Recognition deals raised

Unions are winning record numbers of new recognition deals, according to the first survey published since the new legislation on union recognition came into force. The Trade Union Trends survey on union recognition, carried out for the TUC by the Labour Research Department, shows that unions won 159 new deals in the 12 months up to the end of November 2000. This was more than twice the number of new deals in the previous year.

Most of the deals were for full recognition, 94% of unions responding saying that the deals covered collective bargaining on terms and conditions and pay. Two-thirds had a policy on training and 88% included a commitment to information and consultation.

Unions report that the new legislation was influential in more than half of the deals they had signed. In general, unions are much more positive about the future for recognition, with 71% saying they thought that they were more likely to win new deals compared to just 46% who thought this a year earlier.

Tony Burke, deputy general secretary of the GPMU print and paper union which has won more than 30 new deals, told Labour Research that the union has been working hard to increase membership. He said the union had built "strong workplace organisation, backed up by active lay reps".