British unions must defend their right to strike – and become better at it | Andy Beckett

Rightwingers exaggerate union power with a view to curbing it further. The modern, insecure workforce cannot afford to let that happen

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Four decades after the winter of discontent, after Margaret Thatcher’s government and its successors gave Britain some of the most draconian anti-union laws in the world, and long after unions were further weakened by self-employment, individualism and political apathy, it is still surprisingly easy to find yourself on the receiving end of industrial action.

Related: I’m a cleaner on GWR trains. We’re striking because we’re treated unfairly | Anonymous

Related: Don’t complain about the strikers – they’re only doing what we all should in 2017 | Paul Mason

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