The changing pattern of UK strikes, 1964-2014

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the changing strike activity in the UK over the last 50 years. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on a wide literature on UK strikes and an extensive trawl of newspaper sources. It is divided into four main sections. The first two summarise, in turn, the changing amount and locus of strike activity between 1964 and 2014. The third discusses the changing relationship and balance between official and unofficial strikes. The last covers the role of the courts and legislation on strikes, highlighting some key moments in this turbulent history. Findings – The period 1964-2014 can be divided into three sub-periods: high-strike activity until 1979; a transition period of “coercive pacification” in the 1980s; and unprecedentedly low-strike activity since the early 1990s. Unions were more combative against the legislative changes of the 1980s than they are normally given credit for. Research limitations/implications – Given its broad scope, this paper cannot claim to be comprehensive. Originality/value – This is a rare study of the changing nature of UK strikes over such a long time period.

Worker participation in union activities: a conceptual review

“…1. For instance, refer to the works of Wang (2016), Anner and Liu (2016), Lyddon (2015), Kelly (2015b), Elfstrom and Kuruvilla (2014), and Mathew and Jones (2012); for detailed information on recent strike statistics and strike tactics employed by unions in Vietnam, Western Europe, China, India, etc.…”

La décision de faire la grève : déterminants théoriques et perceptions syndicales

“…Si l'intérêt pour la grève comme objet d'étude a connu un déclin relatif au cours des années 1980 et 1990, suivant en cela la diminution de l'activité de grève dans la plupart des pays industrialisés, on note toutefois aujourd'hui une certaine résurgence de l'intérêt porté à ce moyen d'action syndical dans la recherche universitaire (Lapointe, 2016 ;Kelly, 2015 ;Lyddon, 2015 ;Gall, 2012). Sans prétendre à l'exhaustivité, les sous-sections suivantes décrivent brièvement l'apport des disciplines les plus couramment mobilisées et les perspectives théoriques qu'elles ont développées pour comprendre la diversité des pratiques en cause.…”

Interpreting strike activity in western Europe in the past 20 years: the labour repertoire under pressure

“…In the UK, public sector strikes, involving large numbers of workers, are clearly in the ascendant and explain the changed strike pattern (Lyddon, 2015). The predominance of such large-scale one-off demonstrative strikes is reflected in the strong increase in strike size, whereas the average duration has decreased.…”