Unionism And Cooperation Flashcards
When were the Rochdale Pioneers established?
1844
When was the Trade Union act get passed?
1871
When did Robert Owen take over at New Lanark?
1799
When was the Co-operator Newspaper Published?
1827
How many trade societies did the Chartists represent?
70 trade societies in 1838
What four factors were reasons for the growth in trade unions?
• The Factory System
Like minded workers collected in one area
• Government Policies
Laissez Faire and The combination act (1799) banned trade unions
• Protection For Workers
Between 1750-1850 britain’s population grew from 6 million to 17 million.
Workers became replaceable
• The French Revolution
Rising food prices and national debt
What was a strike fund?
Money set aside by a union to cover the lack of wages during a strike
How long did the 1818 strike last? Why did it end?
- Four Months
* Five members were arrested
When were the combination acts repealed?
1824
How many members did the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union have?
Had over one million members before 1834
How many members of the ‘Grand National’ union paid the fees?
16,000 of the One million members.
Not enough for large scale strikes
What did employers use to prevent unions?
‘The Document’ in which employees had to sign, renouncing their commitment to any unions
When the Mill Workers in Derby failed to leave their union what happened?
In 1834, 1500 mill workers were locked out of their workplace until they left the ‘Grand National’ Union
What was New Model Unionism?
Set up to protect skilled workers.
Passive and used diplomacy, strikes were a last resort
When did New Model Unionism emerge?
1850
What was the ASE and when was it set up?
The Amalgamated Society of Engineers in 1851
What was the aim of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers?
Support for skilled workers
How many members did the Amalgamated Society Of Engineers have?
12,000, made up of workers around the country
What was an advantage of the Amalgamated Society Of Engineers?
Their skilled members were often well paid. Generating the ASE income.
In 1852, they had £12,000 p.a
What was ASE’s contribution to the London Builder’s Strike in 1859-60?
- Gave three donations of £1000, enabling them to hold out for 6 months
- Forcing a compromise with their employers
What is a limitation of early trade societies?
Too local, looked after their own industry only
What was a knobstick?
Someone who undermined a strike, through working.
Commonly irish
By 1832, how many cooperatives were there?
500
What were the three levels of a worker in the 1700s
Apprentice, Journeryman and Master
Who was the Leader of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers?
William Allan
What did the Friendly Societies do?
Supplied welfare to workers
1/3 of the population had this insurance
How much did Britain’s population increase from 1750-1850
6 Million - 17 Million
During which years did Robert Owen run New Lanark?
1799-1828
When were the Tolpuddle Martyrs arrester? And what was their crime?
1834 and swearing an oath to try and improve their wages
How long was the working day in New Lanark?
12 Hours
How did Robert Owen encourage workers to work harder?
Coloured blocks above their work station
What was the TUC?
The Trade Union Congress set up in the 1860s.
By 1874, how many workers had joined a trade union?
Over 1 Million
Where did early trade societies often meet?
Local Pubs
What did the Master and Servant act of 1823 do?
It made breaking contract an imprisonable offence.
If a strike resulted in the inability to complete work as a breach of agreement it could result in prosecution
Between 1857-75 how many prosecutions were due to the master and servant act?
10,000 per year, showing a growth in trade unionism
What was the reaction to the Tolpuddle Martyrs?
An 800,000 person petition delivered to parliament, protesting their sentence.
What did The Molestation of Workmen Act 1859 achieve?
Gave rights to workers who picketed peacefully
However the term “peacefully” was subjective to the courts.
What made New Lanark unique?
- No children employed under 10
- Reduced child working day to 10 hours
- Schooling was offered to both adults and children. To aid in building character.
What did Robert Owen believe in?
- Motivation through building character
- All union should unite into the “Grand National Consolidated Trade Union with over 500,000 members.
- Cooperative stores
What was unique about cooperative stores?
Employees owned shares of the business and so were motivated through their wages being based on the business’s success.
Where was New Lanark?
Scotland
What proved Richard Owen’s kinder approach was a success?
In 1834 he maintained annual profits of £300,000
What was the Co-operator?
A newspaper from 1827 that managed a large readership and advertised the ides of co-operation
Who visited New Lanark in 1816?
The Tsar Of Russia Grand Duke Nicholas
What were the Rochdale Pioneers?
A society that formalised the model of Co-operative business
What were the rochdale principles?
The ideals for a cooperative:
• Money is provided by the Pioneers with fixed interest
• Market value products
• Women can be members
• A percentage if profit goes to education
When did the Grand National collapse?
1835
What were limitations of New Model Unionism?
- Too many small and localised unions
- Strike funds and administrative bodies were hard to maintain
- More national unions, tended to concentrate on one trade
