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MICHAEL DEMPSEY - Cranfield University

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their managerial roles were in some way constrained. The situation can<br />

be summarised in Exhibit 9.6:-<br />

UNION<br />

What are the issues arising<br />

from individual or collective<br />

experiences vis-à-vis<br />

management of union<br />

members?<br />

CWU • Officials’ primary<br />

experience is conflictual<br />

negotiating<br />

• Officials maintain<br />

pugilistic attitudes when<br />

given managerial roles<br />

• Difficulty in admitting the<br />

need for training for role<br />

other people do<br />

• ‘Management is bollocks’<br />

• Language a problem<br />

PCS • Job of officials to biff<br />

management<br />

• Officials there to oppose<br />

management<br />

• Street cred from<br />

bargaining role, not<br />

management role<br />

• Management not seen as<br />

profitable time – therefore<br />

undervalued<br />

• Officials will stand up for<br />

themselves more<br />

UNiFI • We can’t be managers<br />

because those are the<br />

people we oppose<br />

• Trade unions<br />

embarrassed to manage<br />

• We can keep our trade<br />

union principles pure if we<br />

don’t manage<br />

• Management is a bit of a<br />

luxury – you must have<br />

time to spare<br />

UNISON • Management pejorative<br />

term – until a few years<br />

ago you would spit<br />

• Always dealt with<br />

managers adversarially<br />

• Not encouraged to think<br />

of ourselves as managers<br />

– dirty word<br />

• Residual view that we are<br />

defending workers and<br />

therefore awkward to be<br />

on the other side of the<br />

fence<br />

• Managerial concepts and<br />

language opposed by<br />

members<br />

EXHIBIT 9.6. Management as a problematic concept<br />

358<br />

What constraints do trade<br />

union managers perceive<br />

have arisen for them<br />

arising from such<br />

experiences?<br />

• Poor employees will take<br />

advantage<br />

• Can’t discipline people<br />

• No performance<br />

management<br />

• Inability to engage with<br />

emotional agenda<br />

• Discipline and inefficiency<br />

not dealt with<br />

• Staff perceive that<br />

managers will not confront<br />

them<br />

• Lack of empowerment<br />

• No culture in which people<br />

are disciplined – you have<br />

to punch the General<br />

Secretary<br />

• Grievance and disciplinary<br />

procedures not used<br />

• No culture of staff<br />

performance – appraisal<br />

blasphemous<br />

• Staff take advantage<br />

• Disciplinary sanctions<br />

nobody wants to get into<br />

• Lack of support from senior<br />

management<br />

• Lack of processes for<br />

performance management<br />

• Lack of effective<br />

management

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