1. Identity and conflicts of working people 1945- 2011 http://johncmullen.blogspot.com

4. An upmarket model from 1963

5. Union density in Britain

6. Miners gala in the 1960s

8. Ford Dagenham workers

9. Robots at Halewood

10. One of the new university buildings of the 1960s

12. 1960s council housing

14. 1945 Labour – Clement Attlee 1951 Conservative – Winston Churchill, and others including Harold Macmillan 1964 Labour – Harold Wilson 1970 Conservative –Edward Heath 1974 Labour –Harold Wilson The governments of the long boom

17. UCS demonstration in the 1970s

18. Jimmy Reid

19. A poster in support of the Pentonville Five

20. One of the Pentonville five after their release

21. 1979

23. 1984

24. Pickets in 1984

27. Arthur Scargill

34. Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan

37. A commemorative statue to the mining industry

44. After a poll tax demonstration in 1990

46. Since 1979, anti-union laws make it harder to strike (solidarity strikes illegal, many forms of picketing illegal, postal votes obligatory) Throughout the 1980s, union membership declined rapidly : due to a combination of government hostility towards the unions and de- industrialisation. The 1984-5 miners strike was a key defeat for the trade union movement. A slow recovery may be seen after 1995. 1979-1997 Conservative governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major : difficult times for trade unionists

47. 1997

49. 1997-2010 : the Labour governments under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown Some reforms make union recognition easier. If 40% of employees in a firm vote in favour, the employer must negotiate with the union A minimum wage was introduced for the first time BUT The Labour government endorsed the concept of labour flexibility. New Labour was keen to keep the unions at arms length.

50. Margaret Thatchers slogan had been « no more beer and sandwiches at number ten. » Tony Blairs slogan concerning the unions was « fairness but no favours ». David Cameron warned union leaders 'Don't try taking me on'

51. 2010-2011 Coalition government under David Cameron 2011 has seen some of the biggest public sector strikes for many years

52. On the 30th November 2011, there may be millions of people on strike over pensions.

68. Strike days in Britain 1975-2009

69. Statistics from the TUC, September 2011