Trade Unionism - The Unions During WW1 Flashcards
What are TUs?
A trade union is an organisation that represents workers – the purpose is that by representing groups of workers, rather than the workers standing individually, they can use collective bargaining to pressure for better pay or conditions for the workers – the principle is that if all of the workers make the same demands, with the threat of workers striking if employers refuse to negotiate, than employers are more likely to seek compromises
Examples of TUs working together - The formation of the TUC?
The TUs worked together on occasions – in 1868, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) formed in Manchester – this acted as an administrative and organisational council to help the unions work together – it had no formal power but could act as an organisation to speak up for different unions
TUs during WW1 - What happened just before WW1 and why?
Immediately before WW1, industrial conflict began to increase significantly – this was partly over the same issues of pay and working conditions of previous decades, but also over the issue of syndicalism a socialist concept of replacing the ownership and management of factories with syndicates, or committees, of workers
TUs during WW1 - What were workers beginning to believe?
Workers were beginning to believe that they could improve not just their economic situation, but their social situation by industrial rather than political measures
Examples of WW1 improving the conditions of the labouring classes - What did enlistment lead to?
The enlistment of 5 million men from a workforce of 15 million left the remaining workers, especially skilled workers, in a strong bargaining position – EG in 1918, 200,000 miners in South Wales went on strike – even though this broke wartime industrial rules, Lloyd George was forced to negotiate and agree to many demands in order to get them back to work
Examples of WW1 improving the conditions of the labouring classes - How did bonuses work during the war?
Bonuses given to workers in some key trades like dock workers were fixed sums rather than %s, and benefited the least well paid
Examples of WW1 improving the conditions of the labouring classes - Significance of Labour in Asquith coalition gov?
The inclusion of Labour in Asquith’s 1915 coalition gov strengthened the TU voice in gov
Examples of WW1 improving the conditions of the labouring classes - Assess the need for extended conflict post war?
This shows that there was relatively little need for extended conflict by the TUs – generally, the wartime unions showed a spirit of patriotism and cooperated with gov, which improved their relationship with gov - so although membership rose to just over 5 million, the unions were less important during WW1
Creation of the Triple Alliance - Who was the Triple Alliance between?
As TUs became more active, the need for alliances was apparent – one important alliance formed between 1914 and 1915 – this was between the National Transport Workers Union, the National Union of Railwaymen, and the Miners Federation, and became known as the Triple Alliance
Creation of the Triple Alliance - Was it a strong alliance?
It was not a strong alliance, since it rested more in suspicion of the aims of employers and each other than on genuine support – however, it did present a strong national front for the TUs since they agreed to sympathy strike to support each other
The revival of TUs post WW1 - What increase post war?
Post war, conflict increased between TUs and employers
The revival of TUs post WW1 - What did gov and employers want and what Act passed this?
Gov and employers wanted a return to pre-war business practices – the 1919 Restoration of Pre-War Practices Act obliged employers to end war employment rules
The revival of TUs post WW1 - What gave the TUs confidence?
Successful wartime actions by unions in Clydeside has given confidence that the TUs could be a strong political force
The revival of TUs post WW1 - TU membership at the end of the war
At the end of the war, TU membership fell by about 20% to 4.3 million, but this was still stronger than the average pre-war membership
The revival of TUs post WW1 - What put pressure on the economy post war?
British trade failed to return to pre-war levels as they had lost dominance in the foreign markets – this put pressure on the whole economy
