Growth Of Trade Unions

Question 1

What were trade unions like early on?

Answer 1

Focused on skilled workers - (I.e cobblers,printers and mechanics)

Question 2

Why were early trade societies ineffective?

Answer 2

Small so had little impact, migrants could be brung in to work during strikes

Question 3

What was a closed shop?

Answer 3

Business who only employed members of trade unions

Question 4

What did the London Printers do in 1793?

Answer 4

Formed a petition to increase wages, 593 signed, degree of unity able to concern employers and achieve their aims

Question 5

Who were knobsticks?

Answer 5

People who carried on work when trade unions would strike, reduced effectiveness of unions

Question 6

What did trade unions seek to do, showing improvement from trade societies?

Answer 6

Organise workers into achieving one collective aim (I.e better working conditions)

Question 7

How were trade unions able to grow early on?

Answer 7

Due to the free trade ideology, employers were often seen to exploit workers to increase potential profits

Question 8

What occured in 1793 which further increased support for trade unions?

Answer 8

Napoleonic war

Question 9

What impact did the Napoleonic war have in 1793 and after to increase support for trade unions?

Answer 9

Raised food prices which increased economic unrest, wages also became an issue for all workers

Question 10

Why did industrialisation cause trade unions to grow?

Answer 10

Increase of factory systems, which resulted in a shift from cottage to factory industry - employers left sympathy for workers as less communication so less relationship

Question 11

Why did conflicting values of employers and workers influence trade union growth?

Answer 11

Employers were profit driven so wanted to pay workers less to increase profits, workers wanted to improve wages - government failed to intervene to benefit workers due to laissez faire ideology

Question 12

By what rate did population grow between 1750-1850?

Answer 12

17 million

Question 13

Why was population growth creating an issue for trade unions?

Answer 13

Increased supply of labour meant workers could be easily replaced if they went on strike

Question 14

What was set up in Lancashire in 1799, and what did this show?

Answer 14

Weavers Association (14 branches) - showed growth of unions as weavers were skilled labour

Question 15

Why was there a need for trade unions to become larger scale?

Answer 15

Trade societies were becoming ineffective as smaller movements had little impact due to population growth

Question 16

What strikes can be seen as an early example of trade unions?

Answer 16

1810 and 1818- strikes by spinners in Lancashire - in 1818 it threatened a nationwide stoppage - ended by arrest of 5 members

Question 17

What was the general reason for the growth of trade unions?

Answer 17

Trade societies becoming more ineffective so need for a broadened movement, free trade ideology meant employers exploiting workers and need for change

Question 18

What other developments allowed growth of trade unions?

Answer 18

Developments in the postal service and rail networks improved communication (1826- 1st railway line)