Levelling out the difference between male and female pay (57%), defending the standard of living of those families with children and defending social services (57%), narrowing the income gap between the rich and the poor (55%), and fighting the increasing use of part-time or short-term contract work (53%), were given by more than half of the respondents as being important tasks for the trade union movement. Slightly less than half of those members who replied, emphasised the importance of improving the working environment, working conditions and safety at work (42%).

Fighting unemployment was the most frequent answer, in this survey on the question of the most important task for the trade union movement. All in all, 44 per cent of the members of the SAK affiliated unions regard this as being the most important task for their unions and for the trade union movement as a whole. Defending the system of unemployment benefits came up again as the second most important task for the trade union movement. This answer was given by 11 per cent of respondents to the questionnaire.

Membership survey carried out every five years

The above information and figures have been extracted from the preliminary results of the survey, which was conducted during last winter. Replies to the related questionnaire were received from a total of 9948 members of the SAK affiliated unions. This membership survey is conducted by SAK at five-year intervals. A full report is drawn up on the survey results, which are used, in addition, for the compilation of several special subject reports, such as the respective opinions of the female members, shop stewards and the younger members, and their position on the labour market. These special subject reports will be compiled during 2001.

The main tasks of the trade union movement are considered by the members to be the same as those which were given priority five years ago, although defending the unemployment benefit system now ranks higher than the fight for employment — in the previous survey each of these tasks were regarded as 'very important' by 78 per cent of the membership. The percentage of members who regard retaining taxation at a reasonable level and safeguarding the position of families with children as 'very important', is slightly down from that of the previous survey. A markedly greater number of members than five years ago regard the levelling out of the difference in the respective pay of men and women, fighting the increased use of part-time or short-term contract work, improving working conditions and increasing opportunities for training, as 'very important' tasks for the trade union movement. The best possible wage (32%) and shorter working hours (16%) were also emphasised by a slightly larger group of members than was the case five years previously.

Opinions differ between men and women

Men and women seem to have a slightly different outlook. Even greater emphasis is placed on the importance of fighting unemployment (76%), and defending the unemployment benefit system (78%), by women than it is by men. As on average women are paid less than men, women are more keen than men to level out the difference in the respective pay of men and women (71%), and also to decrease the income gap between the rich and the poor (61%) — although one half of all men regard the levelling out of the wage difference between men and women as being 'very important'.