Like Tony when i entered the industry it was into a closed shop company. I haven't been a union member since leaving that company. What i remember of that time was basically Good!! I still think there is a more than worthwhile place for trade unions in the work place, they certainly encouraged/ upheld and ensured that apprentice training was second to none at our company along with continuous in-house and external training for it's members.
The main demise of the unions were mainly due to the figureheads at the top, the likes of Scaregall and his type, that thought they were too big to be touched along with the communist element of the larger workforce companies conveners. These larger than life idiots gave Maggie Thatcher all the tools she needed to destroy any good the unions had of the time. Now days the unions are basically just lame ducks that go into any dispute with their hands tied behind their backs!!
German trade unionism is probably the way to go now, they can and do protect their members rights and salaries with minimal disruption. Pity that can't be said about the French counter parts, that still hang on to 60/70's methods of arm twisting company's and governments alike!! lol!!