ABSTRACT
Trade unions and their members have suffered from a long history of discrimination and disadvantage from as far back as the 1799 and 1800 Combination Acts which criminalised workers' organisations and made it an offence for them to form for the purposes of improving conditions of employment, or calling and attending meetings for such a purpose. Trade unions reached the peak of their membership size in 1979, when the total membership was 13.2 million. In 2010 the government adopted the Employment Relations Act 1999 Regulations. These Regulations followed an investigation into an organisation called the Consulting Association. Blacklisting is the collection and maintenance of a list of people who are regarded as militants or troublemakers. Non-standard working is a discrimination issue. Recognition of the discrimination and disadvantage suffered by non-standard workers is exemplified in the various regulations protecting such workers from discrimination compared to 'standard workers'.
