Trade Unionism PART 3 Flashcards
Trade union
- a group of workers or members of companies who group together for collective unity or representation
—>sometimes pay money so that voices are heard
How the industrial revolution changed the lives of workers
- before ID in the medieval times workers had joined workers guilds to control wages and conditions businesses were small so most worked alongside employers
- work down my machines so demand for skilled workers decreased
The luddites
-would deliberately vandalise machinery in hope that employers would turn away from new technology but this did not have desired effect
Swing Rioters
-angered by depression brought by napoleonic wars and by new threshing machines that took their jobs so vandalised farm machinery
1825 Combnination Act
Combination Act
-trade unions could do nothing other than hold meetings to discuss wages and conditions
-no picketing or intimidation allowed this was a way of wearing the perceived threat of trade unions
-
1833– Robert Owen and the GNTCU
- Robert Owen a mill owner in Scotland set up the GNCTU(grand national consolidated trade union )
- saw workers buy in bulk to sel on to other cooperative shops and share profit
- 500,000 members within a week
- short lived as factory workers had different grievances to miners
Tolpuddle martyrs
- small village in Dorset
- new farm machinery meant less workers needed
- leader George loveless and 5 other men arrested in 1834
- did not commit a crime by being in a trade union but did swear to an illegal oath
- crime did not matter but the message to the public that no trade unions were allowed was clear
Public reaction to tolpuddle martyrs
-Robert Owen angered and in 1834 called a meeting and 10,000 people arrived at Copenhagen fields
-William Corbett also supported
14ty March 1836 government reluctantly gave all 6 men a free pardon
1837
- Scottish friendly association of Cotton spinners
- took militant action if demands were not met
- ran out of funds and leader arrested
New Model Unions
- a union of highly skilled men
- ASE algamated society of engineers 1851
What was new about new model unions
- highly skilled men
- could afford to pay for sick pay and other benefits
- did not want to destroy the structure they worked in
- negotiated rather then going on strike
- allowed trade unionism to grow in support and by 1870 they could picket for rights
New unionism
- success of new model unions only benefitted affluent workers
- angered unskilled working class population
- matchgirls strike 1888 and dockers 1889
Matchgirls strike 1888
Why
What
Consequences
-breathes in white phosphorous causing ‘phossy jaw’
-money deducted form wages in 1882 for statue of prime minister William Gladstone
-20 p a week for girls and 40p for women
-fined if they did not work hard enough
WHAT
—————-
-gained support from journalist Annie Besant
-she published ‘white slaves of London’ calling for a boycott of matches made at Bryant and Bay
—->1400 workers attended
-besant held public meetings and marched women to parliament wrote articles and Lao registered the. For strike pay
CONSEQUENCES
- employers agreed to demands and conditions improved
- use of white phosphorous did not end for 10yrs despite Besant campaigning for the use of the less toxic red phosphorous
Significance of match girls strike
- proved that through strike opinions could be heard
- female led movement stepping stone for suffragettes
Dockers strike 1889
Why
WHY
- London dockers worked hrs for little pay
- wanted wage rise from 5 pence to 6 pence and hour and 8 pence for overtime (TANNER)
- wanted guaranteed 4hr day
