Albion I understand what you mean about the man from the ministry wandering in. I can remember when they popped in for a cup of tea and get any juicy gossip. These days they only seem to come in all guns blazing once they have their evidence.
As for unions it’s only my experience of them that made me bitter and twisted.
Can you imagine 30 to 40 years ago pulling onto a dockside or car manufacturers site in a plain motor and telling them you are zero hours contract with an agency.