4 ms·
> In 1997 when Labour came to power in the UK for the first time in nearly 20 years, they strengthened employment laws so well, the need for trade union was pe
by audunw 10y ago
> In 1997 when Labour came to power in the UK for the first time in nearly 20 years, they strengthened employment laws so well, the need for trade union was perceived as lesser by much of the membership.
It's very interesting you point this out. Does the UK have minimum wage now?
I've always pointed this out in discussion with americans about minimum wage. Here in Norway, we don't have it, yet income equality is still very good. Why? Because it is the unions jobs to set a minimum wage per industry. They know best which minimum wage can be sustained within a given business.
I think that's why the unions are still relatively strong here: they have a meaningful job to accomplish. And I get the sense that the unions are very productive in their salary negotiations. They know that they have to strike a balance between getting their members decent salaries, and having the business be sustainable so they keep their job.
- kwhitefoot 10y agoI think that there is an additional reason for the strength of unions here (although I am not a union member) and that is the general attitude that cooperation and negotiation are better than conflict and that solidarity matters. In Norway David Cameron's "we're all in this together" phrase makes sense in a way that it plainly doesn't in my 'home' country, the UK. Home in quotes because I have now been in Norway for 31 years, slightly more than half my life.
- PaulRobinson 10y agoYes, there is a minimum wage, however many complain it is too low and there is now much campaigning around a "living wage" which is higher, and even a "London living wage" which is higher still to reflect increased living costs in London - a city which needs a considerable army of cleaners, security guards and other traditionally-poorly-paid workers.