United Kingdom: PAST AND PRESENT

Trade union density has fallen markedly in the UK since its peak at 56.3 per cent in 1980. Despite occasional small rises in membership since 1997, statistics over the past decade would suggest that union density has reached one of its lowest levels at just under 30 per cent. A large difference in trade union density rates is evident between the private and public sectors. As of 2008, trade union density in the private sector was 16.1 per cent, while it reached 59 per cent in the public sector.

Trade unions in Britain are organised both horizontally and vertically. The sole trade union confederation in the UK is the TUC. There are 6,471,030 members in TUC affiliated unions, down from 12,172,508 members in 1980. However, the TUC does not conclude or has the power to conclude collective agreements at any level. In response to declining membership figures, UK trade unions have engaged in many mergers in recent years. In 2008, there were 167 trade unions in the UK – down from 238 unions in 1998 and 326 in 1988. In 2007, the UK Trade Unions Amicus and the Transport and General Workers’ Union (TGWU) merged to form Unite the Union (Unite). This is the UK’s largest union, with a membership of about 1,900,000 workers. The largest public sector trade union is Unison, which has a membership of 1,344,000 persons and organises workers in all areas of the public sector. Click here to read more...

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The burning question

The problems with India’s higher education sector are well-known – poor leadership and management, inadequate investment and infrastructure, poor utilisation of resources, and inadequately trained and rewarded faculty. There are definitely some successes, most prominently the IIMs and a few other top institutions, which have deserved reputations for their high quality graduates. But this success reflects the shortage of options for students, which creates extreme competition for admission to top institutions. The high quality of the small cohort of graduates from these top institutions and the gap in quality of graduates from the mainstream of institutions reflects the broader failure of the educational system in India. The success of the few at the top and the failure of the system to provide for the rest is an indication of defeat and a cause for concern rather than celebration.

I believe that the responsibility for this poor state of affairs is also clear – the fault lies largely with the government, which includes federal state and state governments. Even allowing for resources limitations, the government’s mismanagement is the underlying reason for poor state of education in India.

The government’s poor record in education over the decades suggests that solutions should be sought elsewhere. Unfortunately, the nature of education is such that government involvement is essential. For India, the government has a critical role to play in correcting the current state and in creating conditions necessary for a truly effective education system to emerge. This does not require the government to directly provide higher education or to manage its institutions. Instead, it should create governance and physical infrastructure, and provide financial and HR support where most needed. Click here to read more...

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