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Research into the internal workings of trade unions, including management and administration, rules and rule changes, and the extent to which administrative procedures conflict with democratic procedures.

It's always pleasing when someone demolishes a myth. The myth in question could be heard at the height of the troubles involving car and hospital workers. It goes something like this: “No wonder there are so many strikes in Britain when the State makes welfare payments to strikers and their families.”

Outlines the new individual and collective rights established for all employees by the first Blair Labour Government. It then discusses the rationale for these developments, namely competitive advantage on the basis of labour market flexibility combined with minimum labour standards and security of employment for employees, the promotion of a partnership, as opposed to adversial, relationship between employers and employees at the workplace and the need to build a political consensus for a legal framework surrounding the UK employee relations system. The article concludes by assessing whether these developments represent a break and/or continuation relative to other twentieth century UK governments.

Analyses the UNI‐Europa Graphical Sector (UEGS) agreement on European co‐ordination of collective bargaining initially made in 1999. Explains the purpose of the agreement, its objectives, its main components, the principles underpinning it and the mechanisms by which it is reviewed. Provides empirical data on the extent to which graphical trade unions (all affiliated to the UEGS throughout Europe, in their 2000 collective bargaining round with graphical employers, were able to make accommodations consistent with the spirit of the co‐ordination of collective bargaining agreement. The research is based on official publications of UEGS, the Minutes of its Collective Bargaining Committee, the reports of its annual general meetings and attendance at its Annual Collective Bargaining Conference for Negotiators.

This paper outlines the purpose and the economic theory underpinning the Uni‐Europa Graphical co‐ordination of collective bargaining within a European context policy. It then analyses the development of the policy in terms of its scope, its institutions and its information networks. It discusses the statistical series and quantification problems involved in attempting to assess the extent to which the policy's guidelines are being achieved. The majority of UEG affiliates, however, are experiencing difficulties in gaining bargained wage increases at the national level equal to the sum of inflation increases plus average national productivity increases. Finally, it assesses the future prospects for the policy.