query Latest on UK union membership - with no comment

[bruce.rob at mail.btinternet.com]

Communication Workers Union (UK)
Union membership climbs to eight million
Union membership is on the rise for the first time in 20 years, indicating an early response to
union recognition legislation set to come into effect next month.
A government unions watchdog report has revealed the figures for TUC affiliated and non-affiliated
unions.
The Certification Officer's statistics show there was a 50,581 increase in union membership last
year, bringing the overall figure to just under 8m.
Although this rise represents a 0.6 per cent increase, the trend is expected to continue with the
recognition aspects of the Employment Relations Act.
TUC General Secretary John Monks said: "This is good news. While it is only a modest increase it
shows that the decline in union membership has stopped.
"Unions are recruiting from outside their traditional areas, and our strong campaigns on behalf of
all employees - such as our efforts to get the government to extend parental leave - show that we
have as much to offer to employees in new industries as well as in areas where we have
traditionally been strong."
He added: "Only a minority of employers are now hostile to unions. Most can see that modern
trade unionists want partnership, rather than needless conflict."

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