19th Century Workers Movements Flashcards
Causes
Before the Industrial Revolution work was based on crafts which took years to learn. Workers since Mediaeval times had formed guilds. Businesses were small, and work was generally fair and conditions good.
As machines took over many craft jobs became less skilled. Wage competition meant if someone had a grievance they would just be asked to leave.
Industrialisation separated employers and workers. Rather than a feeling that they shared a common interest, there was a “class” division.
Attitudes to workers had changed due to events like the French Revolution (1789) which spread fear that workers would revolt against the rich.
There were institutions called friendly societies where every member contributed money to the society each week, and could withdraw it if they hit a hard time. Trade societies were organisations in which specialist craftsmen formed a group to control the quality and prices of their goods. Some responded with violence: the Luddites were groups who destroyed factory machines, in the Swing Riots, farms and agricultural machines were set on fire.
Methods
Robert Owen set up the Grand National Consolidated Trade Union GNCTU in 1833 to build a cooperative movement with shops that shared profits amongst workers. It began to fall apart as different types of workers had different grievances.
New Model Unions. These were set up from the 1850’s. They were unions for skilled workers. For workers who were more well off and could afford higher union dues. They were moderate in their outlook, they wanted to negotiate for improvement. They accepted the structure they worked in and did not want to destroy it. e.g. Amalgamated Society of Engineers formed in 1851.
In 1871 Trade Unions were made legal and picketing was also made legal.
In 1893 the workers created their own political party - the Labour Party.
In 1833 farm workers in Tolpuddle in Dorset formed a union when their employer tried to cut their wages. The leaders were arrested, not for being in a union, but for getting members to sign a secret oath of loyalty. This was illegal. The government was worried about unions and wanted to make an example. The leaders were sent to Australia for 7 years of hard labour, a punishment known as transportation. Meetings and protests were held and the government reversed the decision. 800,000 signatures were collected for their release. Their supporters organised a political march, and all were eventually pardoned in March 1836. This demonstrated the government feared unions.
In 1888, women and girls striked from Bryant and May Factory in London. The conditions in the factory were poor and many of the women because ill, often from poisonings by the chemicals in the matches causing phossy jaw -if you survived, you were disfigured for life. They were also paid poor wages and frequently fined. They went on strike with the help of Journalist - Annie Besant - who called for a boycott of the Matches factory and many workers supported the strikes.
Besant helped at meetings with management and terms were formulated: fines would be abolished, grievances from now on could be taken straight to management without having to involve the foreman, who often prevented management from knowing about the complaints. Meals were to be taken in a separate room so that they would not be contaminated with phosphorus. The strike ended.
1889 Dockers’ Strike. This occurred in London. Life for dockers was uncertain. Their work was dependent on trade. If there were no, or fewer, big shipments, they could not work. They wanted to secure at least 4 hours of work a day. They wanted a wage rise from 5 pence an hour to 6 pence an hour, the Dockers tanner. The strike was led by Ben Tillet who organised huge public meetings, and huge peaceful marches. They picketed the gates of the London docks, to try and stop ‘blacklegs’, labourers entering the dock to work. London docks were closed, the public was sympathetic. There was a donation of 30,000 from unions in Australia to support strike action. The dockers received their pay rise and a guaranteed four hour day.
Outcomes
Long Term: The treatment of the Tolpuddle martyrs helped the cause of Unions, it inspired others to keep up the struggle for better lives for working ordinary people.
The matchgirls had proved it was possible for unskilled workers to organise a strike and for the strike to succeed. First successful strike by unskilled workers
The Dockers strike was another unskilled workers victory and inspired others to fight for their rights.
Increased popularity of unions
Short Term: Union membership increased
Both showed how they got what they wanted
