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The Persistence of Union Membership within the Coalfields of Britain

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Listed:
  • Huw Beynon
  • Helen Blakely
  • Alex Bryson
  • Rhys Davies

Abstract

Spatial variance in union membership has been attributed to the favourable attitudes that persist in areas with an historical legacy of trade unionism. Within the United Kingdom, villages and towns located in areas once dominated by coalmining remain among the strongest and most durable bases for the trade union movement. This article empirically examines the effect of living within or near these areas upon union membership. Those residing in ex‐mining areas retain an increased propensity for union membership. However, this effect diminishes sharply with distance. The analysis reveals that particular places can serve as conduits of trade unionism, long after employment within traditional industries has vanished.

Suggested Citation

  • Huw Beynon & Helen Blakely & Alex Bryson & Rhys Davies, 2021. "The Persistence of Union Membership within the Coalfields of Britain," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 59(4), pages 1131-1152, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:59:y:2021:i:4:p:1131-1152
    DOI: 10.1111/bjir.12588
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    14. Alex Bryson & Rhys Davies, 2019. "Family, Place and the Intergenerational Transmission of Union Membership," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 57(3), pages 624-650, September.
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    2. Lucy Grimshaw & Lewis Mates, 2022. "‘It’s part of our community, where we live’: Urban heritage and children’s sense of place," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(7), pages 1334-1352, May.
    3. Giannakopoulos, Nicholas & Nicolitsas, Daphne, 2022. "Employers' associations and trade unions: co-existence or more?," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1140, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    4. Saville, Christopher W.N. & Mann, Robin & Lockard, Anthony Scott & Bark-Connell, Aidan & Gabuljah, Stella Gmekpebi & Young, April M. & Thomas, Daniel Rhys, 2023. "Covid and the coalfield: Covid-19 vaccine hesitance in Wales and Appalachia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).
    5. Harald Dale-Olsen, 2021. "Do unions contribute to creative destruction?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(12), pages 1-23, December.
    6. David Etherington & Bob Jeffery & Peter Thomas & Martin Jones & Ben Ledger‐Jessop, 2023. "Trade union strategies to tackle labour market insecurity: Geography and the role of Sheffield TUC," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(3), pages 261-277, May.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General
    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects

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