Bizarrely the Policy Exchange (PE) purports to be a non partisan educational charity with a particular interest in free market solutions. Any trade unionist who has read its latest offering ‘modernising industrial relations’ will regard the PE as nothing other than an authoritarian, anti union mouthpiece for exploitative employers and far right politicians.
http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/images/publications/pdfs/Modernising_industrial_relat.pdf
The TUC Touchstone blog provides an excellent rebuttal to the PE’s superficial right wing ramblings on strikes, ballot procedures, job substitution of strikers by agency workers etc.
http://www.touchstoneblog.org.uk/2010/09/policy-exchange-modernising-industrial-relations-or-a-crude-attack-on-basic-workplace-rights/
In addition to the TUC critique, the PE’s reference to very low opt out rates from the UNISON political fund show a total ignorance of the unique option available to our members of a general political fund as an alternative to the affiliated political fund.
Worryingly, several of the PE proposals chime with balloting and political fund reforms union reforms advocated by senior Tories such as Lord Young and Francis Maude MP respectively. An upsurge in industrial struggle against Con Dem cuts and related job losses will invariably lead to pressure for the introduction of such reactionary measures – as was the case with recent action at BA and London Underground.
Delegates and visitors at the TUC Congress can hear about the fight against the cuts and unjust employment laws tonight at 530PM in the Marquee, Manchester Central, speakers include Bob Crow, RMT, Professor Keith Ewing, IER and John Hendy QC.
http://www.ier.org.uk/node/506