The New Politics of British Trade Unionism: Union Power and the Thatcher Legacy (Union Power and Thatcher Legacy)

The curbing of trade union power is often seen as one of the major achievements of Margaret Thatcher's premiership. David Marsh's book provides a broad-ranging introduction to British trade unionism in the 1990s and an assessment of the last decade's major changes in legislation, policing and attitudes. He concludes that while the political role of unions has been reduced, much less has changed at shopfloor level; moveover what has changed has owed more to economic recession than government action. Front Matter....Pages i-xx The Historical Background....Pages 1-22 Union Power before 1979....Pages 23-53 The Origins, Development and Content of the Conservative Legislation....Pages 54-81 Using the Legislation: An Employer’s Onslaught?....Pages 82-109 The Unions’ Political Role: Relations with the Conservative Government, 1979–90....Pages 110-138 Trade Unions and the Labour Party....Pages 139-163 The Changing Economic Context....Pages 164-190 Shop-floor Industrial Relations: The Private Sector....Pages 191-214 Shop-floor Industrial Relations: The Public Sector....Pages 215-237 Thatcherism and Industrial Relations....Pages 238-249 Back Matter....Pages 250-268 This is an introduction to the politics of trade unionism in contemporary Britain, assessing the major changes in legislation, policing and attitudes since 1979 as well as the broader social and economic trends to which these have been a response