Super-union should take heed of Churchill’s words of wisdom

What an interesting juxtaposition between your front-page lead story (‘2.6 million reasons to be afraid in 2007’) and the Top 10 leadership superheroes, with selected quotes (Personnel Today, 23 August).

My memory is a bit hazy, but I seem to recall a conflict a few years ago between members of the Transport & General Workers’ Union from different trades and industries (dock workers and lorry drivers come to mind).

Going further back into history, at school I learned that at the beginning of the trade union movement, large unions catering for all kinds of trades and industries had no end of problems in establishing themselves simply because an action by one trade would have an adverse effect on and be opposed by another.

The quote you chose to represent Sir Winston Churchill was: “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

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Creating a union of 2.6 million members may be in the best interests of the hierarchy, but is it in its members’ best interests?

Reg Barlow
Training and development manager
Home Office