Growth of Early Trade Union - Explain why early trade unions failed

Question 1

Economic

Answer 1

• 1825 = beginning of a trade depression making it difficult for T/Us to have any impact i.e. people afraid to make trouble in case they lost their jobs
• Cash shortages and improvement in trade e.g. NAPL

Question 2

Political (part one)

Answer 2

• Faced harsh Govt measures and by employers = T/Unionists became discouraged Repeal of the Combination Acts (1824) led to the passing of Amending Act (1825) = severely limited T/U activity e.g. strike action and picketing
• Failure of GNCTU turned workers towards Charism and the ACLL = change of focus for workers

Question 3

Political (part two)

Answer 3

• Failure to coordinate activities e.g. NAPL
• Whig Govt supported JPs who dealt with T/Unionists harshly e.g. Tolpuddle Martyrs (1834)
• Initial limited success of the cooperative movement e.g. London Cooperative Society (1824)
• Anti-Combination Laws than existed from 1799’/1800 - 1824 made T/Us illegal

Question 4

Social

Answer 4

• Local strikes broken by employers using ‘blackleg’ labour

Question 5

Conclusion

Answer 5

Economic reasons