From new Labour to no Labour?

Abstract

This paper addresses the question of whether there is, any longer, a distinctive Left form of industrial relations. It does so through an examination of what the metamorphosis of the British Labour Party has meant for industrial relations policy, and hence the role of organized labor in the British political economy. An examination of the Blair government's record thus far suggests that it has attempted, albeit in a half-hearted way, to construct a "Third Way" in industrial relations policy through the provision of a new set of individual rights to workers, in contrast to providing a set of collective rights for trade unions. However, this strategy has been fatally compromised by the shift towards neo-liberal economic policy, which precludes a distinctive industrial relations policy, and a unitarist conception of class relations on the part of New Labour.

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Publication Date

6-1-2000

Publication Title

New Political Science

Department

Politics

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Industrial relations, New Left, Labor unions, New Labour Party (Great Britain)

Language

English

Format

text

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