Workers united: The truth about trade union participation

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

When the Combination Laws were passed in the UK at the end of the eighteenth century, it was a reaction to both the reliance new industrialists had on their massed ranks of workers and representative of the fear the nouveau riche had that those people might rise up against their peers and overthrow their new empires. Parallels were evident in the problems the British Empire had in establishing its rule of law in some of its territories. And whether the fear was real or imagined, it made sense for the C-suites of the day to keep the great unwashed in check to protect their bottom lines.

Practical implications

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Citation

(2018), "Workers united: The truth about trade union participation", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 26 No. 7, pp. 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1108/HRMID-06-2018-0120