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British Unions in Decline: Determinants of the 1980s Fall in Union Recognition

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  • Richard Disney
  • Amanda Gosling
  • Stephen MacHin

Abstract

This examination of establishment-level data from the Workplace Industrial Relations Surveys of 1980, 1984, and 1990 shows that the proportion of British establishments (that is, workplaces in both the private and public sector) that recognized unions for collective bargaining over pay and working conditions fell by almost 20% between 1980 and 1990. Largely accountable for this decline was a much lower rate of union recognition in establishments founded in the 1980s than in previous years, particularly in the private sector. Citing these findings, as well as recent structural changes in employment in the British labor market (such as the shift from manufacturing to services, from manual to non-manual employment, and from full-time to part-time work) and a government that continues to enact anti-union legislation, the authors foresee no reversal of unions' decline in the 1990s.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Disney & Amanda Gosling & Stephen MacHin, 1995. "British Unions in Decline: Determinants of the 1980s Fall in Union Recognition," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 48(3), pages 403-419, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:48:y:1995:i:3:p:403-419
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    Cited by:

    1. Machin, Stephen, 1997. "The decline of labour market institutions and the rise in wage inequality in Britain," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(3-5), pages 647-657, April.
    2. David G. Blanchflower & Alex Bryson, 2020. "Job Satisfaction Over the Life Course," NBER Working Papers 28206, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Mario Bossler, 2019. "The Rise in Orientation at Collective Bargaining Without a Formal Contract," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(1), pages 17-45, January.
    4. Getinet Astatike Haile, 2021. "Men, women and unions," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 201-217, May.
    5. J. Ryan Lamare & Patrick Gunnigle & Paul Marginson & Gregor Murray, 2013. "Union Status and Double-Breasting at Multinational Companies in Three Liberal Market Economies," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 66(3), pages 696-722, May.
    6. Schnabel, Claus, 2002. "Determinants of trade union membership," Discussion Papers 15, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.
    7. David G. Blanchflower & Alex Bryson, 2022. "Union membership and job satisfaction over the life course," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(5), pages 411-429, September.
    8. Getinet Astatike Haile, 2017. "Union decline in Britain: does gender have anything to do with it?," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 64(1), pages 25-49, February.
    9. Haile, Getinet Astatike, 2012. "Union Decline in Britain: Is Chauvinism Also to Blame?," IZA Discussion Papers 6536, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Iga Magda & David Marsden & Simone Moriconi, 2012. "Collective Agreements, Wages, and Firms' Cohorts: Evidence from Central Europe," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 65(3), pages 607-629, July.

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