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There has been little agreement about how to describe the forms of employment regulation adopted by New Labour governments from 1997 to 2010. It is often assumed that policy relating to women and employment falls under the broad heading of ‘partnership’ or ‘voluntary pluralism’. This rests on the view that female workers’ interests were articulated by trade unions and brought into the sphere of policy formulation through a process of dialogue via labour market organizations representing employers and employees; it also refers to the influence of European Union’s ‘social partnership’. The article instead views employment regulation during the New Labour years as hybridized, and subject to party management of unions. It argues that Labour could have done more to ‘call organized business’s bluff’ to strengthen work–family measures or equal-pay legislation. Its reluctance to do so led to missed opportunities for progressive social change, despite gains made by women within the Labour leadership circle and trade-unionists at key junctures.
