Union Decline in Britain

Citation

Blanchflower D & Bryson A (2008) Union Decline in Britain. CEP Discussion Paper, 864. http://cep.lse.ac.uk/_new/publications/abstract.asp?index=3144

Abstract
This paper investigates the demise of unionisation in British private sector workplaces over the last quarter century. We show that dramatic union decline has occurred across all types of workplace. Although the union wage premium persists it is quite small in 2004. Negative union effects on employment growth and financial performance are largely confined to the 1980s. Managerial perceptions of the climate of relations between managers and workers has deteriorated since the early 1980s across the whole private sector, whether the workplace is unionised or not.

Keywords
trade unions; employment growth; financial performance; industrial relations

Notes
This paper was produced as part of the Centre’s Labour Markets Programme. The Centre for Economic Performance is financed by the Economic and Social Research Council.

• Blanchflower_2008_Union_Decline_in_Britain.pdf