Union organizing in Britain: a survey of policy and practice

Heery, E., Simms, M. , Delbridge, R., Salmon, J. and Simpson, D. (2000) Union organizing in Britain: a survey of policy and practice. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 11(5), pp. 986-1007. (doi: 10.1080/095851900422384)

Abstract

Analysis of the reasons for trade union decline in developed economies has pointed to their failure to invest in effective methods of recruitment as a contributory factor. This article presents survey and case research to examine the extent to which union failure in recruitment and organizing has been rectified in the United Kingdom. The evidence indicates a varied but nevertheless substantial re-direction of union effort towards recruitment since the mid-1990s and is used to identify the characteristics of 'recruiting unions' which have invested more heavily and adopted more ambitious recruitment targets. Recruiting unions are found to be those which are receptive to learning new approaches to recruitment from overseas and which have relatively advanced arrangements for the representation of women and minorities in their internal systems of government.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Simms, Professor Melanie
• Authors: Heery, E., Simms, M., Delbridge, R., Salmon, J., and Simpson, D.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Journal Name: International Journal of Human Resource Management
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 0958-5192
• ISSN (Online): 1466-4399