New Survey Evidence on Recent Changes in UK Union Recognition

Jo Blanden, Stephen Machin () and John van Reenen ()

CEP Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Performance, LSE

Abstract: This paper reports results from a recent survey we conducted on the union status of over 650firms in the private sector of the UK. Compared to earlier periods, the survey shows that since 1997 there hasbeen a slight fall in derecognition, but a relatively large increase in union recognition. Almost 11% of firmsreport experiencing some new recognition, whilst 7% reported some derecognition. In the late 1980s newrecognitions among similar firms were much lower (3% between 1985 to 1990 according to Gregg and Yates,1991). In our survey, new recognitions were more prevalent in larger firms and in regions and industries whereunion membership was already high. New recognitions were less likely to have occurred in companies withhigher wages, higher productivity and higher capital intensity. The 'blip up' in new recognitions is consistentwith the idea that the incoming Labour government had a positive effect on the ability of unions to gainrecognition, either through the 1999 legislation or more indirectly through changing the political climate.

Keywords: unions; productivity; employment legislation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J51 K31 L25 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eec and nep-law
Date: 2005-05
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Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp0685

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