Are Trade Unions a "Thing of the Past"? Discuss the Pros and Cons of Trade Unions from an Employee Perspective.
“Historically, trade unions were a vital concomitant of the process of industrialization and political liberalization in most countries. As their influence grew to unprecedented heights after the Second World War, social theorists saw them as a key ingredient of the capitalist economy and social democracy” (Gospel and Wood 2003, p.2). Throughout the years, trade union density and membership in Britain, as well as the proportion of the workforce covered by collective bargaining, have declined significantly. Nevertheless, trade unions have strongly influenced developments at the national level, including minimum wage campaigns and union recognition procedures (Gospel and Wood 2003, p.1). However, can unions still be “perceived as critical intermediaries in the model of the pluralist society, that was the base of liberal democracy?” (Gospel and Wood 2003, p.2). This essay will analyse the development trade unions, and general trends in membership and their status in today’s society. It will continue to discuss the drawbacks and benefits of being a member, while assessing trade unions’ effectiveness in fighting for employee rights, with an emphasis on female workers and equality rights. Moreover, alternatives for employees, like employment tribunals, will be explored.
In the majority of advanced market economies the membership has shrunk, and unions’ ability to achieve strong bargaining relations with employers declined (Gospel and Wood 2003, p.1). Trade unions today have 6.4m members; this is less than half of 13.2m in 1979, when unions thrived and membership was at its highest (Brownlie 2012). In the 1960s and 1970s, as a result of decentralized bargaining, wages and conditions in unionized firms were by far more favourable than those in non-union firms in economies such as UK and USA (Gospel and Wood 2003, p.2). However, a decline in membership was triggered when the Conservative Government came into power in 1979. The new administration and employers have
In the majority of advanced market economies the membership has shrunk, and unions’ ability to achieve strong bargaining relations with employers declined (Gospel and Wood 2003, p.1). Trade unions today have 6.4m members; this is less than half of 13.2m in 1979, when unions thrived and membership was at its highest (Brownlie 2012). In the 1960s and 1970s, as a result of decentralized bargaining, wages and conditions in unionized firms were by far more favourable than those in non-union firms in economies such as UK and USA (Gospel and Wood 2003, p.2). However, a decline in membership was triggered when the Conservative Government came into power in 1979. The new administration and employers have