The TUC is set to work in partnership with the Government to help tackle the
long-hours and low skills culture present in the UK workforce.
Both sides have agreed that workplace learning and work-life balance
partnership projects can help identify training needs and help staff work more
effectively.
Speaking at the college of North East London, TUC general secretary John
Monks said partnerships between unions and management are fundamentally
changing the way people work.
"Unions working in partnership with management are changing the way
work is organised. Together they are coming up with innovative ways to respond
to staff demands for a better work-life balance while becoming more efficient.
The Government recognises our contribution to developing a workplace learning
culture and good constructive industrial relations," he said.
Alan Johnson, the minister for employment relations, said there are
synergies between the TUC’s work and that of the Government and said work-life
balance policies can improve productivity.
He praised the TUC’s Changing Times initiative, which seeks to combine
work-life balance policies and effective ways of working: "This goes a
long way to support the Government’s activity to promote a partnership approach
to work-life balance which helps customers get the service they need and expect
while improving productivity.
"Employers want flexibility in order to compete and provide better
services; employees want flexibility to balance their lives and do their jobs
well. Successful employers work with their employees to organise work in ways
that meet both business targets and staff needs," he said.
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