Why are trade unions declining?

cokeiscrap

Unfortunately the Labour Court has no real power when it comes to enforcing decisions.
A group of workers through their nominated union can get a decision in their favour but the company can decide to ignore the ruling.

https://www.siptu.ie/media/pressreleases2019/fullstory_21218_en.html

Even though the company in question has the following human rights policy:

The Coca-Cola Company Human Rights Policy (cont.)
Diversity and Inclusion
We value and advance the diversity and inclusion of the people with whom we work.
We are committed to equal opportunity and are intolerant of discrimination and harassment.
We work to maintain workplaces that are free from discrimination or harassment on the basis
of race, sex, color, national or social origin, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, sexual
orientation, gender identication or expression, political opinion or any other status protected
by applicable law. The basis for recruitment, hiring, placement, development, training,
compensation and advancement at the Company is qualications, performance, skills
and experience.
We do not tolerate disrespectful or inappropriate behavior, unfair treatment or retaliation of any
kind. Harassment is not tolerated in the workplace and in any work-related circumstance
outside the workplace.
Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
We respect our employees’ right to join, form or not to join a labor union without fear of
reprisal, intimidation or harassment. Where employees are represented by a legally recognized
union, we are committed to establishing a constructive dialogue with their freely chosen
representatives. The Company is committed to bargaining in good faith with such
representatives.
Safe and Healthy Workplace
The safety and health of our employees is of paramount importance. Our policy is to provide a
safe and healthy workplace and comply with applicable safety and health laws and regulations,
as well as internal requirements. We work to provide and maintain a safe, healthy and
productive workplace, in consultation with our employees, by addressing and remediating
identied risks of accidents, injury and health impacts.
Workplace Security
We are committed to maintaining a workplace that is free from violence, harassment,
intimidation and other unsafe or disruptive conditions due to internal and external threats.
Security safeguards for employees are provided, as needed, and are maintained with respect
for employee privacy and dignity.
Forced Labor and Human Trafficking
We prohibit the use of all forms of forced labor, including prison labor, indentured labor,
bonded labor, military labor, modern forms of slavery and any form of human trafcking.

corks finest

Bambi wrote: »

Oh right so theres no paid employees who are full time union reps in the public or private sector in Ireland, shows what you know anyway


Unions like to come out with as the "only as strong as their members" nonsense but the truth is that they're as strong as the demand for membership, which is dead outside of the public sector.

Like any human organisation its actually only strong as its leadership, you have leaders like Jimmy Kelly and his heir apparent Brendan Ogle, then theres that eejit Len McCluskey in the UK, lads who couldnt sell ice in the sahara but they're all whats running the union game.

Union's closed down Ford's and Dunlop's in Cork, they'd have lumbered on for another decade but for the unreasonable near weekly union demands,my old man was washed up by 52 when paid off and dead within 6 months

Bambi

Bambi wrote: »

Oh right so theres no paid employees who are full time union reps in the public or private sector in Ireland, shows what you know anyway

He specifically stated "public sector" and no, there's no full-time reps being paid by the public sector.

They only have one full time job - either public sector or union rep - not both.

Bobtheman

Suits the government to have trade unions declining.
Then have the media and every idiot attacking the public sector for having strong unions.
You have to hand it to them.

salonfire

Bobtheman wrote: »

Suits the government to have trade unions declining.
Then have the media and every idiot attacking the public sector for having strong unions.
You have to hand it to them.

Suits the people working in industries like Finance as well who are not left lumbered carrying deadwood and can negotiate very healthy salaries individually. I'd say the best paying industries are non-unionized. Why on earth would they want to change that?

DavyD_83

There's enough parasites, drains on salaries and trying to compete with cheaper off-shored and/or out sourced work forces workout paying another useless middle man.
That said, I've never worked in job our area with unions and have always struggled with the counselor.
Seems like a self-justifying role full of narcissists, like a HR dept working only for themselves rather than a corporate overlord.

Treppen

salonfire wrote: »

Suits the people working in industries like Finance as well who are not left lumbered carrying deadwood and can negotiate very healthy salaries individually. I'd say the best paying industries are non-unionized. Why on earth would they want to change that?

I agree, much of the unionised public sector have pretty low wages, compared to non-unionised private sector.

AndrewJRenko

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

The HSE needs serious reform. When the health boards amalgamated, where were the improvements in deduplication of resources? The HSE only needs a quarter of the HR people and a significant reduction in animation staff.

And that's before you get to demarcation where you aren't allowed to change a lightbulb in case some one who's job it is to do so might lose that job.

Who is blocking reform of our health system so that it works for the people it serves?

Over recent decades we've seen a reduction in union membership but in contrast an improvement in salaries and working conditions for people who work in non unionized employment such as IT.
's.

You do have some evidence to support all of these claims presumably? Something beyond a single glib comment from an departing HR guy from 10 years ago would be great.

AndrewJRenko

Mules wrote: »

Workers have a lot more rights now than when unions were bigger. I think that's why the membership has declined.

I wonder how those additional rights came about. Let me think now...

AndrewJRenko

Bambi wrote: »

Oh right so theres no paid employees who are full time union reps in the public or private sector in Ireland, shows what you know anyway

Who / where exactly are these full time union reps paid by employers in the Irish public sector please?

AndrewJRenko

corks finest wrote: »

Union's closed down Ford's and Dunlop's in Cork, they'd have lumbered on for another decade but for the unreasonable near weekly union demands,my old man was washed up by 52 when paid off and dead within 6 months

You do know what happened in the motor industry around the world at that time, right?

AndrewJRenko

Treppen wrote: »

I agree, much of the unionised public sector have pretty low wages, compared to non-unionised private sector.

And you think this is due to unions? That's hilarious. You do understand the difference between coorelation and causation, right?

AndrewJRenko

Cal Croydon wrote: »

Fantastic if true. We just have to wait 30 years and they'll be gone for good.

The 'if true' bit is the tricky one, based on the numbers reported elsewhere in the thread.

Richard Hillman

I didn't join a union in places i worked because I didn't expect to be there that long.

I think people in the financial services industry are missing a trick. Companies are making huge amounts of money. Workers earn ok money (not at the start though) but conditions are generally poor and are very rarely 9-5.

Wanderer78

Richard Hillman wrote:

I think people in the financial services industry are missing a trick. Companies are making huge amounts of money. Workers earn ok money (not at the start though) but conditions are generally poor and are very rarely 9-5.

The financial sector is at the height of its powers, it practically ru(i)ns the world, its far more powerful than any government

Treppen

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

And you think this is due to unions? That's hilarious. You do understand the difference between coorelation and causation, right?

Never said it was due to unions.