Trade unions in the UK: trends and counter‐trends since 1979

Abstract

Analyses union membership trends in the UK since 1979. Confirms the conventional wisdom that overall there has been a substantial membership leakage from UK trade unions for almost a decade and a half. Summarizes and discusses reasons for this. Goes on to show, however, that this overall trend masks a surprisingly steady and sustained growth of employee membership of “non‐affiliated” unions of professional workers and of staff associations, during the 1980s and early 1990s. Examines this stark contrast between falling membership among highly unionate traditional unions and lowly unionate, “non‐political” employee organizations. Explores the characteristics of the “new moderate unionism” in terms of its membership, size, sectoral, gender and industrial distributions and discusses the future prospects of this remarkably resilient group of employee organizations. Classifies them as “publicsector professional associations” and “privatesector staff associations”. Finally, evaluates the nature and ideologies of the “new moderate unionism” in the context of recent managerial employment strategies.

Citation

Farnham, D. and Giles, L. (1995), "Trade unions in the UK: trends and counter‐trends since 1979", Employee Relations, Vol. 17 No. 2, pp. 5-22. https://doi.org/10.1108/01425459510085885