To days news is the truth unions lost 5% of membership last year the question is why?
Workchoices saw many in jobs the union could no longer represent them in but the decline is world wide and long term.
Is it the start of the end of unions?
It in my view is the beginning of a new unionism stronger smaller but just maybe more Representative.
It is my view yes I am a union official, service not recruitment comes first for unions.
Some will tell me I am lost in a world of my own but the once twice yearly visit to each work place is no longer the way.
Unions are challenged and the battle is not won or lost but it is yet to be fought the results will not be known for a generation.
Smaller cheaper but better unions are going to be the outcome.
You can recruit shoppers to a shop but if it has nothing to sell they will not stay.
Unions need to drop the idea that without issues they have nothing to offer workplace insurance is our best tool not needless war.
Unions use brand just like any item for sale and some brands are not selling .
I hope new directions are on the agenda not looking for the lights on the hill past ones.
A $2 a week levee for one single purpose members welfare could put millions in the bank and officials could put the raffle tickets away as that single purpose fund put cash in the hands of people in trouble.
Yes Unions are in decline yes efforts must be made to bring them into modern times but with youthful leadership and directions they will be around for a very long time.

Who would support unions today but a few. Labor seems to have moved away from any great desire to get too close to them. Us older folk remember a time when unions had too much power. Strikes were everywhere in the 70's. They have mostly already gone underground, havent they? Their time has passed. It went with the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Unions and communism to me seemed little different, one merging with the other for ages. Both were and are ungodly and dont want much to do with God. Thats a sign that they will decline. What isnt of God... wont remain. The Bible makes that clear; as does the testimony of the eye witness to a declining civilisation. The eye witness sees it all, if he looks closely at change.

Belly
If the trade unions are really in decline I hope they are replaced by another type of independent employee representative body - it is important that employees have an advocate in the workforce.

In my experience, some trade unions tend to become too focussed on politics and winning elections rather than their grass roots membership. I don't think unions will disappear but for unions to grow they have to get their priorities right and work to protect the interests of their members, preferably in partnership with employers (although recognising that this is not always possible).

Union membership is probably declining because the working class has declined and some skilled workers are now earning reasonable money - we have as a whole become more middle class. WorkChoices also reduced the power of unions which I am sure affected membership.

Perhaps unions need to re-invent themselves to face some of the challenges of our modern world and realise that once you lose the faith of the membership it is hard to win back.

Dear Belly,

I'm sure Workchoices had an effect on union membership.

However, I agree with you - unions will be around for a very long time - for as long as employees need representation in the workforce.

And unions will adapt and change - they've always done so in the past and they will continue to do so in the future.

pelican, "In my experience, some trade unions tend to become too focussed on politics and winning elections rather than their grass roots membership" - spot on.

The needs of the ALP all to often triumph over the needs of the members.

Also I think to much of the public face of the union movement is grounded in the conflicts of england rather than in australian workplaces. Still plenty of union types talking about Torries which is a bit of a give away.

R0bert

Belly, 5% down. Why?

The old class war is dead.
Workcover and OH&S have made it a little harder for unions to muscle their way on site. Unions are now a post incident, opportunistic visitor.
Unionism invalidates a young mans sense of indestructibility.
Current law restricts right of entry for union officials on site to spread their influence.
It's a (labour) sellers market.
Realisation that not even the ALP can tolerate pattern bargaining in small business.
People come to work to work now Bell, the old adversarial days are gone. As I said, 'if you don't want to work with the bludger, you get rid of him, why wait for me to sack him.'

The future?
In small business? Zero.
Still purchase in larger businesses where it suits to deal with representatives of a larger group and not the many.

The old days gone forever Belly.