Every time there is a major industrial dispute in Britain, we look back to previous periods of industrial conflict, and ask whether it is an isolated case or does it signal the return to a period of greater labour unrest. Like Britain, in India too, increased global competition has affected relations between
workers and employers. So, has the age of industrial conflict passed, ushering in an era of worker-management cooperation, in the face of threats posed by industrial competitors? It is impossible to forecast changes in the atmosphere of industrial relations (IR), but we can look at some prevailing practices to see if there are any significant changes that support worker-management cooperation.
workers and employers. So, has the age of industrial conflict passed, ushering in an era of worker-management cooperation, in the face of threats posed by industrial competitors? It is impossible to forecast changes in the atmosphere of industrial relations (IR), but we can look at some prevailing practices to see if there are any significant changes that support worker-management cooperation.
The onset of the recession in 2009 in Britain was remarkable in two ways. Unlike the previous periods of recession, wages dropped at an annualised rate of just over five per cent in the economy as a whole. They fell by nearly 20 per cent in financial services, but they also dipped in manufacturing and non-financial sectors. As the pays froze, many companies sought to maintain their commitment to their core employees – both blue and white collar. Such adjustments would have seemed inconceivable in the 1970s and the early 1980s. Click here to read more...
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