The sticking power of false narrative

Work is being revolutionised. The era of the career is over. Robots will increasingly render humans redundant — half of today’s jobs are likely to go over the next decade. The transformation of working lives means we’re all destined to become multiple-jobbers and…

Give me my reputation back

Portability, monopsony and the platform economy

‘What has capitalism done for you lately?’ was the question running through recent Labour and Conservative party political get-togethers. Conference halls reverberated to the…

Can flexibility be made to work for workers?

Insecurity over working hours and what to do about it.

As the nature of work evolves then, sooner or later, so do the constraints and expectations that society eventually places upon…

The self-employment paradox

Self-employed Britain is larger than ever and has never received more attention. It’s moved from the fringes to centre stage, is now making — and breaking — Budgets, commanding front pages and is the subject of Downing Street reviews. Yet our understanding of it is very patchy…

The great grammar school delusion and the reversal of social progress

Today’s unions must innovate today or shrink tomorrow

Union leaders could have been forgiven for hoping that the future looks ever so slightly brighter for their movement. Public concerns about low pay and insecurity have soared in post-crisis Britain, there is a resurgent debate about the…

Donald Trump has a choice to make on the unions

The future of the American labour movement is in the balance

“Eight-hour day and no cut in pay” was the chant that rang out at America’s first May Day protests in 1886…

Rebooting the rank and file: why there’s still hope for the unions