Unionism and Co-operation: Unions and Their Opponents Flashcards
Why were Trade Societies originally established?
To protect the rights of the skilled workers
What were some features of the early Trade Societies?
Localised, not class based, only concerning a single trade
Name a key example of a Trade Society
London Printers, who in 1793 petitioned for an increase in their fees, had 539 signatures (it was granted)
Who were knobsticks?
The workers who couldn’t afford to strike/needed to work, therefore ruining the effect of strike action. Some were physically attacked (eg. the Grinders Union Strike in Sheffield)
In what year were miners in the North involved in a huge strike?
1765
The French War in ____ encouraged Unions to grow because….
1793, There was economic discontent as food prices grew
In Wigan, weavers established a support group in what year?
1799
By May 1799 how many branches did the Association of Weavers have in Lancashire?
14
The Combination Acts ___ and ____ were only repealed in ___
1799 and 1800… 1824
The first Union of Unions was ______ established in 1818
The Philanthropic Hercules/Society
Why did the early attempts at a union of unions fail?
Because of bad structure and couldn’t surmount realities and requirements
In 1829, John Doherty established what two organisations? How long did each last?
The Grand General Union of the Operative Spinners of Great Britain, and the National Association for the Protection of Labour (both lasted less than 2 yeas)
In what year were there major strikes in Lancashire including multiple industries?
1818- only ended after 5 arrests
In what year was The Grand National Consolidated Trades Union founded?
1834
What were the failures of The Grand National Consolidated Trades Union?
It encouraged use of ‘The Document’ by employers and failed to support strikes by it’s members (eg. 1834: 1,500 mill workers went on strike and lost money), as well as having little regulation of funding (of 1 million members only 16,000 paid subs)
