fhe Fabian Society has published a study of the changes which have taken place in the trade union movement in recent years, The pamphlet, by John Hughes, is the result of over 18 months discussion iby the ¥ Fabian Society's trade union group. The latter, under the chairmanship of Charles Smith, general secretary of the Post Office Engineering Union, is composed of trade union officials, university lecturers, and M.F.s6. The stable T,U.C. membership conceals dramatic changes of membership in individual unions varying from an inevease of 28% in the membership of the Clerical Workers, over the past 5 years, to a decrease of 2%5 in the locomotive Engineers'!, John Hughes believes that when the contracting industries have reached their limit of contraction there will be a large upsurge in T.U.C. membership, Union organisation has been undergol > sweeping changes with more and more members being organised by individual unions on an industrial basis instead of a geographical one, Other develop= ments he notes are: the installation of computers by the Draughtamen and the Engineers, an improvement in trade union magazines (with professional journalis..s being employed in some eases), the increasing use made by unions of their research departments, etc.
The suthor concludes by saying that he believes that this evidence, which shows that the trade unions sre meeting the challenge of the times, gives everyone hope for the future, The pamphlet, entitled Chanse in the Trade Unions, may be obtained from the Fabian Society, 11, Dartmouth St., London S.W7. 1., price 3/9 post paid,