Increase in union recognition ahead of statutory procedure

A survey by the TUC trade union confederation, published in February 1999, suggests that UK companies are increasingly ready to reach voluntary union recognition deals. Unions say that the prospect of statutory intervention stemming from the current Employment Relations Bill is already influencing employer attitudes. At the same time, unions fear that the new legislation will give a boost to the activities of "union-busting" consultants in the UK.

A survey of unions affiliated to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) shows that 34 new union recognition agreements covering 63,500 workers were signed in the period March-November 1998 - a significant increase on the figures for the previous year's survey, when recognition deals covered only 1,383 workers. The report, published to coincide with the second reading of the Employment Relations Bill (UK9902180F) in the House of Commons on 9 February 1999, says that employers are increasingly reconciled to the prospect of a statutory trade union recognition procedure and that this is spurring companies to negotiate recognition deals on a voluntary basis in anticipation of the forthcoming legislation.

More than one-third of recognition agreements followed union recruitment campaigns, while one in four resulted from a union approach to the employer. Recognition often followed a change in company ownership. Among the new recognition agreements reported are those at catering company Compass (covering 50,000 workers), the Clerical Medical Investment Group (2,000) and the Scottish computer company, FCI (1,000).

Unions are currently reported to be seeking recognition for a further 55,000 workers in 106 companies - the highest level of recognition claims recorded. In around half of these cases, union membership is said to be over 50% - a level which, under the procedures set out in the Employment Relations Bill, would lead to "automatic" recognition without the need for a ballot.

However, unions are also voicing concern that the new legislation will encourage the use of "union-busters" to keep unions out of UK workplaces. In a statement, TUC general secretary John Monks said: "We are worried that concessions given to employer lobbying may lead to unnecessary legal action and openings for US-style union-busting consultants."

Roger Lyons, general secretary of the Manufacturing Science Finance (MSF) union, was quoted in the Observer newspaper on 24 January as saying: "We have ended up with a Bill that is a union-buster's charter." The Observer reported that some of America's best-known firms of "union-busters", who specialise in preventing unions from gaining footholds in non-union companies and in defeating unions in recognition ballots, are advising several US companies with operations in Britain.