In labour economics and industrial relations, inclusive unionism is most commonly practiced by which type of trade union organisation?

Introduction / Context:
Trade union structures are often classified into craft unions, industrial unions and other forms. Exam questions in business environment and labour laws frequently ask about which unions follow inclusive or exclusive approaches to membership. Inclusive unionism broadly refers to unions that seek to organise all workers in an industry, regardless of their specific occupation or skill, rather than restricting membership to a narrow group. Understanding which type of union follows inclusive unionism helps in analysing bargaining power and labour relations patterns.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The topic is trade union organisation in the context of labour economics or industrial relations.
• Inclusive unionism is contrasted with more restrictive or exclusive approaches.
• Options mention industrial unions, professional and semiprofessional employees, craft unions and small skilled worker unions.
• We assume the standard textbook definitions of industrial and craft unions.

Concept / Approach:
Craft unions typically organise workers who share a specific trade or skill, such as electricians, carpenters or bricklayers. Their approach is more exclusive, focusing on protecting the interests of a narrowly defined group. Industrial unions, on the other hand, attempt to organise all workers employed in a particular industry regardless of their specific occupation, skill level or department. This broader approach is described as inclusive unionism. Therefore, we look for the option that aligns with organising all workers in an industry instead of a single craft.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that craft unions restrict membership to workers who have a defined craft or skill, for example only skilled bricklayers or only licensed electricians.Step 2: Recognise that industrial unions aim to bring together every category of worker in an industry, such as production workers, clerks and maintenance staff in a steel plant.Step 3: Inclusive unionism means widening membership to include a broad range of workers, not just a narrow professional group.Step 4: Professional and semiprofessional employee associations often represent specific educated groups like doctors, engineers or teachers rather than all workers in an industry.Step 5: Small unions comprised only of highly skilled workers are again more exclusive in nature.Step 6: Therefore, the union type that most clearly practices inclusive unionism is the industrial union.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by thinking about examples. An industrial union in the automobile sector will try to organise assembly line workers, painters, quality inspectors and even some office staff into one large union. This inclusive approach gives the union broader coverage and stronger bargaining power. By contrast, a craft union of only welders is limited to one occupation and is therefore relatively exclusive. This simple comparison between industrial and craft unions confirms that inclusive unionism is associated with industrial unions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b, "professional and semiprofessional employees", refers to a category of workers rather than a union type, and such organisations usually focus on specific professions like doctors or lawyers, which is more selective than inclusive. Option c, "craft unions", by definition organise only members of a particular craft, making them classic examples of exclusive unionism. Option d describes small unions of skilled bricklayers, which again is a form of craft unionism. None of these have the industry wide, inclusive membership base that characterises industrial unions.

Common Pitfalls:
A common confusion is to assume that inclusive means "including professionals" and therefore link it to professional employee associations. However, in industrial relations terminology, inclusive unionism refers to the breadth of membership across all types of workers in an industry. Another pitfall is to think that bigger unions are automatically industrial; size alone is not the criterion. What matters is whether membership is open to all workers in the industry, regardless of job role, which is the hallmark of industrial unions.

Final Answer:
Inclusive unionism is most commonly practiced by industrial unions, which aim to organise all workers within a particular industry rather than only one craft or profession.