ABSTRACT
This book deals with the nature of employment relations in non-union firms. In particular, it assesses the ways in which the employment relationship is made, modified and sustained in the absence of a trade union. The aim of this chapter is to set the scene for the remainder of the book. It starts by defining the term ‘non-union’ and this is followed by an examination of the increased significance of non-union firms in British employment relations. This matter is addressed in three stages: first, by considering the decline of trade unions; second, by examining recent trends in nonunionisation and finally, but more speculatively, by briefly examining future prospects.
