4. How successful did the Labour government deal with industrial relations?

Explain the traditional alliance between the Labour party and trade unions, and why this made it difficult for the Labour party to reform industrial relations.

Trade unions funded and supported Labour, so Labour relied on them politically. This made it hard to reform unions because it risked losing support and causing internal conflict.

Define: Closed shop

A workplace where employees must be members of a trade union to be hired.

Define: Picket line

A protest outside a workplace where workers try to stop others from working during a strike.

Define: Secondary picketing

Striking workers picketing other workplaces linked to the dispute.

Define: Flying pickets

Mobile groups of strikers who move between sites to support strikes.