ABSTRACT
During the 1990s, however, Britain’s unemployment fell again to below the level applying in most other EU members. This is widely interpreted as a measure of the flexibility introduced into the economy by the post-1979 reforms. In contrast to many of its major European partners the United Kingdom is no longer seen as a corporatist state in which the rights of workers and their trade unions are strong determinants of national policy. The restructuring of industries has proceeded rapidly. Coal mining for example has disappeared as a significant employer. Manufacturing too has suffered many job losses. Meanwhile many service industries have been growing, including health, education, hotels, catering, finance, and professional services.
