Trade Union Policies towards the Youth Training Scheme: Patterns and Causes

Abstract

The Youth Training Scheme presented British unions with a mix of opportunities and threats. Patterns of interest in and policy towards YTS among the 42 largest unions are studied for 1983–8. Most unions showed interest in YTS but they divided sharply on whether or not to oppose it. Statistical analysis indicates a role for both economic and political factors in determining differences between unions in interest and policy. Opposition proved most intense and widespread among unions that represented the lower‐grade occupations in the public sector. Such unions were heavily affected by trainee‐employee substitution and in addition were relatively well placed to enforce its exclusion. Left‐wing political orientation was also associated with opposition to YTS, but at the level of principle rather than action.

Does Training Matter? Employee Experiences and Attitudes

“…Labour, and institutions of labour representation, have been left marginal to the analysis (Heyes and Stuart, 1994). Where trade unions are considered, attention tends to be directed towards national policies with respect to training (Rainbird, 1990;Ryan, 1995) rather than the impact unions might have on training provision or performance outcomes.Nevertheless, a number of recent studies have sought to integrate trade union strategy and workplace industrial relations into the analysis of skill formation. Training has come to represent an increasingly salient feature of union bargaining agendas (TUC, 1994) although the evidence for a positive union impact on training provision has thus far been mixed.…”

“…Labour, and institutions of labour representation, have been left marginal to the analysis (Heyes and Stuart, 1994). Where trade unions are considered, attention tends to be directed towards national policies with respect to training (Rainbird, 1990; Ryan, 1995) rather than the impact unions might have on training provision or performance outcomes.…”