Government Response To New Model Unionism

Question 1

What was the government response pre 1850?

Answer 1

Anti trade unions, believed employers helped the growth of industrialisation

Question 2

What was the general government response to unions after 1851?

Answer 2

Due to them being more national scale, it forced government to take notice of them

Question 3

Why did NMU improve government response to unions?

Answer 3

More conservative, which meant the government were more open to listen to demands

Question 4

Why did the growth of skilled unions force governments to listen?

Answer 4

Government were dependent on these skilled workers, so were forced to listen to maintain industrial growth

Question 5

What act was passed in 1859, and what did this entail?

Answer 5

Molestation of Workmen Act 1859 - gave more rights to those who protested peacefully

Question 6

Why can government legislation be argued to not be beneficial to trade unions after 1850?

Answer 6

Most acts passed only removed the unfair elements which the government had implmented before , especially the 1867 Act

Question 7

Why else were government more open to trade unions after 1850?

Answer 7

Those with Political ambitions were forced to listen, as movements like the London Trade Council could mobilise thousands of votes in parliament

Question 8

What other interest did many trade unionists have?

Answer 8

Interests in reform franchise - meant they could gain more rights if had more political influence

Question 9

Why was the 1865 election important for unions?

Answer 9

Increase in liberal MPs - led to passing of the 1867 reform act

Question 10

What was set up in 1867 as a result of the reform act?

Answer 10

1867 Royal Commission

Question 11

What did the 1867 ReformAct give which was significant for unions?

Answer 11

Votes to skilled working men - this meant parliament were more interested in unions

Question 12

Why was the 1867 Royal Commission set up?

Answer 12

To monitor treatment of workers -investigated in Sheffield

Question 13

How was the Royal Commission significant for unions?

Answer 13

During their investigation on whether reform was needed in work, they listened to both employers and unions

Question 14

What did the Royal Commission write as a result of their investigations?

Answer 14

Minority Report (full legislation) and Majority Report (only some legislation)

Question 15

Which Royal Commission report did the government favour ?

Answer 15

Minority report - full legislation

Question 16

Which act was passed in 1871, and what was the significance of this?

Answer 16

Trade Unions Act 1871, meant Trade Unions were legal

Question 17

What were the Sheffield Outrages 1866?

Answer 17

A series of violent actions undertaken by members of the Saw Grinders Union

Question 18

What events occurred in the Sheffield Outrages 1866?

Answer 18

Explosions were set off and the murder of employers who sought to use cheap labour

Question 19

What did the investigation into the Sheffield Outrages discover?

Answer 19

William Broadhead, the secretary of the Saw Grinders’ union had paid 2 workmen £5 to murdered an employer named Linley after he sought to abuse cheap labour by employing more apprentices