Trade Union Finances in the 1970s and 1980s

Abstract

This paper outlines and analyzes trade union finances during the 1970s and 1980s. During the 1970s, despite an increasing membership and rising real income, trade unions experienced significant financial problems; in particular, expenditure outpaced income, and assets, measured on a membership per capita basis, decreased markedly. In contrast, and influenced by a falling membership, union financial ratios improved during the 1980s so that by 1989 unions were once again able to finance adequately their existing levels of membership services. An increase in the demand for such services, possibly generated by a move towards enterprise bargaining, could again threaten the financial status of unions.