Labour Unionism In The Financial Services Sector: Fighting For Rights And Representation Labor Unionism In The Financial Services Sector

In recent years, there has been an acute crisis of worker representation in the finance sector in the UK. Labour union and staff association membership has fallen, collective organisation has experienced dislocation and disorganisation and worker self-confidence has been sapped. Prior to this, there was a sense of an identifiable trajectory towards greater 'unionateness' by labour unions and staff associations, with the sector moving towards associations with the wider trade union movement, growing self-identification of employees as 'workers' and the use of traditional tools of collective bargaining such as threats of strikes and strikes themselves. The former set of outcomes have resulted from a particular type of labour unionism being overwhelmed by challenges from employers pursuing policies based on HRM, partnership and union exclusion on the one hand, and on the other, significant restructuring of the sector in terms of service providers and means of service/product delivery.The key explanation for this outcome has been the inability-cum-unwillingness of labour unionism, particularly independent labour unionism, to develop workplace unionism as a non-dependent resource, which would have, in turn, allowed labour unionism to be less susceptible to overtures and pressures from employers. This study documents and explains this trajectory in wider historical terms, providing invaluable insights reading both for those interested in the future of both the labour movement and the finance sector in particular.

In recent years, there has been an acute crisis of worker representation in the finance sector in Britain. Labour union and staff association membership and density has fallen, collective organisation has experienced dislocation and disorganisation and worker self-confidence has been sapped. Prior to this, there was a sense of an identifiable trajectory towards greater 'unionateness' by labour unions and staff associations, with the sector moving towards growing self-identification of employees as 'workers' and the use of traditional tools of collective bargaining such as threats of strikes and strikes themselves. This study documents and explains these changes in wider historical terms, providing invaluable reading for those interested in the future of both the labour movement and the finance sector.

Contents......Page 6 List of Tables......Page 8 List of Insets......Page 10 List of Abbreviations, Acronyms and Organisational Names......Page 12 Preface......Page 14 Acknowledgements......Page 16 1 Labour Unionism in the Financial Services Sector: Struggling for Rights and Representation......Page 18 2 Historical Genesis and Development of Labour Unionism and Staff Associations......Page 32 3 Development of Labour Union Presence and Organisation, 1970–1989......Page 62 4 Weathering Storms: Stimuli, Opportunities and Challenges, 1990–1999......Page 92 5 Blown Asunder: Dissolution, Disorganisation and Dislocation of Collective Organisation, 2000–2007......Page 138 6 Putting Historical Processes into Perspective and Prospects for the Future......Page 176 References......Page 208 M......Page 222 W......Page 223 Labour Unionism In The Financial Services Sector: Struggling For Rights And Representation -- Historical Genesis And Development Of Labour Unionism And Staff Associations -- Development Of Labour Union Presence And Organisation, 1970-1989 -- Weathering Storms: Stimuli, Opportunities And Challenges, 1990-1999 -- Blown Asunder: Dissolution, Disorganisation And Dislocation Of Collective Organisation, 2000-2007 -- Putting Historical Processes Into Perspective And Prospects For The Future. Gregor Gall. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [191]-204) And Index. During the last decade two factors have reversed the trend of unionisation and collectivism within the financial services sector: employer strategies revolving around HRM approaches, partnership and union exclusion; and by the restructuring of sector. This book examines these developments in wider historical terms This book examines, in wider historical terms, the development of unionisation and collectivism within the financial services sector