Trade unionism and collective bargaining - before and after the General Election

I’m pleased to see the UNISON website reporting the good news from Lambeth, where we have come to an agreement with the Council that shared parental leave will be paid at a rate equivalent to occupational maternity pay.

Whatever happens in the General Election, trade unions will continue to try to negotiate to defend and improve the conditions of service of our members (and workers generally). If we wish to reverse the decline in collective bargaining we clearly need to be assertive and ambitious at every level.

In local government we will find it harder and harder to negotiate improved conditions or sustain union organisation if we cannot reverse the tide or privatisation and outsourcing – this is what makes this week’s strike action in Barnet so important. UNISON members are fighting to remain local government employees.

The action being taken against Barnet’s Tory Council underlines the need to vote to ensure a change of Government, whilst simultaneously illustrating the spirit and determination which we will need to show if we are to derive any benefit from such a change.