Times Change

Profit sharing, joint decision, team work - do these trends signify that the interests of capital and labour have now become identical or that there is no need for workers to have their own organisation to represent their interests? Not at all, but they do mean that in order to be relevant and effective, unions will need to develop strategies to deal with the new forms of work organisation and compensation systems. Just as industrialisation, mass production and Taylorism resulted in the creation of the industrial or general union model today's unions will also need to re-invent themselves.

Unions in the private sector in many countries have already begun to focus union resources in new directions and to adopt new strategies and practices. For example, unions are negotiating gain-sharing plans which promote solidarity, rather than pitting one worker or team against another. Trade unions are also becoming knowledgeable about new technology or work processes and negotiating with management for the introduction of those which will increase workers' skills and job satisfaction, as well as improving productivity.

In addition to strategies to deal with new forms of work organisation and compensation, unions are demanding a voice in traditional management decisions to secure policies which are in the interest of their members, as well as competitiveness. For example, in a global economy, management tends to focus more on achieving short-term profits (i.e. they are usually not committed to a particular workforce, geographical area or even country). Workers, on the other hand, are more likely to be concerned with the long-term survival of the company, quality of the jobs and employment security for the workforce. Understanding this, unions are placing an increased emphasis on involvement in management decisions in order to enhance both the employment security of their members and the economic viability for their community. Unions are providing new and expanded research and education services to their members and staffs in order to enable them to be knowledgeable participants in discussions on strategic planning, development of new products, workforce planning, etc.,

Perhaps because public sector work has been viewed as the sole domain of government and not subject to competition or the flight of jobs overseas, public sector workers and their unions have not concentrated on these issues to the same degree as their private sector counterparts.

In my own union, up until the mid-nineties there was a high degree of complacency - a feeling that healthcare jobs were very secure because sick people needed to be cared for in their community. Our members felt that they would never face the problems of their brothers and sisters in auto, garment, light manufacturing and other industries who were fighting uphill battles to maintain decent jobs in the face of increased global competition.

Since change was not anticipated by most public sector workers in the United States, unions were largely unprepared for demands by public sector employers and the public for increased productivity, customer friendly services, and the right of private sector companies to bid on public sector work.

It soon became clear, however, that there are forces as strong as global competition which are changing the public sector landscape. There are reasons why government and the public are now turning their attention to the delivery of public sector services. Workers in private sector firms who are working under new work systems which have increased productivity, are beginning to demand that the same practices be instituted in the public service. Similarly, the expectations of consumers about what is an acceptable level of service from public services are increasing based on the improvement in services they are receiving from many private sector companies. In addition, the public has been demanding lower taxes. With the increase in employment for both spouses, there is a demand for easier access to public services, longer opening hours etc.

In the United States all of these factors have contributed to wide spread attempts to privatise public services. The American Federation of Teachers is fighting a movement to give parents the option to use private schools through the provision of vouchers. Over 350,000 federal jobs have been eliminated or subcontracted out as part of a movement to downsize government. In some localities private companies have even taken over the administration of social welfare, job training and job placement services. Extensive privatisation efforts have also occurred in public transport, refuse collection, roadwork, catering services in schools, etc.

The movement to privatise public services has been a key element of right-wing political agendas for many years. What has been surprising and of great concern to public sector unions in the United States is widespread public support for some of these initiatives. For example, many low- income parents favour vouchers because they believe that private (often church-run schools) will achieve better results for their children. It is becoming clear that being well intentioned is not enough to secure public support - public services are increasingly being judged by the outcomes they achieve. In addition, if desired results are not delivered public sector workers, rather than political parties or department managers, are frequently the ones being blamed.

These new trends are beginning to change the attitudes of public sector trade unionists about whether it is in their interest to leave service delivery/operational issues solely to management.

If only as a defensive measure, American public sector unions are adopting similar strategies to their private sector counter parts.

However, while there is an increasing understanding that unions in both the public and private sector must develop new areas of expertise and new ways of working, such understanding is frequently coupled with major concerns about taking on new roles.

Will union involvement with productivity and other operational issues result in a blurring of the roles of the union and management? Will the union be blamed if business plans do not produce desired results? Will member loyalty be compromised because the union will be seen as just another boss rather than a defender of members' interests? Unions are also concerned that new roles will require the expenditure of time and resources on activities such as strategic planning and the development of new products or services when staff time and financial resources are already overextended.

All of these concerns are real and we in the trade union movement need to develop effective strategies to deal with these new realities. While doing so will be a significant challenge, the changes taking place as a result of new forms of work organisation, new technology and increased competition must not be ignored.

If we are to be successful we must have a distinct worker/union voice on what is needed to produce what the pubic wants in a way that meets our values and supports the public good.

We must be involved on all levels of the enterprise and industry, providing workers with a collective voice in determining both work practices and broader policy/industry direction.

This means taking a broad view of our mission in many public sector employments. What kind of national policies will really contribute to increased health for our people, the ability of all our children to fulfil their potential and the desire of all citizens to have a decent job and good housing? What is the position of refuse workers on the disposal of hazardous waste? In Ireland where there is a major debate about childcare, the public needs to hear from teachers' unions and the trade union movement as a whole about their views of how services can best be provided. Teachers, of course, have an interest in how well children are prepared for school and may also be the logical providers of after school and care during school holidays. Without a well thought out plan by public sector unions how to fill the need for child care services, this new work may be co-opted by the private sector(and may be performed by non-union workers, as well).

Similarly, if other public sector unions are not entrepreneurial, other opportunities may be lost. For example when we look back over the last ten to fifteen years, it is clear that CIE was not meeting the need for inexpensive transport from Dublin to towns around the country on weekends and at other times. New business have emerged to fill the need - but they are not being staffed by public sector workers. These alternative transportation systems may someday become a threat to public sector employment as they have in many US jurisdictions.