GCNTU (1834)

Question 1

What led to an upsurge in the number of small TUs?

Answer 1

The repeal of the combination acts in 1824

Question 2

Why was the fact that they were small separate entities detrimental?

Answer 2

It meant that they had little influence and could be easily quashed when threatened with job loss by employers

Question 3

What idea developed as a response to this problem?

Answer 3

That national unions, each representing a particular trade, would have more resourced and be able to demand better wages and conditions

Question 4

How did Robert Owen take this idea further?

Answer 4

He attempted to unite all individual TUs under the banner of a central organisation called the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union

Question 5

What was the goal of the GNCTU?

Answer 5

To fight against recurrent economic crises and unemployment and work towards Owen’s vision of a cooperative commonwealth

Question 6

Describe its early success

Answer 6

Within a few weeks it had a membership of over half a million, with each member paying one shilling

Question 7

How would the organisation be structured?

Answer 7

In each district a trade would be represented by a local branch, and link in to a local umbrella branch, which would report to a centrally run grand council

Question 8

Why was Owen arguably the wrong man to lead a potentially large, strong labour movement?

Answer 8

Because his vision of a society that replaced private control with working ownership terrified the government

Question 9

Why was Owen apprehensive about calling a general strike?

Answer 9

Because he naively thought he could strike a deal with the capitalist factory owners

Question 10

Why did it not matter that the organisation looked good on paper?

Answer 10

Because in pratcise communication between the branches was poor

Question 11

Why did some of the bigger unions of mainly skilled workers pull out?

Answer 11

Because they did not want to submerge their identity with the largely unskilled rabble

Question 12

Give some examples of professions that pulled out

Answer 12

Spinners and potters

Question 13

What were there widely differing opinions about among the leaders?

Answer 13

Whether or not to go ahead with a general strike

Question 14

What did it suffer from an acute shortage of?

Answer 14

Funds

Question 15

How did employers react swiftly?

Answer 15

They drew up ‘The Document’, which required their workers to swear they were not members of the GNCTU

Question 16

What did refusal to sign mean?

Answer 16

Instant dismissal

Question 17

What prompted the government to take immediate firm action to break the organisation and suppress unionism?

Answer 17

Outbreaks of machine breaking and rick burning in the south, not necessarily connected with the GNCTU, and strikes across the country

Question 18

What could happen to members of any TU?

Answer 18

The could find themselves before a magistrate on the slightest pretext

Question 19

What convinced many to withdraw support?

Answer 19

Knowledge of the conviction of a group of agricultural labourers seeking union membership

Question 20

What had happened to the scheme within months?

Answer 20

It had collapsed

Question 21

Why did TUs suffer in 1837?

Answer 21

A deep recession set in, in such times many workers could not even afford the smallest union subscription, and membership fell away

Question 22

What did these former TU members do instead?

Answer 22

They turned to political chartism and joined the calls for universal male suffrage

Question 23

Who were the Tolpuddle Martyrs?

Answer 23

They were a group of agricultural workers from Dorset who had set up a branch of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Workers who were made an example of

Question 24

What happened to these Tolpuddle Martyrs?

Answer 24

They were convicted on the rather spurious grounds that they had taken oaths in secret, and this was interpreted as subversion. Six of the group were prosecuted and transported to Australia for seven years

Question 25

What was the consequence of this?

Answer 25

The unreasonably harsh punishment prompted a well coordinated campaign led by William Lovett, and they were pardoned and were allowed to return to Britain