Re: Its a corporation, not a cooperative
I remember the 70's and industrial action beyond then
Lots of PR convinced lots of the public the unions were too powerful.
..As was said, just like now, lots of inept short term management / lack of investment.
Lots of union bashing laws brought in.
The UK workforce now has the consequences of that - zero hours contacts, dismal conditions for many in low end jobs (e.g. Amazon, Sports direct warehouses have been well publicised)
Love how so many of the pro Brexit take back control ideology folk were pro destroying Miners strike* as it destroyed coal self sufficiency (and allowed lots of cheap coal imports without accusations of taking UK jobs as UK mining jobs had already been wiped out)
* classic lions led by donkeys scenario, Scargill was a muppet, totally out manouvered by the government, the workers at the coal face suffered the consequences.
Yes I know miners strike was mid 80s but it was essentially the final curtain on union power