Comments on: The members say yes http://www.johninnit.co.uk/2007/03/08/the-members-say-yes/ Scrapbook of a labor-geek - Unions 2.0 in the UK and around the world Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:05:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: johninnit » Blog Archive » Another day, another ballot… http://www.johninnit.co.uk/2007/03/08/the-members-say-yes/comment-page-1/#comment-38 johninnit » Blog Archive » Another day, another ballot… Fri, 09 Mar 2007 13:40:01 +0000 http://www.johninnit.co.uk/2007/03/08/the-members-say-yes/#comment-38 [...] « The members say yes [...] [...] « The members say yes [...]

]]> By: admin http://www.johninnit.co.uk/2007/03/08/the-members-say-yes/comment-page-1/#comment-37 admin Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:32:44 +0000 http://www.johninnit.co.uk/2007/03/08/the-members-say-yes/#comment-37 Interesting - though they're not companies in that sense and I don't think the Certification Officer have any rules about that. Unions by and large try not to compete (it's expensive and wasteful). Plus you can look at a lot of craft unions' sectors for a different view. Take my own one, the NUJ, which has a near (well, apart from the BAJ) monopoly in media. No-one's suggesting breaking that into smaller units. Added to that, don't forget that unions are a special case in that they're democratically structured. Most posts are filled by volunteers, and they and the leadership (in most cases) are elected by the membership. If a company gets large and abuses its powers, it could be harder for shareholders to put a brake on its activities than it is for members of a union to turn the leadership out. Interesting - though they’re not companies in that sense and I don’t think the Certification Officer have any rules about that.
Unions by and large try not to compete (it’s expensive and wasteful). Plus you can look at a lot of craft unions’ sectors for a different view. Take my own one, the NUJ, which has a near (well, apart from the BAJ) monopoly in media. No-one’s suggesting breaking that into smaller units.
Added to that, don’t forget that unions are a special case in that they’re democratically structured. Most posts are filled by volunteers, and they and the leadership (in most cases) are elected by the membership. If a company gets large and abuses its powers, it could be harder for shareholders to put a brake on its activities than it is for members of a union to turn the leadership out.

]]> By: anoneumouse http://www.johninnit.co.uk/2007/03/08/the-members-say-yes/comment-page-1/#comment-36 anoneumouse Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:00:05 +0000 http://www.johninnit.co.uk/2007/03/08/the-members-say-yes/#comment-36 Unions compete with each other for members. In effect, they are businesses, albeit of a specialised nature. If Unions are merging to make up more than 25% of the service industry in which they operate, then shouldnt this be refered to the OFT or the Monopolies and Mergers Commission? Unions compete with each other for members. In effect, they are businesses, albeit of a specialised nature.

If Unions are merging to make up more than 25% of the service industry in which they operate, then shouldnt this be refered to the OFT or the Monopolies and Mergers Commission?

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