Fernie and Metcalf 2005

Fernie, Sue, and David Metcalf. 2005. Trade Unions: Resurgence or Demise? London: Routledge.

GREAT BRITAIN!

Susan Fernie:  “The Future of British Unions: Introduction and Conclusions”

• Problematic union policies to members (in Great Britain):
• recruitment campaigns in service industries not strategically supported
• concerns of female members never were addressed
• not doing well courting youth
• unions didn’t offer much more than businesses might (extra benefits)
• unions    did not realize how weak their position was, totally unraveled when they lost the support of government

John Kelly “Social Movement theory and Union Revitalization in Britain”

• question:  why not much better outcomes now that Labour is in power? (in 2005)
• micro level:  it is not merely a sense of unhappiness at work, but a sense of INJUSTICE that triggers unionization/desire to be in movement
• macro-level is about opportunity structures
• micro happenings:
• employee discontent (in GB) seemed to peak in early 90s, but then decrease a bit well before Labour Government came to power
• employees are less critical of their bosses
• workers don’t seem to think unions are effective, anyway
• macro happenings:
• unions seem to be too weak to influence Labour government
• unions even less able to influence party internal machinations
• Labour has strong, large enough coalition in Parliament to be able to handle a revolt from union wing
• AND unions don’t have many allies in civil society