There are more senior managers in the UK than people with skilled trades, a new analysis of the Labour Force Survey to February 2005 has revealed.
According to the research, by general workers’ union GMB, there are 4,085,000 managers and senior officials employed in Britain’s economy – 14.9% of all employees in Britain. This means that almost one in seven workers is now a senior manager or a senior official.
They outnumber skilled trades occupations, which now comprise 3,113,000 or 11.3% of the workforce, the research shows.
By comparison, in 1981 there were 2,700,000 senior managers, 11.9% of the workforce at the time. By contrast skilled manual workers numbered 3,998,800 or 17.5% of the workforce.
In the City of London, almost one in three male workers is a senior manager or a senior official. For the overall workforce in the City 26.5% are senior managers or senior officials.
Paul Kenny, GMB acting general secretary, said, “There has been a perception on the shop floor that the number of ‘generals’ has increased as the number of shop floor workers has been cut.
“This analysis bears out this perception. Boards of directors who, in the coming months, will be looking to cut back on costs need to address themselves to this inflation in the number of senior managers and in the rising cost of meeting their salaries and perks.
“It cannot be right that one in seven workers is now a senior manager. There is plenty of scope for cutting out several tiers of top-heavy management,” Kenny added.
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