The functions of British trade unions to Filipino migrant healthcare workers in Denbighshire, Royston and Preston, United Kongdom

• Main Author: Arcangeles, Melanie Heidi D.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2008
• Subjects: Emigration and immigration; Migrant labor; Migrant workers; Medical personnel; Health care personnel; Health personnel; Health care professionals; Business Administration, Management, and Operations
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/3707; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_masteral/article/10545/viewcontent/CDTG004426_P.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study aimed to determine the functions of British trade unions as perceived by Filipino migrant healthcare workers; in terms of power, economic regulation, job regulation, social change, member services, and self-fulfillment. It further aimed to determine the level of satisfaction of the Filipino migrant healthcare workers in terms of the functions mentioned. Trade unions studied included UNISON Britain's largest public sector union, which organizes people working in the public services sector and for private contractors providing public services and GMBone of Britain's largest general union, which represents members from the food and agriculture, manufacturing, services, and transport sectors. There were thirty-six (36) Filipino migrant healthcare workers surveyed (31 from UNISON and 5 from GMB). To complement the survey, 3 trade union officers were interviewed (2 from UNISON and 1 from GMB); as well as 1 officer from the TUC. In conjunction with the interview data, documentary evidence such as union magazines, newsletters, pamphlets and media statements were utilized for verification and cross-validation purposes. For the data analysis, content analysis, comparative frequency tabulation, arithmetic mean, t-Test, and qualitative data analysis were utilized. Results revealed that union function Power (F=31.00 at 86%) gained the highest overall frequency among the six functions. Under the said function, the sub-function empower members to air grievances (F=32 at 89%) ranked highest in terms of overall frequency. Hence, the union function Power is the most commonly used function as perceived by Filipino migrant healthcare workers in Denbighshire, Royston, and Preston. With this finding, the hypothesis50% of the Filipino migrant healthcare workers perceive economic regulation as the commonly used function of British trade unions, was rejected. Meanwhile, the union function Self-fulfillment (F=13.00 at 36%) had the lowest overall frequency among the six functions. 9 On the other hand, in terms of the Filipino migrant healthcare workers level of satisfaction on the functions of British trade unions, the union function Social Change (Overall Mean=2.03, Satisfied) reaped the highest ranking among the six (6) major functions; while Self-fulfillment (Overall Mean=2.43, Satisfied) gained the lowest ranking. On the average, all the other four (4) functions garnered a satisfaction level of Satisfied; as follows: Power with an overall mean of 2.27, Job Regulation with an overall mean of 2.28, Economic Regulation with an overall mean of 2.32, and Member Services with an overall mean of 2.33. Consequently, the total overall mean response for the six (6) trade union functions is 2.28 (Satisfied); which called for the rejection of the hypothesis: the Filipino migrant healthcare workers level of satisfaction with their present union is Very Satisfied. Findings also revealed that in terms of level of satisfaction, there is a significant difference between the mean responses of the Filipino migrant healthcare workers from UNISON and GMB; thereby also rejecting the hypothesis: there is no significant difference between the mean responses of the Filipino migrant healthcare workers from the two trade unions in terms of level of satisfaction. Based on the analyses and conclusions made, several recommendations were posed including the appointment of officers whose main focus would be the recruitment of migrant workers, formation of partnerships with other organizations dealing with migrants, creation of awareness programs on migrant workers within the trade unions, further involvement of migrant workers in union activities, and strengthening of international solidarity with trade unions overseas.