Industrial relations reform in Britain since 1979

Important changes to British industrial relations law were undertaken by the Thatcher and Major governments. A succession of legislative measures narrowed the scope of labor union action in pursuit of a dispute, made unions financially responsible for torts committed by their members, removed government support for collective bargaining, abolished the closed shop, and reformed unions' internal structures. At least in part as a result of these measures, union density and the coverage of collective bargaining have fallen; strikes have become rare; and Britain’s productivity performance has improved. The unions and the Labour Party have largely become reconciled to measures which they initially fiercely opposed, and the influence of these reforms is likely to endure even though the Conservatives have lost office.