Chris Ball’s article appears on page 13 of the Unions21 Debate series report The generation game; does age matter? Unions21 exists to provide an ‘open space’ for discussion on the future of the trade union movment. 

In the UK and many other parts of the world, attitudes towards age and retirement are changing.  Longer life expectancy and lower birth rates make working longer a logical choice.  In general, unions and employers seem not to have caught up with the demographic facts nor with the more interesting responses to them which have evolved in several countries.  Chris believes there are fresh ideas that unions could draw from in shaping a new agenda around ageing and work.