Q. if every employee owns shares in a company, do they need to also be represented by a union?
Octopus energy thinks not & are resisting moves by the GMB towards a voluntary recognition agreement for those staff who think a union would help them represent their interests in the speedily growing energy firm.
Given Greg Jackson (Octopus' found/CEO) is a Labour supporter might this get a little awkward (not with Blue Labour but with Labour's likely new leader)?
Replying to @ChrisMayLA6@mastodon.me.uk
@ChrisMayLA6 Speaking from experience in a sample-size of 1:
Virtually everyone at my last place of work was a shareholder. That didn't stop the company demonstrating how badly we needed unions in all sites.
The only reason my exit was so gentle was that they'd already found out what happens when you disregard Dutch employment law. That was an expensive lesson for them. Also, Dutch employment law basically mandates the presence of unions.