Poll shows workers ready to get organised against Tories

The YouGov investigation found that, despite Tory leader David Cameron's claim that unions "have less relevance in a modern Britain," workers still strongly believe that unions are essential to push back against bosses in the workplace.

More than 46 per cent of the 2,000 people across Britain who were interviewed for the survey - released by TUC think tank Unions 21 - insisted that "unions have a future," while only 19 per cent disagreed.

And by a wide margin, workers declared that the main reason why unions are necessary was to use "collective strength" to defend and improve their working conditions.

Representation when individual workers faced being disciplined was also given as a strong reason to join a union, as was the legal backing promised to workers enduring sexual or racial discrimination.

Unions 21 chairwoman Sue Ferns hailed the poll for "confirming that workers believe that there is a future for unions in Britain whoever wins the general election.

"The results also demonstrate that there are plenty of opportunities to build on and strengthen union membership," she added.

TUC national organiser Paul Nowak pointed out that, no matter what the Tories claimed, workers needed unions to "make sure that changes in the workplace are negotiated, rather than imposed.

"We also know that people who work in unionised workplaces are paid more," he added, explaining that government figures showed how union members get paid as much as 15 per cent more than non-unionised staff.