British Trade Unions since 1933

A history of British trade unions between 1933 and 2000, covering key issues and controversies.

Chris Wrigley (Author)

9780521576406, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 12 December 2002

116 pages
21.6 x 14 x 0.7 cm, 0.16 kg

'… a very clear factual introduction to the topic … The style throughout is judicious and empirical, in the spirit of British industrial relations, using well-marshalled evidence to burst the bubble of political bias or dogmatic economic theory … a very useful historical text …'. Labour History Review

This textbook reviews major issues concerning the history of British trade unions in the last two-thirds of the twentieth century. Even with the decline in membership of the 1980s and 1990s, trade unions in Britain have remained the largest voluntary organisations in the country and the total membership has remained larger than in most other countries. The book discusses many major aspects of trade unionism and many controversies concerning it, including strikes (sometimes seen as a peculiarly 'British disease'). Trade union presence in the labour market has been deemed a cause of higher unemployment and lower productivity. The trade unions have been accused of being insensitive on gender and ethnicity. They have also been accused of being corporatist, unelected partners in government (especially in the 1940–79 period). Overall, this book gives students a lucid introduction to the recent history of British trade unionism.

1. Introduction
2. Economic recovery and war, 1933–45
3. Trade union development, 1945–2000
4. Strikes, 1945–2000
5. Incomes policies, 1948–79
6. Trade union legislation, 1945–2000
7. What trade unions have done.

Subject Areas: 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], British & Irish history [HBJD1]