Employer Hostility to Union Organising in the UK

Abstract

This paper presents empirical evidence about the shape and pattern of non-union employer strategies to remain union free. The data are collected from seven case studies across different industrial sectors and organisational sizes in Britain. Following a brief critique of typologies of union avoidance, the evidence suggests the ¿configuration¿ of anti-union approaches involves an uneven and at times contradictory interaction of context-specific variables. Three mutually inclusive factors that influence employer behaviour are identified: structural, ideological and cultural dimensions. It is argued that these represent a deeper understanding of employer hostility towards unions than existing employment relationship classifications. The utility of non-union typologies and the prospects for union mobilisation are considered in the light of these findings