Community (trade union)

Community (trade union)
Name	Community
Founded	2004
Headquarters	Rotherham
Location	United Kingdom
Members	40,000 (approx.)
Key people	Roy Rickhuss, Michael Whelan
Website	community-tu.org

Community (trade union) Community is a British trade union representing workers in manufacturing, steel, textiles, footwear, and public services across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It emerged from the merger of historical unions tied to industrial centres such as Sheffield, Rotherham, and the West Midlands and operates within the framework of British labour relations, engaging with employers, courts, and parliaments.

History

Community traces roots to trade unions active in the 19th and 20th centuries in industrial towns like Sheffield, Rotherham, and Walsall, with antecedents including the National Union of Mineworkers, Transport and General Workers' Union, and regional unions in the West Midlands. In 2004, amalgamation brought together unions with heritage in hosiery, knitwear, and footwear, reflecting shifts similar to those affecting the British Steel Corporation and the decline of manufacturing in areas linked to the Industrial Revolution and post-war restructuring under policies associated with the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. Community has since engaged in campaigns responding to closures at works owned by corporations such as British Leyland, privatizations paralleling events involving Coal Industry Act 1994-era disputes, and local government reorganizations like those in Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.

Organization and Structure

Community is led by an elected General Secretary and National Executive Council, structures comparable to governance arrangements in unions such as Unite the Union and the GMB (trade union). Branches operate across regions including the Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands (county), and Scotland, with workplace representatives and lay officials drawn from sectors such as steelworks formerly linked to Corus Group and textile plants around Nottinghamshire. The union conducts conferences mirroring procedures in the Trades Union Congress and engages auditors and legal advisers who interface with institutions like the Employment Tribunal and the High Court of Justice.

Membership and Representation

Members come from industries historically associated with unions such as hosiery and footwear in areas near Leicester, steelworkers with ties to Sheffield United Steel Companies, and public sector employees in local authorities including Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Community represents workers in collective bargaining with employers like multinational manufacturers, and it supports members in disputes invoking statutes such as the Employment Rights Act 1996 and proceedings before the Employment Appeal Tribunal. The union’s membership campaigns intersect with initiatives led by organisations like ACAS and collaborative efforts with unions such as Unison (trade union) and Prospect (trade union).

Industrial Actions and Campaigns

Community has organized or supported industrial actions responding to plant closures, redundancy programmes, and pension disputes at companies analogous to those involving British Steel, Tata Steel, and footwear manufacturers tied to supply chains reaching ports like Felixstowe. Campaigns have included strikes, ballot coordination with bodies such as the Electoral Commission when required, and public demonstrations in town centres near institutions like City Hall, Sheffield. The union has also run campaigns for workplace safety referencing incidents investigated by agencies such as the Health and Safety Executive and has joined coalitions with organisations like the STUC and community groups active during disputes similar to those around the Grunwick dispute.

Political Activities and Affiliations

Community maintains political engagement through affiliations with parties and MPs representing industrial constituencies, participating in policy consultations at the House of Commons and meetings with ministers from cabinets led by figures who sat in governments of the Labour Party and interactions with officials associated with the Department for Business and Trade. The union has endorsed candidates in parliamentary selections and collaborated with national bodies like the TUC on campaigns addressing employment law reform, industrial strategy, and regional investment initiatives tied to levelling-up debates involving places such as Doncaster and Barnsley.

Notable Events and Legal Issues

Notable events include legal challenges surrounding recognition and collective bargaining, disputes referred to the Central Arbitration Committee, and representation of members in high-profile insolvency cases linked to employers resembling legacy firms from the British Footwear Manufacturers Federation era. Community’s cases have invoked precedent from decisions in the Court of Appeal and interactions with regulatory frameworks established after legislation such as the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. The union has also been involved in local campaigns addressing governance failures at councils like Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and in solidarity actions related to closures at manufacturing sites comparable to those once owned by Redpath Dorman Long and other historic firms.

Category:Trade unions in the United Kingdom Category:Trade unions established in 2004