Trade Unionism 1800s

Question 1

What was the combination act of 1825

Answer 1

• defined the rights of trade unions as meetings to discuss wages and conditions, making anything else illegal

Question 2

What were new model unions

Answer 2

• a group of skilled workers- engineers, carpenters and tailors etc- who had power as if they striked, their employer would suffer
• they wanted simply to negotiate improvement from within
• help trade unions gain support of government
• inspired match girls’ strike 1888 and docker’s strike 1889

Question 3

Who were the Tolpuddle martyrs?

Answer 3

• farm labourers from Tolpuddle who formed a union to negotiate better pay and conditions
• the 6 men met under a tree, and broke the law by taking an oath to keep their union secret
• sentenced to 7 years transportation to Australia

Question 4

What did Tolpuddle martyrs’ arrest lead to?

Answer 4

• Public uproar, with march at Copenhagen fields where roughly 100 thousand attended, including Robert Owen
• in march 1836, all 6 men were given full pardons, showing power of trade unions

Question 5

Why did Match girls go on strike in 1888?

Answer 5

• Young girls worked in Bryant and May match company factories with very poor conditions- many fell ill and many’s jaws rotted due to phosphorus
• women payed poor wages- 40p a week for women and 20p for girls

Question 6

Who was Annie Besant?

Answer 6

• Journalist who helped organise match girls strike, publicised them as ‘White slaves of London’
• asked for higher wages for women
• wrote articles in support
• held public meetings

Question 7

Result of Match girls strike

Answer 7

• Employers agreed to Beset’s terms
• first successful strike by unskilled workers

Question 8

Reasons for dockers strike 1889

Answer 8

• Poor pay and working conditions
• didn’t have secure working days- would just turn up to see if they were needed, and often went days without work

Question 9

actions of Dockers

Answer 9

• Led by Ben Tillet
• Encouraged strikers to march through London carrying rotten vegetables and fish heads
• picketed gates of London docks to stop ‘blackleg labourers’ taking their work

Question 10

Result of dockers’ strike 1889

Answer 10

• gained support of Lord Mayor of London and the public
• £30,000 donation from Austailain Unions helped support movement
• Dock owners gave men their Pay rise and guaranteed 4 hr day