Power and the people - Workers' movements Flashcards
1
Q
what is a trade union?
A
the organised association of workers that exists to protect the rights and conditions they work in
2
Q
what was the effect of the industrial revolution on workers?
A
- work that had been previously done at home or in workshops was moved into factories
- due to wage competition, if someone had a grievance about their wages or working conditions, they would simply be invited to leave, and someone else would be ready to take their job
3
Q
who were the Luddites?
A
- the Luddites were a group who fought against the changes in the industry
- they would deliberately break machinery in the hope that factory owners would turn away from technology. This did not have the desired effect
4
Q
who were the swing rioters?
A
- the swing rioters were angered by the depression in agriculture after the Napoleonic wars, and by the new threshing machines that took their jobs
- they set fire to farms and damaged machines
5
Q
What was the Combination Act of 1825?
A
- after a wave of strikes in 1824, the Combination Act of 1825 was passed
- this defined the rights of trade unions as meetings to discuss wages and conditions
- it also stopped picketing
6
Q
what was picketing?
A
standing outside or near a workplace and trying to persuade other workers not to enter the workplace
7
Q
What was the Grand National consolidated Trade Union?
A
- Robert Owen, a mill owner in Scotland, was a keen supporter of workers’ rights
- He set up the Grand National consolidated Trade Union in 1833
- This was a cooperative movement which brang everyone together. Within a week, they had 1/2 a million members
- However, this success was short-lived, as, in reality, different workers had different grievances
8
Q
What were the New Model Unions?
A
- In 1851, a new type of union was set up: The Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE). This was a union of highly skilled men who could afford to pay weekly subscriptions
- this meant that they received sick pay and other benefits
- because they were skilled, they could strike and it would be difficult for their employer to replace them
- By 1870s, the government gave trade unions legal status + they were allowed to picket for their rights
9
Q
Why was New unionism formed?
A
- the success of the new model of unions had only benefited the more affluent workers
- during the 1880s, the working class organised themselves, this was called new unionism
10
Q
what were the causes of the matchbox girls’ strike of 1888?
A
- The conditions in the Bryant & May factory in London were poor and many of the girls and women working there became very ill; some even died. the most common illness was “phossy jaw”
- the workers were paid poor wages, around 20 pence for a girl and 40 pence for a woman
- In 1882, money was deducted from their wages to fund a new statue of Prime Minister William Gladstone. The women had had enough and decided to go on strike
11
Q
What was “phossy jaw”?
A
- this was caused by the white phosphorus that was used to make the matches light
- the chemical caused their jaws to rot, meaning their teeth fell out.
- Those who survived the illness were left with disfigured faces
12
Q
What was the role of the journalist, Annie Besant?
A
- she helped to organise the strike action and supported the workers
- the strike quickly caught the attention and sympathy of the general public
- Besant organised the women’s grievances in a publication: “white slaves of London”. With it, she called for a boycott of the matches made at Bryant & May
- when one refused to deny the claims made by Besant, she was dismissed from her job. As a result, a further 1400 workers came out in support of the strike
13
Q
What did Besant do as a result of the increased support?
A
- she asked for higher wages for the women and registered them for strike pay
- she wrote articles in support of the women
- she held publics meetings to raise awareness of the match factory conditions
- she marched the women in a procession to the Houses of Parliament
14
Q
What was the effect of the matchbox factory strike?
A
- the employers agreed to the demands and removed the system of deductions and fines
- the matchbox workers were also given a pay rise, this was the first successful strike by unskilled manual workers
15
Q
What changes did the dockers want?
A
- they wanted a wage rise from five pence to an hour to six pence
- they also wanted eight pence an hour for any overtime work
- they would regularly go days without work -just turning up in the morning to see if they were needed -> they needed to change this and wanted to secure at least four hours a day
