Unionism and Co-operation Flashcards
(24 cards)
Who made up early trade societies?
Skilled tradesmen (cobblers’ printers, and mechanics)
What were the aims of early trade societies?
Protect their trade and bargaining hand as industrial workers grew in number
What early trade society had success in 1793?
London printers- 539 signed petition calling for raise to match living costs (successful)
What were knobsticks?
Workers who continued to work during a strike (often Irish immigrants)- were verbally and physically attacked
How did the factory system influence the growth of trade societies?
Increased demand for workers
Gave workers sense of importance and value to employers
Lots of workers- feelings of unity
Threatened artisan workers (who band together)
How did lack of government interference influence the growth of trade societies?
Entrepreneurs and business owners controlled business on their own- exploitation of workers- needed to band together for protection
How did war with France influence the growth of trade societies?
Promoted a more universal approach to worker rights
Food prices increased (calls for higher wages)
What were the features of early trade societies?
Small and local, skilled tradesmen
Why were early trade societies ineffective?
Knobsticks- men didn’t strike and were attacked for not striking
Strike funding inept
Always people to hire in place of strikers (eg Irish immigrants)
How did population grow between 1750-1850?
From 6 million to 17.5 million
Which trade unions were set up in 1818?
London- Philanthropic Hercules
Lancashire- Philanthropic Society
Why did the philanthropic trade unions only last one year?
Had no central groups for organisation
Which trade unions did John Doherty setup?
1829- Grand General Union of Operative Spinners in Great Britain and Ireland
1830- National Association for the Protection of Labour
What were the strikes in Lancashire, and how were they successful?
1810 4 months (spinners) 1818 (spinners and weavers as well as clliers and machine makers)
Showed trades coming together (led to 5 arrests)
When was the Gran National Consolidated Trades Union (GNCTU) set up? How long did it last?
1834- 1 year
How was the GNCTU successful?
It had 1 million members of a variety of trades
How was the GNCTU a failure?
Only 16% (16,000) paid the membership fee (funding bad- when 1500 mill workers tried to strike, they lasted 4 months before renouncing union and giving up); led to introduction of the Document by employers; only lasted 1 year
What was the Document?
Employers used it so workers agreed not to partake in a union or they would lose their job
How did the government respond to the growth of trade societies?
Combination Acts
1799- sped up judicial process, 3 month prison sentence for union members
1800- allowed appeals in local court sessions, negotiations in wage disputes
Why were the Combination Acts repealed in 1824?
No longer threat from events in France Acts failed- unions still around Some wanted to encourage expression of workers Economic prosperity (food prices 1/3 lower, GDP higher by 16.8%)
Why did Wigan weavers form an association in 1799?
Increasing living costs, wanted to stop wage reductions
How successful were the Wigan weavers?
They had 14 branches in Lancashire and actually put pressure on the government
What was the Master and Servant Act?
An attempt to stop trade unions- made breaking a contract punishable with imprisonment- included striking
How much impact did the Master and Servant Act have?
On average there were 10,000 prosecutions a year
