Trade Unionism 1800s Flashcards

1
Q

What was the combination act of 1825

A
  • defined the rights of trade unions as meetings to discuss wages and conditions, making anything else illegal
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2
Q

What were new model unions

A
  • a group of skilled workers- engineers, carpenters and tailors etc- who had power as if they striked, their employer would suffer
  • they wanted simply to negotiate improvement from within
  • help trade unions gain support of government
  • inspired match girls’ strike 1888 and docker’s strike 1889
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3
Q

Who were the Tolpuddle martyrs?

A
  • farm labourers from Tolpuddle who formed a union to negotiate better pay and conditions
  • the 6 men met under a tree, and broke the law by taking an oath to keep their union secret
  • sentenced to 7 years transportation to Australia
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4
Q

What did Tolpuddle martyrs’ arrest lead to?

A
  • Public uproar, with march at Copenhagen fields where roughly 100 thousand attended, including Robert Owen
  • in march 1836, all 6 men were given full pardons, showing power of trade unions
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5
Q

Why did Match girls go on strike in 1888?

A
  • Young girls worked in Bryant and May match company factories with very poor conditions- many fell ill and many’s jaws rotted due to phosphorus
  • women payed poor wages- 40p a week for women and 20p for girls
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6
Q

Who was Annie Besant?

A
  • Journalist who helped organise match girls strike, publicised them as ‘White slaves of London’
  • asked for higher wages for women
  • wrote articles in support
  • held public meetings
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7
Q

Result of Match girls strike

A
  • Employers agreed to Beset’s terms
  • first successful strike by unskilled workers
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8
Q

Reasons for dockers strike 1889

A
  • Poor pay and working conditions
  • didn’t have secure working days- would just turn up to see if they were needed, and often went days without work
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9
Q

actions of Dockers

A
  • Led by Ben Tillet
  • Encouraged strikers to march through London carrying rotten vegetables and fish heads
  • picketed gates of London docks to stop ‘blackleg labourers’ taking their work
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10
Q

Result of dockers’ strike 1889

A
  • gained support of Lord Mayor of London and the public
  • £30,000 donation from Austailain Unions helped support movement
  • Dock owners gave men their Pay rise and guaranteed 4 hr day
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