Laws Protecting Working People Flashcards
List acts that helped the working people.
1906 - Trades Disputes Act - Unions were now protected from being sued if there were damaged during strikes
1908 - 8 Hour Day - 8 hour working day for miners introduced
1909 - Labour Exchanges - equivalent of job centres set up to help people find jobs. One million jobs were found through the exchanges
1910 - shop workers were given half a day off every week
1911 - MPs started getting paid - men could start standing to be MP of their area
Summarise Part 1 of the National Insurance Act of 1911.
- Helped with Health Insurance
- Paid for sick pay
- Was a contributory scheme, and the government contributed too
- It covered those earning less than £160 a year
How much did everyone pay into the national pot?
- Workers paid 4 pence a week
- Employers paid 3 pence a week
- Government paid 2 pence a week
What were people paid when on sick pay?
- 10 shillings a week for male workers if they were ill for more than 4 days
- They were also entitled medical attention from a doctor
What about women?
- Women didn’t pay as much in or get as much out because they earned less anyway
- Were paid 7s 6p a week sick pay
- Were given a one off maternity grant of 30 shillings
How were doctors involved? And who organised the scheme?
- Names of workers on the NI scheme were put on a list called the Doctor’s Panel and doctors were paid a sum by the gov for the amount of people on the list
- Scheme was organised by friendly societies, trade unions and private insurance companies
Why did the scheme cause controversy?
- Conservatives said the gov had no right to force people to pay from their wages
- Many socialists said there should be higher taxes on richer people instead of workers having to contribute
What is a friendly society?
- A voluntary society where members paid a subscription in exchange for financial and medical help if became sick
What did Part 2 of the NI Scheme do?
- Unemployment benefit for workers in shipbuilding, iron founding and construction
- Because these were industries regularly out of work for weeks at a time
How much did people have to pay?
- Employers and employees had to pay 2 1/2 p a week
- Gov paid 1 3/4 pence a week
How much was paid to them in unemployment?
- Paid 7 shillings a week for up to 15 weeks in any one year
- Payment started on the second week of unemployment
What did the Trade Boards Act do?
1909 - Winston Churchill and William Beveridge put this together to help “sweated industries” like tailoring, lace-making and cardboard box making
- Workers were often women and foreign immigrants
What did the trade boards do?
- Consisted of equal numbers of employers and employees and a neutral chairman
- Decided the minimum wage for certain industries
- Employers paying less than their trade board recommendation could be fined
- Inspectors ensured the Act was put into practice
- By 1914, half a million people were covered by trade boards
