TRADE UNION AMALGAMATIONS THE LOCAL CONTEXT MICHAEL JOHN PAYNE A thesis submitted to The University of Cardiff for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Social Sciences University of'Oftrdiff February 2010 UMI Number: U585BB8 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U585338 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Form: PGR_Submission_200701 NOTICE OF SUBMISSION OF THESIS FORM: Ca r d if f POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY PRIFYSGOL CAERDYg> DECLARATION This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not concurrently submitted in candfoatpre for any degree. 'L " 7 a (O Signed............\J.. (candidate) Date .......>.:......... .r c r .. \ .. STATEMENT 1 This thesis is being admitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of /l r sr rt ^ h , MPhil, etc> as appropriate) Signed................... iA f V Lo* (candidate) D ate ........ r.. .rrT:...'L .V^r..Zch ( o STATEMENT 2 This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references. Signed................................. (candidate) Date .................... f ...........VV' STATEMENT 3 I hereby give consent j my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter- library loan, and for trie fle and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed (candidate) D ate...... ^ . .'.. JrT?.. ^ ^ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Completing this research has been a long road but also the fulfilment of a personal ambition. I have been a trade unionist all my working life and the opportunity to reflect on that experience and engage with a particular facet of union activity through academic research has been a great privilege. However, this thesis would not have been started, let alone finished, without the help and support of many friends, colleagues and my family. I would particularly like to thank two people who were instrumental in either setting me on the path or enabling me to reach the ‘pot of gold’ at its end. First Joyce, who provided the opportunity for me to begin academic research and ever since has supported and cajoled me in my studies. Second, Jill who met me at the start of the final stage of the research and has had to endure all my frustrations and attachment to a keyboard through this last intensive period. This she has done with forbearance and patience way beyond anything that I could reasonably have asked of her. My love and gratitude go to both of them. Then, I need to acknowledge the contribution of my supervisor, Peter Fairbrother and latterly Huw Beynon. Peter and I first met many years ago at a trade union training weekend and seem to have matured gracefully (but mostly irreverently) together. It was from our discussions on my previous research that I formed the ambition to embark on this thesis. My subsequent discussions with Peter and Huw and their unfailing encouragement have made a great contribution to the finished product. Finally, I want to pay tribute to all my many friends and colleagues in the trade union movement. Over the forty years of my active involvement in unions, we have experienced many difficult times alongside the euphoria that accompanied the successes. Throughout those years, their unflinching commitment to the principles of trade unionism and their comradeship has been a constant support to me. Their contribution to this research is inestimable. ABSTRACT Throughout their history individual trade unions have amalgamated together to form new unions. The catalyst for amalgamation has come from a combination of sources; industrial change, government policy and legislation and internal motivations related to membership size and resources. At the same time local union organisation has remained integral to the structure of unions including their internal government, bargaining ability and engagement with members. This thesis relates these two features of trade union practice to each other by considering the effects of amalgamation on local union organisation, both in terms of the local level itself and the local level as part of the whole organisation of the union. The thesis does this through a case study approach to the research. The case studies are of three major UK trade unions which have experienced amalgamation over a ten year timeframe and a local union organisation within each of these. The unions reflect a spread of industry, different forms of organisation and types of membership. The research examines the tensions and synergies between the different levels of organisation in a union and their leaders; in themselves and as they influence a process and outcome of amalgamation. As a study of trade union organisation and behaviour the thesis engages with and complements the wider body of research into union mergers and that on local union organisation in unions. Its individual contribution is to the research on trade union mergers where the position of the local level of union organisation has been a neglected area of investigation. Beyond that it also provides further insights into the role and activity of paid officials and lay representatives as union leaders, the role and activity of organised factions within unions, the influence of unions’ industrial and ideological orientation on forms of local union organisation and the tension between different concepts of trade union structure and behaviour. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ACTU Australian Congress of Trade Unions APEX Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff ASSET Association of Supervisory Staff, Executives and Technicians ASTMS Association of Scientific Technical and Managerial Staffs AScW Association of Scientific Workers AEEU Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union AEU Amalgamated Engineering Union AUEW Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers BIFU Banking Insurance and Finance Union CFDU Campaign for a Fighting and Democratic Union COHSE Confederation of Health Service Employees CP Communist Party CWU Communication Workers Union DATA Draughtsmen and Allied Technicians Association GMB General Municipal and Boilermakers Union GMBATU General Municipal Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union GPMU Graphical Paper and Media Union MSF Manufacturing Science and Finance NAG NALGO Action Group NALGO National and Local Government Officers Association NEC National Executive Committee or Council NHS National Health Service NUBE National Union of Bank Employees NUPE National Union of Public Employees NWSA NatWest Staff Association PCS Public and Commercial Services Union PTC Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union RCN Royal College of Nursing SWP Socialist Workers Party TASS Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Staffs TGWU Transport and General Workers Union TUC Trades Union Congress iii UK United Kingdom UNiFI Union for the Finance Industry UNIFI Union for the Finance Industry WEA Workers’ Educational Association iv TABLES 1 Personal experience 1966 to present 57 2 Summary of the amalgamations 67 3 History of MSF 101 4History of UNISON 107 5History of UNIFI 118 6 UNISON branches. 158 CONTENTS Acknowledgements i Abstract ii Abbreviations iii Tables v 1 Introduction 1 Personal experience 3 Debates 4 Research question 7 Plan of thesis 9 2 Trade Union Amalgamations 12 Forms of trade union merger Amalgamations and Transfers of 15 Engagement Debates on merger 18 Motives for and barriers to merger 20 The local context of trade union amalgamation 25 Outcome of amalgamation 30 Conclusion 32 3 Trade Union Amalgamations: The Workplace and the Local 34 Context Debates on the workplace 35 The union and the workplace 37 Leaders and members 42 Democracy and bureaucracy 47 Form and character 50 v i Conclusion 51 4 Methods 54 Going outside 55 UNISON experience 57 Academic research 62 Research design 65 The amalgamations 65 Case studies 68 The workplaces 70 Key informants 73 Selecting the informants 74 The informants 78 UNISON 79 MSF 81 UNIFI 82 In the field 85 Documents 87 Data analysis 90 Conclusion 95 5 The Unions in Context 98 Manufacturing Science and Finance 101 UNISON 106 The Union for the Finance Industry 117 Conclusion 122 6 MSF: A Battle for Control 127 Pre-amalgamation 128 ASTMS 128 TASS 130 Member-led or Leader-led 132 Merger 133 Objectives 134 Procedure for amalgamation 135 v ii The local context 136 Leaders 137 Factions 141 Agreement and the local context 142 Post-amalgamation 143 Battle for control 143 Post-amalgamation local union organisation 146 The MSF workplace 148 The wider union 151 Conclusion 153 7 UNISON: One Union for the Public Sector 156 Pre-amalgamation 156 NALGO 157 COHSEandNUPE 158 Member-led or Leader-led 159 Amalgamation 160 Objectives 160 Procedure for amalgamation 164 The local context 164 Leaders 166 Factions 168 Agreement and the local context 170 Post-amalgamation policies 172 UNISON branches 175 Post-amalgamation 177 Post-amalgamation branches 177 Branch mergers 179 The UNISON branch 183 The wider union 188