MICHAEL DEMPSEY - Cranfield University

Trade union managers
I do see myself as a manager. What's my role? Well, first of all
I decide the structure of the section, processes, procedures,
standards and I also allocate duties and responsibilities and I
keep a fairly loose level but I do monitor what the senior officials
are doing, the national officers. I also see it as part of my job
making sure we have got the resources to achieve our
objectives and targets. (Interviewee F)
However, as in some other unions, confidence in one’s own role did not
necessarily mean confidence that others necessarily shared the view
that they were managers, though there could be contradictions:-
I would say that the only people who regard themselves as
managers are me and S and T (Interviewee A)
(Regional Secretaries) regard themselves as managers because
they are given a specific job. (Interviewee A)
Heads of Department (see themselves as managers). That's
about it. (Interviewee D)
The General Secretary, however, was more confident:-
Myself, R and S and A. Every National Secretary, in my view,
has a managerial role. Every regional organiser who has staff
underneath him or her has a managerial role and then I would
go so far as to say that even head office functions such as
education and learning all have managerial roles. We have said
that the management of people, the management of resources
and the management of issues are things that we have to do
The extent to which managers have actually accepted their roles on the
ground is, of course, most capable of being understood by asking the
staff. In the case of UNiFI it is fortunate that the Investors in People
assessment of July 2000 contains quotations from staff which are of
some interest. Some relevant ones in this context are set out below:-
“My manager is very supportive. She lets you work things out for
yourself, but is there to take responsibility if things go wrong”
"Senior managers are approachable and have created a no
blame culture which allows us to learn from our mistakes.”
The Assessor found that most managers were seen as accessible and
supportive. All this tends to support the view that management roles
are not only accepted in the union but that managers are taking them
seriously. Investors in People status was awarded as a result of this
assessment.
205