Premium
New Labour and the commonsense of neoliberalism: trade unionism, collective bargaining and workers' rights
Author(s) -
Smith Paul
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
industrial relations journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.525
H-Index - 3
eISSN - 1468-2338
pISSN - 0019-8692
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2338.2009.00531.x
Subject(s) - neoliberalism (international relations) , labour law , collective bargaining , rebuttal , industrial relations , economics , optimal distinctiveness theory , trade union , political economy , sociology , labour economics , law , political science , psychology , psychotherapist
The assumptions and values of neoliberalism came to dominate the Conservative governments, 1979–97, inspiring a range of policies that included industrial relations and employment law. Inasmuch as New Labour has adopted many of these policies then it can be presumed to have accepted their neoliberal underpinnings. Moreover, New Labour's policies owe much to neoliberalism. Wedderburn's exposition of the relationship between the writings of Hayek and the policy of Conservative governments, 1979–88, is utilised and extended to display the continuity and distinctiveness of New Labour's policy on industrial relations and employment law in relation to its Conservative predecessors. New Labour's neoliberal assumptions and values are evaluated. The conclusion argues for a fundamental rebuttal of New Labour's values as an integral component of a campaign to re‐establish trade union rights and liberties, and effective employment protection.