Trade unions in Ireland and Britain

Future Resolutions… Unit 3, 14 Market Street, Monaghan … 047 72182… www.expac.ie

Tommy McKearney

A project supported by the European Union’s PEACE III Programme managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the Pobal / Community Relations Council consortium

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http://www.expac.ie/


Definition of a trade union

A trade union is an organisation made up of members

(a membeship based organisation) and its membership must be made up mainly of workers.

One of a trade union's main aims is to protect and advance the interests of its members in the workplace

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/introduction-to-trade-unions


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Why explore trade unionism?

• Cross border and cross community

• Have tradition of representing members

• Ethos of mediation and finding negotiated solutions


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Trade Unions, their ethos and practice

Key points

• Origins of trade unions

• Role locally

• Ethos and practices

• Advantages and disadvantages


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History of trade unionism in Britain• 1799 Combination Act • 1834Tolpuddle Martyrs• 1867Trade Union Congress•1871 Trade Union Act•1906 Trades Disputes Act1.define trade unions and state they are the subjects of legal rights and duties2.protect the right of workers to organise into, or leave, a union without suffering discrimination or detriment3.provide a framework for a union to engage in collective bargaining for better workplace or business standards with employers4.protect the right of workers in a union to take action, if necessary by strike, to support and defend their interests, when reasonable notice is given, and action is "in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute

• 1980 Thatcherism

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History of trade unionism in • 1894 … Irish Trade Union Congress (ITUC) was founded• 1907 … Belfast strike led by James Larkin • 1909 …IG&GWU• 1913 … Dublin Lock Out • 1912 ITUC established a political arm and became known as the Irish Labour Party• 1945 formation of the Northern Ireland Committee (NIC) of the ITUC• 1959 Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). • 1964 Northern Ireland Committee was formally recognised by the Northern Ireland

government• 1987, an initiative from the ICTU led to the negotiation of the first of the current social

partnership agreements, the Programme for National Recovery


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Trade union impact in Ireland North & south

• ICTU is the largest civil society organisation on the island of Ireland, representing some 832,000 working people with 55 unions affiliated to north and south of the border

• Northern Ireland Committee … 250,000 members in 36 unions

• NIC-ICTU austerity isn't working


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Trade union seek negotiated solutions

• Northern Ireland …Labour Relations Agency

• Republic … Labour Relations Commission

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Benefits and advantages of trade union ethos

• A culture of seeking compromise and mediation before conflict

• A tradition and expertise of negotiating and mediation

• Willingness to look to the long-term


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Difficulties with trade union ethos

• Negotiating and mediation doesn’t work in all situations

• Can lose people through always searching the middle ground

• Tendency towards beauracracy

• Inability to change in light of events


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Thank You


Education

Trade unions in Ireland and Britain