Trade Union Recognition in Britain: Is a Corner Being Turned?

Abstract

Like many other union movements throughout the Western world, the trade union movement in Britain has experienced significant decline in terms of union recognition coverage; however, the considerable recent growth in new trade union recognition agreements in Britain is now well established. More than 2,600 new recognition agreements, covering some 1.1 million workers, have been signed since 1995 (Table 1). The annual growth rate has increased dramatically since 1999. Broadly speaking, this is attributable to increased union organizing activity seeking to benefit from the more favorable legal environment as a result of the statutory union recognition provisions of the Employment Relations Act 1999 (ERA).