Now I am a union man (now that would make a catchy song) and would love a closed shop
Is it not a little a little hypocritical to talk of democratic rights while holding an aspiration that would deny workers a democratic right to not be part of a union?
The abolition of closed shops, voting by a show of hands and the enforced political levy was a massive step forward in UK industrial relations and allowed the country to move away from the industrial blackmail the so characterised the 1970's. Amongst other legislative measures it broke the power of the overmighty union barons. As a union member, I am saddened to hear that there is still a yearning within the union movement for a return to the bad old days of the 1970s when the unions were instrumental in making British Manufacturing Industry what it is today - extinct.