The Declining Power of Organized Labor in Britain Since the 1970s - Power in Britain

Since the late 1970s, trade unions in Britain have experienced a significant loss of power. Not only have membership numbers fallen dramatically, but the unions’ ability to influence government policy and the wider polity has seen a strong decline. Therefore, this essay will explore the reasons for these developments, utilizing a four-dimensional model of power. In this context, anti-union legislation introduced in the 1980s will be analyzed against the backdrop of the fundamental political and social changes that have characterized Britain since the late 1970s.