Workplace representation, its impact on trade union members and its capacity to compete with management in the European workplace

Drawing on questionnaire-based survey data comprising responses from the members of 14 trade union organisations based on 12 European countries, this article explores the impact of workplace representatives on perceptions of the performance of trade unions among members. The article shows that large numbers of members are dissatisfied with the quality of representation, even if a workplace representative is located at their place of work. When there is is a workplace representative present, it is apparent that members view the performance of the union to be superior to that of management on a wide range of workplace tasks. When there is no workplace representative present, the performance of management is generally superior.