ABSTRACT

Employment relations are at a crossroad. Historically, trade union channels in advanced economies have dominated worker representation, but with the decline in union membership other forms of representation are becoming increasingly significant.

This timely book is the result of significant research addressing key issues underlying these developments. A group of internationally-renowned employment relations specialists, under the Leverhulme Foundation Future of Trade Unionism Programme, consider issues such as:

  • trends in trade union membership
  • factors behind the decline of union membership
  • young workers and trade unionism
  • the law and union recognition
  • European influences on worker representation
  • non-union representation
  • trade unionism in the context of new forms of representation
  • enhancing the appeal of unions.

This timely new study of worker representation contains powerful analysis and is one of the most broad-ranging studies of representation available. It is essential reading for anyone studying or working in employment relations.

chapter |13 pages

The waxing and waning of trade unions

chapter |20 pages

Low unionism among young workers

chapter |14 pages

Data and methods

chapter 6|3 pages

What do unions do for women?

chapter |24 pages

The state as catalyst for change

chapter 8|13 pages

Dilemmas in worker representation

Information, consultation and negotiation

chapter |8 pages

What do British workers want?

chapter |1 pages

Conclusions

chapter |8 pages

Parallel developments

chapter |3 pages

Broader implications