Why we need a collective agreement on terminology

I’ve noticed that the employment relations agenda is again becoming increasingly tense. There have been some telling comments emerging – for example, those on the PM letters page, which include views that unions have their place but don’t represent most workers (“Unions are a minority”, 2 October). Others have commented that non-unionised organisations were better at defusing workplace tensions only because they selected who would represent staff on consultative bodies.

A CIPD survey report, Employment Relations, published in September, provides further insight into trends in this arena. There was a widespread view that the UK was entering a more unstable period of employment relations. I agree.