History & Policy

Dr Adrian Williamson, The Age of Voluntarism? Trade Union law and practice 1914-1979 The future of UK labour law 24 June 2017 - 11:00 am - 15:00 pm Room S3.30, Strand Building, King's College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS After a century of self-regulation and light legal control of industrial relations, Britain swung to a much tighter state-regulated system from the early 1980s. These laws were most one-sided and restrictive of trade unions and their activities, both during disputes and in terms of their internal governance. They remained so despite three terms of Labour government from the late 1990s (though significant improvement of employee rights occurred then). They were overlaid by more progressive EU Directives in the 2000s, especially as regards employee equality rights. With the triggering of Britain's departure from the EU, it is surely time to revisit this entire framework of law. The TUF is therefore initiating a 'root and branch' examination of the origins of British Labour law from the