Trade Societies, Knobsticks, and Trade Growth

Question 1

What were early Trade Societies interested in?

Answer 1

Protecting skilled trades in their local area rather than all working people

Question 2

What was the reason for the expansion of Trade Societies?

Answer 2

• Emerging factory system created an increased demand for workers
• Expansion resulted in lack of interference by the government in the way employers managed their businesses

Question 3

Who were Trade Societies initiated by?

Answer 3

Skilled tradesmen

Question 4

What is a ‘Closed Shop’?

Answer 4

Employing only individuals who were members of the Trade Union or were in good standing with the union

Question 5

What was emphasis put on in the Trade Societies?

Answer 5

Securing their status within their professions

Question 6

What did they regulate?

Answer 6

The process of apprenticeship within their trade and embarked on an early form of ‘closed shops’

Question 7

What was a prominent trade society group and what did they do?

Answer 7

London Printers, in 1793 petitioned their masters for an increase in their fees given the rising cost of living

Question 8

Were the early societies supported by those in trades and why?

Answer 8

Yes, because of the skills they had they could make improvements and their positions could not easily be replaced

Question 9

What was the result of Trade Societies?

Answer 9

By the 18th century there was already an existing mechanism for workers to bind together in self-protection

Question 10

What did Trade Societies threat?

Answer 10

Withdrawal of labour if their terms were not met

Question 11

What did strikes rely on?

Answer 11

Sense of unity among workers, which was difficult to achieve

Question 12

What was the problem with strikes?

Answer 12

Workers needed pay to maintain their families

Question 13

How were those who continued to work viewed as?

Answer 13

Outcasted as their work affected the success of strike action

Question 14

What could employers do and why?

Answer 14

Find other employees due to Britian’s growing population, draft in immigrants

Question 15

What were the people who did not support the strike action called?

Answer 15

‘Knobsticks’

Question 16

What were trade unions built on?

Answer 16

The provisions of trade societies, but provided a more concentrated level of protection of workers

Question 17

What was different about trade unions?

Answer 17

A more formal affair which organised workers into a collective with the intention of achieving a common aim

Question 18

What was the common aim of trade unions?

Answer 18

Better working conditions or wages

Question 19

What was Trade Unionism a result of?

Answer 19

The free trade mentality which became government policy

Question 20

Why was the growing population an advantage for employers?

Answer 20

If current workers weren’t happy then other workers could easily be found

Question 21

What was the impact of the war with the French in 1793 (Napoleonic wars)?

Answer 21

Created the environment for economic discontent to grow with rising food prices and a greater cost of living

Question 22

What was the impact of the growing population on trade unions?

Answer 22

Issues became a focus for all workers, regardless of skill of industry

Question 23

What happened by 1799?

Answer 23

Weavers in Wigan had organised themselves into an association to stop wage reductions and this practice spread throughout the region

Question 24

What did the Weavers show?

Answer 24

That there was a growing sense of mutual support

Question 25

How did the factory system cause trade unionism to flourish?

Answer 25

Direct lines of communication as the workplace was altogether, rather than the cottage industry where work was done in homes, employers were distanced from their workforce

Question 26

What was the conflicting set of values for employers and employees?

Answer 26

• Profit and productivity
• Fair wages and respect

Question 27

Despite government banning, how did industrialisation cause trade unionism to grow?

Answer 27

Postal services and rail networks allowed for better communications

Question 28

What did trade unionism see a rise in and why?

Answer 28

Militancy, as workers were more organised and, having established a strike fund, could afford to resort to militancy

Question 29

What is an example of militancy?

Answer 29

Major strikes by cotton spinners of Lancashire in 1810 and 1818

Question 30

What was the result of the Cotton Spinners Strike despite failing?

Answer 30

More definitive trade unionism within the 1820s

Question 31

How many members did the GNCTU claim and when?

Answer 31

1 million members, 1834

Question 32

Despite efforts of the GNCTU, why was trade unionism still not a unified force?

Answer 32

Remained a body of independent unions wedded to their own interests rather than a wide concern for all workers

Question 33

What was a reason that the GNCTU failed?

Answer 33

Lack of funds available as it relied on donations from affluent members which were not often paid

Question 34

What did ‘The Document’ allow employers to do?

Answer 34

Sift out union members and secure obedience to their own demands on the threat of unemployment