Who represents whom?: The consequences of the exclusion of unions from the safety representation system in the UK offshore oil and gas industry

Notes the debate concerning the maintenance of trade union influence in employee participation schemes. Explains why unions have been prevented from significantly affecting the safety representative system in the UK offshore oil and gas industry. It is shown how representative training in particular prevents unions influencing the definition of the representative role. Categorises representatives by their motivation and the source of their role definition noting also the unintended consequences of their role performance. Concludes that structural conditions favour that representative role performance which is oriented to the goals of safety management.