Title: Reflections on some experiences as a trade union official in Britain

Authors: Dave Renton

Addresses: University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts., AL10 9AB, UK

Abstract: This article offers some reflections of a former full time trade union official of the largest Further and Higher Education trade union in the UK. It tries to break away from an exclusively managerialist focus and sees the work relationship from the point of view of the employee and not least those in education who teach, research and write about the nature of work. It situates the job of the union official in the context of the classic debate established by writers like Webbs and Michels on the nature of labour movement bureaucracy and trade union officialdom. The author uses his personal experience to explore some of the tensions which continue to be endemic in the work of modern trade union officials.

Keywords: professional trade unions; trade union officials; trade unionism; UK; United Kingdom; further education; higher education; labour movement bureaucracy; trade union officialdom.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMCP.2008.018527

International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, 2008 Vol.3 No.1, pp.30 - 47

Published online: 26 May 2008 *

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