Responding to the debate about the future of Trade Unions representing private sector workers in today's Herald, STUC Deputy General Secretary, Dave Moxham highlights the challenges Unions face from the most restrictive labour laws in Europe and their commitment to overcome under-representation amongst vulnerable employees with every resource.

Challenge for unions in the private sector

• The Herald Letters, 11 September 2008

It is almost a pleasure to receive criticism in an article as balanced and generally well-disposed to trade unionism as that written by Ian Bell (The Herald; "Trade unions must look to their past for a future", September 10).

The central charge levelled is that the TUC (and by extension the STUC) "now exists mainly for the public sector" and that there has been a failure to organise in the private sector.

The charge requires some context. The STUC has as many private sector members as public sector members. While these figures do reflect significantly higher trade union density in the public sector, it is hardly accurate to imply that we no longer represent private sector workers. Indeed, more than half of Scotland's 20 biggest and most successful companies have trade union recognition agreements.

There is no doubt that it has become highly challenging for unions to organise in some of the new private industries, many of which are characterised by small workplaces, low pay, short-term contracts, part-time and agency working. Trade unions are forced to address these challenges in the context of the most restrictive labour laws in Europe.

All of this notwithstanding, we recognise that it is often those who are hardest to organise who most need unions - migrant workers, agency workers and young workers to name a few.

Unions are responding by committing additional resources year on year to the kind of organising Ian Bell advocates. Given the constraints outlined above, progress is unlikely to be rapid. But, if the quality of working life is to improve and economic inequality is to be reduced, it is essential.

Dave Moxham, Deputy General Secretary, Scottish Trades Union Congress, Glasgow.