Efforts to Revive Membership in the British Trade Unions Essay

Efforts to Revive Membership in the British Trade Unions - Essay Example Any laxity on the side of the unions in the push to champion employee rights may lead to the uncalled fall and liquidation of initially successful trade union. It is worth acknowledging that British trade unions enjoyed the advantage of high membership registration immediately before 1979. However, this high historic clamour did not last long as the trade unions faced a tragic resignation and defection of their member. The main causes of the fall of the British trade unions were due to the high risk of unemployment due to the financial crisis that resulted in a high lay-off of workers (Smith 2011). In addition, the employees were defeated by the government in their push for salary increment, an incidence used by the government to institute laws allowing the employers to sack their rebellious workers at will. Furthermore, the Labour government made depriving laws in 1974 with a move to revenge against the great miners strike by adopting the Tory anti-union laws designated to cut indus trial wages. Labour government also worked hard to weaken the momentary strong shop stewards’ organization. The initial moves accomplished by the Labour government demoralized individual workers from participating in national votes thus paving way for Margret Thatcher and Tories laws insurgence to power. Upon entrance of the Conservative government into power under the umbrella of Margret Thatcher, new mechanisms were devised to reverse the defeat suffered by the employers at the hands of the trade unions. In that line, Margret started by isolating the key trade unions after which Tory anti-union laws of 1980 was adopted. Conservative government began the fight with the steel miners and the health workers in the year 1980 and then the printers in 1985 whose defeats returned to the government. In addition, there was great contest between the leaders of the various trade unions over who could lead the entire trade unions in Britain. This led to the automatic weakening of the ef forts of the entire trade unions (Smith 2011). Since 1980, British trade unions have tried to regain their former stature and power with limited success. In a move to restore the initial membership of workers into the trade unions, British trade unions have adopted practical policies that have stood to bear desirable results that in reviving the image of the trade unions. According to Budd and Mumford (2001, 2), many trade unions in the British economy have adopted family-friendly policies, which have led to the recovery of particular trade unions. The family-friendly policy entails the provision of subsidized onsite daycare to the workers on board. In addition, family-friendly practices provide free health care services to the children of the employees. Furthermore, the family-friendly services offered by the trade unions in Britain avails free meals to the onsite workers, a practice ought to increase the performances of the employees. Family friendly practices include provision of benefits that allow flexibility of the employees to tune from full time workers to balance between work and family issues. According to Budd and Mumford (2001, 3), the most critical component of benefits offered by the family-friendly policy is the leave policies.