Late 20th-Century Trade Union Reform Flashcards

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Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

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In late 20th-century Britain, what did people mean by a "closed shop"?

A workplace where you had to be a member of a trade union to get or keep a job.

Why did many people in the 1970s think trade unions in Britain had too much power?

Because they called many strikes that stopped key services and even helped bring down governments.

Which Prime Minister led most of the trade union reforms in Britain in the 1980s?

Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.

What was the main aim of Margaret Thatcher’s trade union laws?

To reduce the power of trade unions and stop them from calling easy or frequent strikes.

What did the Employment Act 1980 say about picketing?

It said workers could only picket at their own workplace and made most secondary picketing illegal.

What is secondary picketing?

When workers picket at a place where they do not work, to put pressure on other employers.

What did the Trade Union Act 1984 require before a strike could happen?

It required a secret vote, called a ballot, of union members before a strike was called.

How did late 20th-century laws change the rules on closed shops?

They made closed shops harder to set up, gave workers the right not to join a union, and by 1990 banned closed shops.

What happened to trade union membership in Britain between the late 1970s and the 1990s?

It fell sharply, from a high point in the late 1970s to much lower levels by the 1990s.

Overall, how did late 20th-century trade union reforms change the balance of power between workers and employers?

They weakened trade unions, gave more control to employers and government, and made large strikes less likely.

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