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The Myths of Trade Union Power

In: Workers and the New Depression

Author

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  • Robert Taylor

Abstract

There is a widespread belief in Britain that the trade unions are overmighty subjects with enormous power and privileges that they use irresponsibly. In a poll carried out by Market Opinion and Research International in August 1977 as many as 79 per cent of the sample agreed that the unions had too much power (54 per cent thought so ‘strongly’ and the others ‘tended’ to agree). Three years later (July 1980) the same survey organisation found there had been a drop in the proportion who thought the unions were too powerful. Now 72 per cent of the sample believed this (42 per cent thought so ‘strongly’ and 30 per cent said they tended to agree). No doubt, the change of government in May 1979 and the loss of direct influence by the TUC on Mrs Thatcher’s Downing Street, and the retirement of major union leaders — Jack Jones of the Transport and General Workers and Hugh Scanlon of the Engineering Workers-must account for this small decline. Maybe the deepening recession began to make people aware that the unions had no power to ensure job security or determine overall economic policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Taylor, 1982. "The Myths of Trade Union Power," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Workers and the New Depression, chapter 7, pages 171-197, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-1-349-16923-8_7
    DOI: 10.1007/978-1-349-16923-8_7
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