The FT surveys the industrial and political influence of the UK trade unions as Unite, GMB and UNISON meet successively in conference over the next 3 weeks.
"Recession has eroded union memberships, which had previously stabilised after big falls in the 1980s and 1990s. Overall membership dipped by 165,000, or 2.3 per cent, to 7.1m last year, compared with a peak of 13.2m in 1979. Their profile is ageing, with the biggest concentration in the 50-plus group. Women outnumber men by 3.7m to 3.3m.3 weeks."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ceb5d44a-6c00-11df-86c5-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss
