In 1997 he defeated John Major and became the first Labour Prime Minister in almost 18 years. Blair resembles Clinton in another way - he favors compulsory unionism. In May 1998 the Labour Government published a White Paper titled Fairness at Work . The days of strikes without ballots, mass picketing, closed shops and secondary action are over. In the post-Thatcher status quo, there is no statutory requirement that employers recognize any union or even bargain with any union on the subject of recognition.
Recognition is a matter of voluntary negotiations between employers and unions.
Government doesn't intervene in labor relations except to uphold the rule of law. British unions supported this voluntary system of labor relations when they enjoyed the privileges and immunities granted to them in the Trade Disputes Act of 1906. From then until the 1980s British unions were exempted from all claims for damages arising out of labor disputes. Employers were subject to the rule of law, but unions were not. Now that the Thatcher reforms have removed their privileges and immunities, the unions no longer like voluntarism.