What Would a Labour Government Do?

Abstract

Unless Parliament unexpectedly decides otherwise, there will be a general election before 9 July 1992, bringing with it the possibility that a Labour government will be returned to office. The purpose of this chapter is to explore, in a tentative way, the consequences of such an outcome for trade union and employment law and for the British economy. The task has been made easier by the publication in 1989 and 1990 of two Labour Party policy documents: Meet the challenge, Make the change and Looking to the Future the result of two years’ intensive review of policy following the Party’s defeat in three successive general elections. Together they contain about 140,000 words, and trade union and employment matters are given a fair coverage. Given the endorsement of these policies by the Trades Union Congress and the Labour Party conference in the autumn of 1990, it seems reasonable to assume that they contain an accurate indication of the way in which a future Labour government would legislate in this field.

While recognising the freedom not to join a trade union in the [European Social] Charter, we fully support and advocate 100 per cent trade union membership at the workplace. Looking to the Future The Labour Party, 1990