TUC launches innovative ideas network

The TUC is appealing to academics from the UK and across the world to sign up to a new, free information sharing network launched today that plans to bring together researchers, policy makers and trade unions with the aim of breathing fresh ideas into the union movement.

The Union Ideas Network (UIN) - to be unveiled later today at the TUC’s London HQ - is to be hosted by the Centre for Industrial Relations at Keele University and the Work and Employment Research Centre at the University of Northumbria.

Based on previous, successful union/academic collaborations such as the Scottish Trade Union Research Network and the London Unions Research Network, the TUC’s brainchild is keen to recruit both industrial relations and employment specialists, but also academics with expertise in other fields such as equalities, economic regeneration and pensions.

As a result of the UIN, union officers and researchers will have easy access to a wealth of published academic articles and information, and the network will also allow unions to quickly identify think tanks and research institutes that have expertise in areas that they are working on.

The new initiative should also make it easier for unions to commission new research from academics as well as develop joint bids for external funding.

Academics, researchers, students, and union officers can sign up by simply registering online at www.uin.org.uk Once registered, individuals get the chance to create their own personalised home page listing their areas of interest and previous work published.

Organisations are also being encouraged to sign up to the UIN. The joining fee for universities, colleges and research organisations is 75 per year.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: If unions are to grow and continue to be relevant to workers everywhere, they need to be able to adapt to the changing needs of the modern workplace. Unions are developing new strategies to reach out to young employees, migrant workers and agency workers, but fresh ideas supplied by the Union Ideas Network will help them continue to keep ahead of trends in the world of work.