Parties and Factions in Trade Unions

Abstract

Political change in the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union during 1960‐80 is examined and the role of “parties” (legitimate and permanent groups) and “factions” (non‐legitimate and transient groups) in unions is discussed. Whether the presence of specifically “party competition” may be used to distinguish democratic unions from non‐democratic ones is questioned, demonstrating that factions may attain legitimacy, supposedly the key distinguishing attribute of parties. Secondly, it is argued that electoral outcomes and group fortunes may be crucially affected by autonomous shifts in membership goals rather than determined by the relative organising ability of elite group leaders (as is usually assumed). The spread of compulsory secret ballots may stimulate greater efforts to influence elections but also engender less stable groupings. Finally, no necessary connection is detected between the citizen as voter and the trade unionist as voter.