Trade Union Identities and the Role of Niche Unionism: Exploring Contemporary United Kingdom Trade Unions Robert George Smale The thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Portsmouth May 2017 Declaration Whilst registered as a candidate for the above degree, I have not been registered for any other research award. The results and conclusions embodied in this thesis are the work of the named candidate and have not been submitted for any other academic award. Word count: 78,618. 1 Abstract This thesis explores three closely related questions in order to further the understanding of contemporary United Kingdom trade unionism and make an original contribution to knowledge. The first relates to understanding the distinct identities which trade unions project in the public domain. The second relates to those trade unions that display what will be called a niche union identity in order to organise a sector of the labour market, and which are therefore axiomatically not general in character. The third relates to what will be called niche unionism, which is a broader concept incorporating those unions that seek to organise niches through sectionalised structures. The work both acknowledges extant literature and advances knowledge in the field of industrial relations, and draws upon contributions from other disciplines where these inform the intellectual discussion. It is argued that existing theoretical approaches are inadequate for understanding the identities projected by contemporary UK Certified trade unions, and that the concept of niche in relation to trade unions has received minimal consideration in industrial relations literature. Therefore it is argued that a new conceptual framework is required. The methodological approach adopted was empirical pragmatism, with data being collected using mixed methods. The work was limited to certified unions operating within the United Kingdom and to data collected between October 2008 and August 2015. The work makes an original contribution to knowledge by introducing a multidimensional framework for the analysis of trade union identities based upon a limited number of ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ sources that determine the territories within which unions organise, together with certain ‘additional’ sources. This framework then facilitates the recognition of both niche union identity and the practice of niche unionism. 2 Acknowledgements My thanks go to my Supervisors for their support, to other members of staff at the University of Portsmouth Business School, to colleagues at the University of Brighton Business School for their support and encouragement, together with those trade union officers who kindly participated in the research by completing questionnaires or by agreeing to be interviewed. I would also like to note my appreciation for the work of Jo Lucas who transcribed all the interviews and John Nutley proofread this thesis. 3 List of tables Chapter 4. Table 1. The main reasons for changing union name. Table 2. Main messages conveyed by union logo. Table 3. Importance of messages conveyed by union straplines. Table 4. Restrictions to union membership. Table 5. Importance and effectiveness of the benefits offered. Table 6. Examples of aims other than those related to industrial relations and professional issues. Table 7. Unions not having a website, identified by title only. Table 8. Purpose of union websites. Chapter 6. Table 9. The multidimensional framework. 4 List of figures Chapter 3. Figure 1. Phases of the research process. Figure 2. Development of coding of sources of union identity. Chapter 6. Figure 3. The sources of union identity. 5 Abbreviations AA Automobile Association. ACAS Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. ACB Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine. ACM Association of College Management. AEEU Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union. AEP Association of Educational Psychologists. AFA Association of Flight Attendants. AFPTU Association of Football Players' and Trainers' Union. AHDS Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland. AHM Association of Headmistresses. ALACE Association of Local Authority Chief Executives. ALAE Association of Licensed Aircraft Engineers (1981). AMiE Association of Managers in Education. ANGU Abbey National Group Union. ANSA Abbey National Staff Association. APAP Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel. APFO Association of Principal Fire Officers. APMT Association of Professional Music Therapists in Great Britain. ARC Association of Revenue and Customs. ASBSBSW Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers. ASCL Association of School and College Leaders. 6 ASLEF Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen. ATCU Associated Train Crew Union. ATL Association of Teachers and Lecturers. AUT Association of University Teachers. BACM – British Association of Colliery Management – Technical Energy and TEAM Administrative Management. BADN British Association of Dental Nurses. BAJ British Association of Journalists. BALPA British Air Line Pilots Association. BAOT British Association of Occupational Therapists Limited. BBC British Broadcasting Corporation. BDA* British Dental Association. BDA* British Dietetic Association. BECTU Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union. BFAWU Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union. BMA British Medical Association. BOS British Orthoptic Society. BSU Britannia Staff Union. BUIRA British Universities Industrial Relations Association. CDNA Community and District Nursing Association. COHSE Confederation of Health Service Employees. CPD Continuing Professional Development. CROME Centre for Research on Management and Employment. CSA Co-operative Secretaries Association. CSO Civil Society Organisation. 7 CSP Chartered Society of Physiotherapists. CSSF City Screen Staff Forum. CWU Communication Workers Union. DPA Dental Practitioners Association. EIS Educational Institute of Scotland. EMA Engineers and Managers Association. EU European Union. FBU Fire Brigades Union. FCS Federation of Clinical Scientists. FDA Association of First Division Civil Servants (FDA is now the certified name). FNV Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging. FOA Fire Officers Association. G4S JSSA G4S Justice Services Staff Association. GFTU General Federation of Trade Unions. GMB General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union (GMB is now the certified name). GMBATU General Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union. GMWU General and Municipal Workers Union. GPMU Graphical, Paper and Media Union. GPTD Guild of Professional Teachers of Dance Movement to Music and Dramatic Arts. GSA Girls’ Schools Association. HBOS Halifax Bank of Scotland Group. HCSA Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association. 8 HMA Headmasters’ Association. HMC Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. HMRC Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. HR Human Resource. IBOA Irish Bank Officials Association. ICT Information and communication technologies. IDU Independent Democratic Union. IFMA Institute of Football Management and Administration. ILO International Labour Office. IOJ Institute of Journalists. IPA Involvement and Participation Association. IPMS Institution of Professionals, Managers and Specialists. IWW Industrial Workers of the World. LDA Locum Doctors Association. LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. LODSA Leicestershire Overmen, Deputies and Shotfireres Association. LTU Lloyds Trade Union. LUSA Leek United Staff Association. MSF Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union. MU Musicians Union. NACO National Association of Co-operative Officials. NACODS National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers. NAFO National Association of Fire Officers. NAGS National Association of NFU Group Secretaries. NAHT National Association of Head Teachers. 9 NALGO National and Local Government Officers' Association. NAOSS National Association of Stable Staff (as used in web domain of NASS). NAPO National Association of Probation Officers - the Trade Union and Professional Association for Family Court and Probation Staff. NASS National Association of Stable Staff. NASUWT National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers. NCMA National Co-operative Managers' Association. NEZSA North of England Zoological Staff Association. NFSP National Federation of Sub Postmasters. NGSU Nationwide Group Staff Union. NHS National Health Service. NL (The) Netherlands. NSAE National Society for Art Education. NSEAD National Society for Education in Art and Design. NUCO National Union of Co-operative Officials. NUJ National Union of Journalists. NUM National Union of Mineworkers. NUMAST National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers. NUPE National Union of Public Employees. NUS National Union of Seamen. NUT National Union of Teachers. PANN Professional Association of Nursery Nurses. PAT Professional Association of Teachers. PAtT Professionals Allied to Teaching. PCA Professional Cricketers Association. 10 PCS Public and Commercial Services Union. PDA Pharmacists Defence Association. PFA Professional Footballers Association. PGCE Postgraduate Certificate in Education. POA Prison Officers Association (POA is now the certified name). PPC Principals Professional Council. PPSA Palm Paper Staff Association. PR Public Relations. PRPA Professional Rugby Players Association. PSU Prison Service Union. RCM Royal College of Midwives. RCN Royal