Trade Union Merger Strategies

This empirical study of British trade union mergers examines the causes of mergers; the search for merger partners; merger negotiations; and merger outcomes. These developments are set within the context of declining union membership and an associated loss of unions' political and economic influence. The contribution that union mergers can make to union performance and union revitalization is assessed by reference to changes in merged unions' job territories, political objectives and means, democratic ethos and government, administration, and union leaders' imperatives. The choice of merger...

This empirical study of British trade union mergers examines the causes of mergers; the search for merger partners; merger negotiations; and merger outcomes. These developments are set within the context of declining union membership and an associated loss of unions' political and economic influence. The contribution that union mergers can make to union performance and union revitalization is assessed by reference to changes in merged unions' job territories, political objectives and means, democratic ethos and government, administration, and union leaders' imperatives. The choice of merger process, either a transfer or an amalgamation, is found to be an important factor influencing the reforms which merged unions can subsequently implement. Transfers, which are far more numerous than amalgamations, tend to provide the minor transferring union with significant gains, but offer little opportunity to transform the performance of the major partner. Amalgamations have a greater transforming potential for all partner unions. However, this transforming potential is difficult to achieve in practice. Many amalgamated unions experience financial and political difficulties post-merger, which can take several years to resolve. As for the wider trade union movement, the contribution of union mergers to its revitalization is both incidental and problematic.