Running the Gauntlet: British Trade Unions under Thatcher, 1979–1988

Abstract

This article describes and appraises the difficulties experienced by British unions since 1979. During that period, union membership has declined over 20 percent and three successive Conservative governments have enacted labor legislation opposed by unions. The author views the government's strongly unfavorable treatment of unions as a powerful force, but argues that economic and structural changes, such as the growth of temporary and part-time workers and the decline of the manufacturing sector, are likely to have more lasting adverse effects. Unions are adopting various strategies to try to counteract the decline of their membership, including innovative organizing methods and expanded services for members. The fate of the unions will depend, the author concludes, on the success of those strategies, changes in the British economy, and the Labour Party's fortunes in future general elections.