M0nica Quote[ The place for the unions is in the workplace, especially in the current situation, where so many people have zero hours contracts and more work in the gig economy. ]End Quote
M0nica, I would agree that the first priority for any trade union is for the protection of workers and to seek for better terms and conditions when possible for those workers.
In the above, of recent times the leading unions have changed their strategy from being relying on workplace organisation for their influence to using the courts to promote the interests of working people.
What has been witnessed would be that there have been several major achievements brought about as the Unite and GMB unions secured three major court victories over companies who use the Gig Economy in the employment of people. Although that legal process is not entirely at an end at this point in time, should the GMB win the final stage at the Supreme Court, then much will change for the one in five workers that have to try to earn a living through the Gig Economy.
In the above, one organisation this week has started to offer workers it had always employed on Gig Economy terms, holiday pay, some sick pay and for the first time limited guaranteed hours. All the foregoing has come about in front of the Supreme Court making a final ruling on Gig Economy employment terms.
As I have stated in a separate thread, the above I believe is bringing into question the trade unions commitment to financially support this "squabbling parliamentary Labour Party" into the future in the way that they have for over one hundred years. There are other factors at play in that situation, but new thinking and strategy is now very much forward in the trade unions agenda.
However, let us not forget that Britains trade union structure has survived numerous anti-trade union parliamentary bills brought in by the Thatcher and Major governments designed to destroy the unions and in that the entire labour movement in the country including the Labour Party.
However, the commitment of rank and file activist in their workplaces both past and present have prevented that destruction. That stated, for the first time in many years something very very beneficial is now in front of those activists and with that a large section of the British economy.