TUs 1846-85

Question 1

How were the very first TUs different to how we see TUs today?

Answer 1

They were made up of skilled workers who could pressure employers and negotiate successfully. They encouraged their members to protect themselves by getting educated and saving for hard times. They acted as Friendly Societies, using their members weekly subscriptions to provide benefits when they were ill or could not find work. They generally avoided conflict with employers, using persuasion rather than strikes to win improved conditions

Question 2

How did unions grow into something more national in the mid 19th century?

Answer 2

As railways and postal services allowed workers to keep in touch with other workers across the country, they formed truly national organisations. 20th century historians called these ‘new model unions’

Question 3

Give two examples of these ‘new model unions’

Answer 3

• Robert Owen’s GCNTU
• The Amalgamated Society of Engineers

Question 4

When was the Amalgamated Society of Engineers founded?

Answer 4

1851

Question 5

What are the estimated membership figures for TUs in 1870?

Answer 5

Around half a million members, roughly double the amount in 1850