Policy pursued by Education Secretary Michael Gove promises to bring about the first national teachers' strike for a generation. This article reviews the nature and effect of Gove's intensification of academisation, and outlines ways in which edu-business is involved.

The case of a strike against Ford and opposition to building an electronics plant in the United Kingdom illustrates the issues facing companies and unions in adopting Japanese industrial practices. Efficient production arrangements conflict with traditional multiunionism, and bargaining positions sometimes lead to company investment in countries…