How was your journey into work today? It may seem that TUs only exist to make our daily commutes a nightmare but in their new book Why Join a Trade Union?, journalists Jo Phillips and David Seymour discuss the merits and otherwise of being a member of a union.
Trade unions: the Labour Party was built on them; Margaret Thatcher set out to destroy them and they made us late for work today. So who really needs them?
The answer is quite simply, anyone who goes to work and who cares about pay and conditions, equal rights, safety and training (or so the trades unions themselves would tell you). Others may call them wreckers and bullies who just want a fight with the bosses, but in a world of portfolio jobs and economic austerity, will people need unions even more for protection or have they had their day along with sheepskin coats and picket lines?
“Why Join A Trade Union? is positive, light-hearted and comes just in time.”
Hugh Lanning, Deputy General Secretary PCS
“Bang on, and the jokes aren’t bad either.”
Charlie Whelan
Why Join a Trade Union? is available from the Biteback website, priced £6.99