Do Unions Have a Future?

By Max Ogden

The ACTU has led a very fine campaign against WorkChoices and is winning the public debate.

However in the long term if the union movement is to regain and increase membership and play a critical role in Australian workplaces and society, it needs to add another important dimension to its strategy: unions need to become an important and publicly recognised force for improved productivity, sustainability, skills and jobs.

Union membership is down to 24% density overall and only 17% in the private sector, (some suggest it is lower), although there has been a small upturn during the last couple of years. This is one of the most dramatic falls of any country in the OECD, as it has come off a comparatively high base of over 60% in about thirty years. A significant proportion of this loss happened before the Howard government came to power. Polling and research suggests that 40% of unionists voted for Howard at the last election. This is not a good record.

Following a strategy of transforming unions into a force for improved productivity will be very difficult, and the problems should not be underestimated in the current political and cultural climate. In the long run, only the union movement is responsible for its own success or failure, as no one else will do the job for it, although an ALP government would be of great assistance. Electing an ALP government must be the highest priority in '07, because it is committed to far better industrial relations legislation. However the union movement must always implement its own independent strategy, and not simply rely on the election of the ALP.

This strategy suggests that the important and growing alliance of progressive forces who see the union movement as critical to their own democratic rights actively seek out and engage those employers who have an interest in maintaining a constructive relationship with their unions.