Individual essays chart the position of men and women in work, assess the impact of immigration and map industrial politics. Case studies open up other fields: unions' relations with the Labour Party, media coverage, union education, the Cold War and the diverse political forces from Labourism to Trotskyism forging industrial relations. This path-breaking analysis provides an excellent guide to the trade unionism and militancy of the 1960s and 1970s.

This multifaceted text, written by authors from a range of disciplines, focuses on the politics of trade unionism - not only unions' relations with political parties and the state but also on the politics of workplace conflict and industrial action. Scene-setting essays provide broad perspectives on trade union organising, and on the parameters of the post-war industrial environment. Case studies consider particular fields: union relations with the Labour Party, international politics, productivity, major strikes and key groups of workers.