ABSTRACT
Trade unions in Britain have had a somewhat chequered history, waxing and waning over time. Throughout their history British trade unions, not unlike British businessmen, have often had a bad press. They have frequently been blamed for the poor performance of the economy by contemporary writers and by the media. While trade unions no doubt had and still have many faults and undesirable practices, as even writers sympathetic to the labour movement would be the first to acknowledge, it would be wrong to castigate them for all the shortcomings of the economy. In one way or another unions were, for much of the period under review, in a strong position to make their presence felt. How far their activities had an adverse influence on investment, innovation, economic growth and the cost structure and competitiveness of the economy remains to be seen.
