Successes of Trade Unions

Question 1

London Printer’s Association

Answer 1

1793 – London Printer’s Association - Early unions were looking after their own skilled trades, in 1793 – petitioned their masters for an increase in their fees given the rising cost of living, 539 signatures in support of their demands and this was one of the first shows of unity to generate sufficient concern from their employers

Question 2

Association of Weavers

Answer 2

1799 – The Association of Weavers, rising food prices from war with France in 1793 increased trade unionism, by 1799 weavers in Wigan organised themselves into an association to strengthen their hand in seeking a stop to wage reductions, they had 14 branches in Lancashire by May of 1799, there was a growing sense of mutual support especially as well regarded workforce

Question 3

Combination Acts

Answer 3

1799-1800 – the Combination Acts made trade unions effectively illegal, you could get a 3 month prison term for anyone found guilty of organising them, although unpopular it actually helped them to grow, primarily a reaction from France – calmed down in 1815, their removal signalled a desire to encourage outlets for workers to register their problems

Question 4

Philanthropic Hercules (London)/Philanthropic Society (Lancashire)

Answer 4

1818 – 1st effort at creating a general ‘union of unions.’ Sought to unite the working class from across all trades, however, they were unable to establish a core group and therefore were short lived. 5 of their leaders were arrested following strike actions that year

Question 5

Master and Servant Act

Answer 5

1823 – Master and Servant Act, showed a strong connection between employers and government, made the breaking of a contract an offence punishable with imprisonment, from 1857-1875 – on average 10,000 prosecutions each year in England and Wales

Question 6

Grand General Union of the Operative Spinners in GB and Ireland/National Association for Protection of Labour/John Doherty

Answer 6

1829 – Grand General Union of the Operative Spinners in GB and Ireland, National Association for Protection of Labour, John Doherty in 1829 established the above after trade unions became legal (following the repeal in 1825), each lasted less than 2 years but did show a growing determination to organise trade unionism along broader lines

Question 7

When was the Grand National established?

Answer 7

1834

Question 8

How many members did the Grand National have?

Answer 8

1 million

Question 9

Cons of the Grand National

Answer 9

• Presented a united organisation of workers but led to the widespread use of ‘the Document’ by employers
• Tended to be focused on their own trade interest rather than the wider concerns of all workers
• Not enough funds as it relied on subscription fees – only 16,000 had actually paid the fee

Question 10

Derby workers

Answer 10

• 1834
• 1500 mill workers were locked out of their place of work for failing to abandon their union
• Despite hold out for 4 months, they had to go back to work as funds from the Grand National were poor

Question 11

When was the Amalgamated Society of Engineers set up?

Answer 11

1851

Question 12

Importance of the ASE

Answer 12

• Became the most important trade union after 1850 and most prominent in the country
• Created by the binding of 3 smaller organisations – Old Mechanics, Steam Engine Makers Society and the General Smiths - large membership
• Its aim was to reassert and protect the rights of skilled labour, therefore semi-skilled or unskilled professions were still left to fend for themselves
• William Allan, the general secretary, adopted a rigid admin system

Question 13

ASE - membership payments

Answer 13

Membership had a tax imposed on its members for the specific purposes of securing strike pay rather than voluntary donations – this generated substantial sums of money which amounted to more than £12,000 by 1852

Question 14

ASE - London Builder

Answer 14

They went on strike seeking a reduction to their working day in 1859-60, and 3 separate donations of £1000 to the builders strike fund which enabled them to hold out for six months and get a compromise from employers - effectiveness of membership system

Question 15

When was the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners (ASCJ) established?

Answer 15

1860

Question 16

Importance of the ASCJ

Answer 16

• Ideals adopted by ASCJ – would become just as powerful as ASE
• The leaders of the unions, Robert Applegarth (ASCJ) and William Allan (ASE) believed in negotiation rather than militancy which offered compromise and made them more likely to win over the government and employers

Question 17

Royal Commission

Answer 17

• 1867 – this was established to decide on whether to improve the legal status of unions. However, under existing laws trade unions were not granted full legal rights
• The commission heard from employers as well as unions about the benefits of the unions especially amalgamated societies and a majority report suggested a degree of legalisation with some restrictions, which included the separation of strike funds from the general fund, and powers of veto on certain union rules relating to employer practices. Minority report suggested no such limitation and simply recommended full legalisation together with the protections that went with it, including the security of their funds

Question 18

Work of the Liberals

Answer 18

The Liberal government favoured the minority report and were consequently presented to parliament and formulated into the Trade Union Act which was passed in 1871. Now entirely legal!

Question 19

When was the Trades Union Congress (TUC) established?

Answer 19

1868

Question 20

Understanding across Britain of the importance of united trades unions?

Answer 20

• There was an effort to create a united trades union by George Potter, a carpenter from London who was also editor of the trade union paper ‘The Beehive’
• William Dronfield also got involved after a paper he gave to the middle class ‘National Association for the Promotion of Social Sciences’, which defended trade unions, failed to be published

Question 21

TUC - leaders and affiliates

Answer 21

Dominated by the leaders of the ASE and ASCJ and amassed more than 100,000 affiliates by 1866

Question 22

Sheffield Meeting

Answer 22

Sheffield Meeting was arranged by Dronfield – meeting produced the United Kingdom Alliance of Organised Trades which promised to bind unions in mutual support but collapsed in 1867 due to problems of finance

Question 23

Establishment of TUC - 1868 Meeting

Answer 23

Another meeting took place in June 1868 was attended by 34 delegates representing more than 118,000 members of unions from across the country and agreed to establish the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and to hold a meeting every year to discuss issues of importance to the labour movement