http://www.economist.com/node/17043870/print
The Economist’s analysis of the decline of union power in the UK over the past 30 years is a sobering and timely antidote to the overblown rhetoric of the past few days: ‘membership has declined sharply, from 13m in the early 1980s to just over half that today. And trade unionism has become concentrated in the public sector, where 57% of employees are members compared with just 15% of privately employed workers.
That weakening has been accompanied by a period of unusually serene industrial relations. Official records dating back to 1891 suggest that strikes have never been as infrequent as they are today. Twice as many days were lost to walkouts in 1984 alone as in the two decades since 1990.’
However, trade unionism is relatively strong relatively strong in the public sector where there remains a critical mass to resist the cuts. And there is evidence that public opinion is sympathetic to the union case against the cuts, this is acknowledged by the Economist: ‘keeping the public onside will be vital in any conflict—and there are early signs that the government is losing the battle….If the unions can get the public on their side, ministers will find it much harder to resist them’.
A similar point was made by Seumas Milne in his Guardian reflections on Congress and the political situation:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/15/cuts-weaken-coalition-ed-miliband
‘The TUC showed this week it has rediscovered the role not only of representing members but of speaking for millions as the centre of a national campaign, uniting service users and providers, workforces and communities. Trade unions already are Cameron's "big society" in real life. And unlike the government's praetorian guard in the media, ministers like Francis Maude, who declined to join the attack on the union movement, understand that it may yet prove to be a dangerous opponent……A new centre of gravity is emerging in British politics which Labour – and the trade unions, for that matter – can tap into’.
So there is all to play as we approach 20 October when the Con Dem government’s first spending review will set out spending plans for the years 2011-12 to 2014-15
– let the battle of ideas commence.