Unit 4
AIMS AND FUNCTIONS OF TRADE UNIONS
1. Read the text quickly and match the headings to the paragraphs.
1) |
Collective bargaining |
4) |
Provision of benefits |
2) |
Ways to achieve TUs’ aims |
5) |
Influencing government policy |
3) |
Main objectives of TUs |
6) |
Collective agreements |
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A ___________________________________
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has distinguished ten main objectives of trade unions. They are:
improved terms of employment;
improved physical environment at work;
full employment and national prosperity;
security of employment and income;
improved social security schemes;
fair shares in national income and wealth;
industrial democracy;
a voice in government;
improved public and social services;
public control and planning of industry.
B ___________________________________
Trade unions attempt to achieve their aims in three ways. Firstly, they engage in direct consultation with management to attempt to improve the wages and conditions of work of their members. Secondly, they act as a pressure group on government, and try to persuade governments of all political parties to pass legislation, and carry out general economic policies which will benefit their members. Thirdly, they provide certain direct benefits for their members, such as unemployment benefit. All these are discussed in more detail below.
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C ___________________________________
About three-quarters of employees in the United Kingdom are covered by agreements made between the representatives of workers and employers; the representatives of workers are invariably trade unions. Collective agreements normally cover two areas: firstly, they specify the basic rates pay, hours worked and holidays; secondly, they specify the procedure to be followed to reach agreements, and the procedure to be followed in case of a dispute.
D ___________________________________
The normal procedure is that the union will present its case for improvements in pay and conditions which will include specific proposals. The employers will consider the union’s case and make an offer. The offer may be accepted or rejected, if rejected more talks will follow until the two sides come to an agreement. Occasionally, the two sides fail to reach agreement. In this situation the independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) may offer conciliation. When agreement cannot be made through this method, the two parties can refer the claim to arbitration; an arbitrator will be appointed who will prepare a report and award. Although the award is not legally binding, it is usual for the two sides to accept the claim. The two sides may still fail to agree, or may have been unwilling to use ACAS, and in such cases an industrial dispute may occur.
E ___________________________________
Trade unions attempt to influence government policy in two areas. Firstly, they press for specific items of legislation which will improve the working conditions, terms of employment, social security benefits and status of their members. Examples of legislation supported by trade unions for these reasons include the Trade Union and Labour Relations Acts, the Employment Protection Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act. Secondly, trade unions support, and ask for a general economic strategy which will further the interests of the trade union movement as a whole. Trade unions are likely to support the economic policies associated with the Labour Party.
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F ___________________________________
The benefits available to union members vary considerably from union to union. Some unions provide benefits in case of illness, accident, death and retirement, others do not even pay a disputes benefit when their members are on official strike. On average unions pay out about 30% of the contributions they receive on benefits.
2.Read the text again and translate it.
3.Find in the text:
a)examples of Passive Infinitives;
b)one sentence containing Complex Object;
c)one sentence containing Complex Subject;
d)one sentence containing ‘for+to+Infinitive’ construction.
4. Answer the questions.
1)Which of the objectives of trade unions do you consider the most vital? Why?
2)What is the purpose of trade unions’ direct consultations with management?
3)What areas do collective agreements normally cover?
4)What procedure is followed in case of a dispute?
5)When is a claim referred to arbitration?
6)In what ways do trade unions try to influence the government?
7)Whose economic policy do trade unions support?
8)What kinds of benefits can trade unions pay out?
9)Where do trade unions get money to pay out benefits?
10)What do you know about the aims and functions of Russian trade unions?
11)What are the objectives of your students’ union?
5. Speak about the aims and functions of trade unions using the questions above as the plan.
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6. Industrial action is used by workers to put pressure on employers when collective
bargaining has been unsuccessful. The most common forms of action which workers
can take in the UK are listed below. Match them with their description.
Forms of Industrial Action
1)a ‘go-slow’
2)picketing
3)work to rule
4)sympathy action
5)overtime ban
6)strikes
a)They are a complete withdrawal of labour by workers caused by wage disputes. Official ones are supported by the relevant trade union, and workers will normally receive pay. They tend to be fewer in number, but last much longer. Unofficial ones do not have the backing of the union and are often resolved in a short period of time.
b)It is an attempt by strikers to persuade others at the factory to support either by joining the dispute or by refusing to do the work of those on strike.
c)This form of action can be highly effective in those industries where staff shortages exist, and workers are normally relied upon to work overtime.
d)In some industries there are a large number of regulations which are usually ignored to ensure the smooth running of the firm. In these situations workers rigidly stick to all the regulations with the result that the organization may be brought to a halt in a very short time.
e)It occurs when workers carry out their duties at a slower rate than normal. Like the work to rule this can bring an organization to a standstill.
f)Sometimes, other groups of workers support unionists taking strike action, either by striking themselves, or by refusing to deliver goods to the strike-bound factory, or may refuse to work on the products of the firm.
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7. Complete the text with the words and word combinations in the box.
Local Bargaining
Formal bargaining at a national level relating to ___1___ and conditions takes place between the ___2___ and employer. However, ___3___ may vary considerably from area to area and from factory to factory, and thus there is a ___4___ for local bargaining to take place between ___5___ and workers.
Union members usually ___6___ one of their number to act as their ___7___
and he is called the ’___8___’. He is an ___9___ workman and will carry out his
___10___ both during his own time and during normal ___11___, as many employees ___12___ shop stewards a specified number of hours each week
___13___ their duties. It is common for all shop stewards from one factory to have
___14___, even though they may ___15___ workers from different unions, and they usually elect a ___16___ or convenor as he is known, who can then act as the representative of all the ___17___ in a particular factory.
Factory ___18___ between shop stewards and managers deal with such issues as the level of ___19___ payments, the length and ___20___ of breaks, job allocation and other ___21___. Workers often attach more ___22___ to local plant bargaining than to ___23___ agreements.
a) |
timing |
i) |
working practices |
q) |
negotiations |
b) |
management |
j) |
allow |
r) |
wages |
c) |
scope |
k) |
regular meetings |
s) |
leaders of unions |
d) |
local conditions |
l) |
national |
t) |
importance |
e) |
spokesman |
m)elect |
u) |
bonus |
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f) |
ordinary |
n) |
shop steward |
v) |
working hours |
g) |
duties |
o) |
represent |
w) chairman |
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h) |
to perform |
p) union members |
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Unit 5
THE POWER OF TRADE UNIONS
1. Read and translate the text
The power of trade unions has been gradually eroded over the last 20 years. This
is due to a number of reasons:
laws passed by Conservative government during 1980’s and 1990’s which have weakened the power of trade unions,
decline in trade union membership,
change in structure of industry from heavily unionised manufacturing industry towards service sector businesses,
more women and part-time workers who are less inclined to join unions,
change in philosophy from conflicts due to collective bargaining to individual bargaining between firms and employees.
One of the new laws that was introduced stated that employers did not have to recognise any trade union if they did not want to, regardless of how many of their workers belonged to it. This meant that trade unions could play no part in negotiations and could not represent their workers at all. However, in 2000 a new EU Employment Law came into being which stated that an employer must legally recognise
and negotiate with a trade union if more than 50% of its workers belong to it.
In practice many firms choose to deal with trade unions as they can benefit not
only the employee but also the employer. This is shown below:
Benefits to an employee |
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Benefits to an employer |
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more powerful |
voice |
when |
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cheaper and quicker to bargain |
bargaining as a group (e.g. for pay |
with one trade union representative |
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rises) as can threaten industrial action |
than individual workers, |
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such as strikes, |
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workers are better motivated if |
workers will have their individual |
they feel their interests are being |
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rights better protected, e.g. if dismissed |
looked after by trade unions. |
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unfairly or discriminated against. |
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Trade unions increasingly wish to be seen as working with employers to create a better and more competitive economy and not as organisations that stand in the way of change and increase costs for firms. They believe that both parties have mutual interests. This has led to more and more single union agreements (where an employer agrees to deal with only one union) but in return can often expect a ‘no-strike deal’ from the union (where unions agree never to strike if a dispute cannot be settled).
2. Match pairs of synonyms and translate them. Then cover the right column and try to remember the synonym.
1) |
trade union |
a) |
slow-down strike |
2) |
unionism |
b) |
skilled worker |
3) |
qualified worker |
c) |
authority |
4) |
contributions |
d) |
labour union |
5) |
branch |
e) |
union member |
6) |
unionist |
f) |
local union |
7) |
unofficial strike |
g) |
laws |
8) |
trade |
h) |
wildcat strike |
9) |
general worker |
i) |
dues |
10) |
go-slow strike |
j) |
craft |
11) |
legislation |
k) |
unskilled worker |
12) |
dispute |
l) |
trade union movement |
13) |
power |
m) |
clash |
3. Complete the sentences with a word or word combination from the text.
1)The authority of trade unions _______ recently.
2)The structure of industry is changing from manufacturing industry towards
_______.
3)Part-time workers and women are not willing to _______.
4)An employer has to _______ with a trade union to which more than a half of its workers belong.
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5)When bargaining for pay rises, trade unionists can _______.
6)Bargaining with one trade union representative is _______ for the employer.
7)One of the goals of TU’s cooperation with employers is to _______.
4. Answer the questions.
1)Are trade unions as powerful as they used to be two decades ago?
2)Is the number of union members growing?
3)What is theeffectof the laws passedbytheConservative government in80’sand90’s?
4)How has the philosophy of bargaining changed?
5)What does the new EU Employment Law state?
6)What are the benefits of dealing with trade unions for employers and employees?
7)What is a ‘no-strike deal’?
5. Retell the text using the questions above as the plan.
Unit 6
THE TRADES UNION CONGRESS
1. Read and translate the text.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is the voice of Britain at work. Formed in 1868, it represents the views and interests of 58 trade unions which are affiliated to it. TUC combined membership now stands at nearly 6.2 million people from all walks of life. The Trades Union Congress:
brings Britain’s unions together to draw up common policies,
lobbies the Government to implement policies that will benefit people at work,
campaigns on economic and social issues,
represents working people on public bodies,
represents British workers in international bodies, in the European Union and at the UN employment body – the International Labour Organization,
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carries out research on employment-related issues,
runs an extensive training and education programme for union representatives,
helps unions develop new services for their members,
helps unions avoid clashes with each other,
builds links with other trade union bodies worldwide.
The policy making body of the TUC is the annual Congress which meets for four
days each year during September. Each affiliated union can send delegates to Congress – the larger the union, the more it can send. At Congress ‘motions’ (resolutions for debate) which form the basis of the TUC’s work for the next year are proposed and discussed.
Between Congresses this responsibility lies with the General Council. Its 56 members meet every two months at Congress house to oversee the TUC’s work programme and sanction new policy initiatives. The larger unions are automatically represented on the General Council, with up to ten members depending on the size of the union. The smaller unions ballot for a number of reserved places.
The General Council appoints the Executive Committee for the year from amongst its own members. This meets monthly to implement and develop policy, manage the TUC financial affairs and deal with any urgent business. In the same session, the General Council also elects the TUC President for that Congress year. He or she is responsible for the effective operation of the TUC and for leading implementation of policies set by the annual Congress and the organisation’s General Council. The current General Secretary of TUC is Brendan Barber, who took up the post in 2003.
The TUC’s power is often exaggerated, and contrary to widespread belief it cannot call, nor can it halt any form of industrial action, including a strike. It can interfere in unofficial strikes by making recommendations to the union and employer concerned. In such cases affiliated trade unions are expected to comply with the TUC’s recommendations.
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2. Match the English and Russian equivalents. Then cover the left column and try to
remember the English equivalent. |
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1) |
to run an educational programme |
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a) |
осуществлять политику |
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2) |
Executive Committee |
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b) |
проводить научное исследование |
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3) |
to implement a policy |
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c) |
люди всех слоев общества |
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4) |
to avoid clashes |
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d) |
социально-экономические проблемы |
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5) |
to comply with recommendations |
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e) |
общее количество членов |
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6) |
to elect the President |
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f) |
избегать конфликтов |
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7) |
to take up the post |
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g) |
Генеральный совет |
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8) |
combined membership |
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h) |
занять пост |
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9) |
to deal with urgent business |
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i) |
вносить и обсуждать предложения |
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10) |
social economic issues |
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j) |
избирать Президента |
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11) |
to build links |
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k) |
профсоюз, входящий в Конгресс |
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12) |
people from all walks of life |
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l) |
выполнять рекомендации |
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13) |
to carry out research |
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m) |
устанавливать связи |
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14) |
to propose and discuss motions |
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n) |
организовать программу обучения |
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15) |
General Council |
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o) |
одобрить инициативу |
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16) |
to sanction an initiative |
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p) |
решать неотложные вопросы |
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17) |
affiliated union |
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q) |
Исполнительный комитет |
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3. What do these numbers refer to in the text? |
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10 |
1868 |
2 |
6.2m |
4 |
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2003 |
58 |
56 |
4. Here are the answers to some questions about the TUC. Write the questions.
1)In 1868.
2)That will benefit people at work.
3)The EU and the ILO.
4)For union representatives.
5)Worldwide.
6)Each year during September.
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