Trade union membership has fallen around the world, an International Labour Organization report says.

But strikes and other forms of union protest retain the power to disrupt and draw attention to workers' complaints, as the French truckers strike proved.

Trade-union membership fell to less than 20% of workers in 48 out of 92 countries surveyed. In France, it is 9.1%.

The collapse of communism in eastern Europe caused some of the sharpest drops in unionisation. In many eastern bloc nations, union membership was virtually compulsory.

Unionisation rates in Estonia went down 71% and in the Czech Republic 50%. Germany's relatively high drop during the 1985 to 1995 period was largely caused by East Germany.

But Jean-Michel Servais, the report's main author, said unions' power "cannot be measured merely in terms of the number of members, particularly if membership refers only to those who regularly pay their dues."

A trucker at a picket line

He said: "The French union movement is one of activists rather than of members.

"The capacity of the French sindicats to mobilise non-members in support of a cause is still very significant."

The report also points to trade union campaigns that lead to the introduction of codes of conduct by companies such as Nike and Gap.

Union membership strongest in Nordic countries

In Britain, 33% of workers are union members. Despite the anti-union changes introduced by the Conservatives, Britain is still more unionised than many industrialised nations.

Germany follows closely with 29% of workers in unions.

Spain has 19%, despite decades of right-wing government opposed to unions.

In the United States, where labour organisations have traditionally been weak, membership is now 14%.

However, the Nordic countries easily retain the lead. In Finland, 79% are union members and in Sweden 91%. However, industrial action in those countries is very rare.

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