membership: what the Facebook phenomenon truly means for labor organizers’, Labor History, 51 (1): 41–53.
Castells, M. (2012) Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Cole, G. (1955) An Introduction to Trade Unionism, 2nd Edition, London: George Allen and Unwin.
Cupper, L. (1980) ‘Unions and youth: a step in the right direction’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 22 (1): 36–53.
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2014) Trade Union Membership 2013: Statistical Bulletin, London: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Freeman, R. and Diamond, W. (2003) ‘Young workers and trade unions’, in H. Gospel and S. Wood (eds) Representing Workers: Union Recognition and Membership in Britain, London: Routledge.
Gall, G. (2009a) ‘What is to be done with union organising?’ in G. Gall (ed.) Union Revitalisation in Advanced Economies: Assessing the Contribution of Union Organising, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Gall, G. (2009b) ‘“Union Organising” — Past, Present and Future’, in G. Gall (ed.) The Future of Union Organising, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Graham, S. (2001) ‘Bringing young people into a union’, A New Generation, London: Unions 21.
Greene, A., Hogan, J. and Grieco, M. (2003) ‘Commentary: E-collectivism and distributed discourse: new opportunities for trade union democracy’, Industrial Relations Journal, 34 (4): 282–289.
Heery, E. (1998) Research Bulletin No. 3, Cardiff: Cardiff University.
Heery, E. (2002) ‘Partnership versus organising: alternative futures for British trade unionism’, Industrial Relations Journal, 33 (1): 20–35.
Heery, E. and Abbott, B. (2000) ‘Trade unions and the insecure workforce’, in E. Heery and J. Salmon (eds) The Insecure Workforce, London: Routledge.
Heery, E., Kelly, J. and Waddington, J. (2002) Union Revitalization in the United Kingdom, Geneva: International Institute for Labour Studies.
Hill, S. (2013) Digital Revolutions: Activism in the Internet Age, Oxford: New Internationalist Publications Ltd.
Hodder, A. (2012) ‘Organising young workers in the Public and Commercial Services union’, Paper published in the Proceedings of the 16th World Congress of the International Labour & Employment Relations Association, Philadelphia, 2–5 July 2012.
Hodder, A. (2014) ‘Organising young workers in the Public and Commercial Services union’, Industrial Relations Journal, 45 (2): 153–168.
Kelly, J. (2004) ‘Social partnership agreements in Britain: labor cooperation and compliance’, Industrial Relations, 43 (1): 267–292.
Martinez Lucio, M. (2003) ‘New communication systems and trade union politics: a case study of Spanish trade unions and the role of the internet’, Industrial Relations Journal, 34 (4): 334–347.
McAllister, A. (2013) ‘New media and new voices’, The Philanthropist, 25 (2):93–98.
O’Grady, F. and Nowak, P. (2004) ‘Beyond new unionism’, in J. Kelly and P. Willman (eds) Union Organization and Activity, London: Routledge.
Panagiotopoulos, P. (2012) ‘Towards Unions 2.0: rethinking the audience of social media engagement’, New Technology, Work and Employment, 27 (3): 178–192.
Panagiotopoulos, P. and Barnett, J. (2014) ‘Social media in union communications: an international study with UNI Global Union Affiliates’, British Journal of Industrial Relations, doi: 10.1111/bjir.12060.
Payne, J. (1989) ‘Trade union membership and activism among young people in Great Britain’, British Journal of Industrial Relations, 27 (1): 111–132.
PCS (2014) National Organising Strategy, London: PCS.
Samuel, P. (2005) ‘Partnership working and the cultivated activist’, Industrial Relations Journal, 36 (1): 59–76.
Simms, M. (1999a) Research Bulletin No. 4, Cardiff, Cardiff University.
Simms, M. (1999b) Research Bulletin No. 6, Cardiff, Cardiff University.
Simms, M., Holgate, J. and Heery, E. (2013) Union Voices: Tactics and Tensions in UK Organizing, Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Spilsbury, M., Hoskins, M., Ashton, D. and Maguire, M. (1987) ‘A note on the trade union membership patterns of young adults’, British Journal of Industrial Relations, 25 (2): 267–274.
Sultana, R. (1989) ‘Schooling tomorrow’s worker: trade union education in secondary schools’, New Zealand Journal of Industrial Relations, 13, 3–20.
Terry, M. (2003) ‘Can “partnership” reverse the decline of British trade unions?’ Work, Employment and Society, 17 (3): 459–472.
Tolbert, C. and McNeal, R. (2003) ‘Unravelling the effects of the internet on political participation?’ Political Research Quarterly, 56: 175–185.
Trades Union Congress (TUC) (2013) An Effective Campaigning Voice for Young Workers — Proposals to Develop the TUC Young Members Forum, London: TUC.
TUC (2014) TUC Directory 2014, London: TUC.
Unions into Schools (2014) Available at http://www.ebctuc.co.uk. Accessed 28 August 2014.
Van Wanrooy, B., Bewley, H., Bryson, A., Forth, J., Freeth, S., Stokes L. and Wood, S. (2013) The 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study First Findings, London: Department for Business, Skills and Innovation.
Waddington, J. and Kerr, A. (2002) ‘Unions fit for young workers?’ Industrial Relations Journal, 33 (4): 298–315.
Waddington, J. and Whitston, C. (1997) ‘Why do people join unions in a period of membership decline?’ British Journal of Industrial Relations, 35 (4): 515–546.
Walsh, G. (1988) ‘Trade unions and the media’, International Labour Review, 127 (2): 205–220.
Willman, P. and Kelly, J. (2004) ‘Introduction’, in J. Kelly and P. Willman (eds) Union Organization and Activity, London: Routledge.
Wray, J. (1957) ‘Trade unions and young workers in Great Britain’, International Labor Review, 75, 304–318.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2015 Andy Hodder
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hodder, A. (2015). ‘Old Dusty Men’? Young People and Trade Unions in the UK. In: Hodder, A., Kretsos, L. (eds) Young Workers and Trade Unions. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137429537_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137429537_10
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-68255-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-42953-7
eBook Packages: Palgrave Business & Management CollectionBusiness and Management (R0)