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Nine Years of New Labour: Neoliberalism and Workers’ Rights

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  • Paul Smith
  • Gary Morton

Abstract

Since it was first elected in 1997, a large Commons majority won in three general elections and a benign economic environment have combined to give New Labour the authority and opportunity to implement its programme for industrial relations and employment law. This paper offers an appraisal of New Labour’s neoliberalism, and its relevance for understanding the scope and limits of its reform of employment law. The conclusion calls for a campaign to restore and extend trade union rights as a prerequisite for safeguarding workers’ interests within the labour market, employment relationship and society.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Smith & Gary Morton, 2006. "Nine Years of New Labour: Neoliberalism and Workers’ Rights," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 44(3), pages 401-420, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:44:y:2006:i:3:p:401-420
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2006.00506.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Towers, Brian, 1997. "The Representation Gap: Change and Reform in the British and American Workplace," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198289463.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Denise Currie & Paul Teague, 2016. "Economic Citizenship and Workplace Conflict in Anglo-American Industrial Relations Systems," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 54(2), pages 358-384, June.
    3. Alan Hall & Rebecca Hall & Nicole Bernhardt, 2022. "Dealing with ‘vulnerable workers’ in precarious employment: Front-line constraints and strategies in employment standards enforcement," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 43(1), pages 469-494, February.
    4. Janis Bailey & Keith Townsend & Edwina Luck, 2009. "WorkChoices, ImageChoices and the marketing of new industrial relations legislation," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 23(2), pages 285-304, June.
    5. Franz Traxler & Jim Arrowsmith & Kristine Nergaard & Joaquim M. Molins López-Rodó, 2008. "Variable Pay and Collective Bargaining: A Cross-National Comparison of the Banking Sector," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 29(3), pages 406-431, August.
    6. Orestis Papadopoulos & Marti Lopez‐Andreu & Mandi Jamalian, 2021. "Violation and lack of awareness of employment rights in the United Kingdom's hotel industry: Isolation, fragmentation and barriers to labour enforcement," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 315-330, July.
    7. Anna Pollert & Andy Charlwood, 2009. "The vulnerable worker in Britain and problems at work," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 23(2), pages 343-362, June.
    8. Dean Stroud & Peter Fairbrother, 2012. "The limits and prospects of union power: Addressing mass redundancy in the steel industry," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 33(4), pages 649-668, November.
    9. Ian Cunningham & Philip James & Alina Baluch, 2022. "The influence of ‘soft’ fair work regulation on union recovery: A case of re‐recognition in the Scottish voluntary social care sector," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 261-277, May.
    10. Melanie Simms, 2015. "Accounting for Greenfield Union Organizing Outcomes," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 53(3), pages 397-422, September.
    11. Victoria Walker & Ian Cunningham, 2026. "‘We’ve not breached our side of the contract’: Broken employment bargains and in-work poverty in the financialised hospitality sector," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 47(1), pages 150-172, February.
    12. John McIlroy, 2008. "Ten Years of New Labour: Workplace Learning, Social Partnership and Union Revitalization in Britain," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 46(2), pages 283-313, June.
    13. Patricia Findlay & Chris Warhurst, 2011. "Union Learning Funds and Trade Union Revitalization: A New Tool in the Toolkit?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 49(Supplemen), pages 115-134, June.
    14. Stephanie Tailby, 2012. "Public service restructuring in the UK : the case of the E nglish N ational H ealth S ervice," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(5), pages 448-464, September.

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