Trade unions Flashcards
(150 cards)
What was the position of workers at the start of 1865
They were limited in what the could negotiate with employers and unions that did exist were small and exclusively for skilled workers
What did employers have no obligation to do in 1865
Recognize the existence of Labour unions or their right to negotiate on behalf of their members to improve working and living conditions
How much did worker numbers increase from 1860-1900
From 885,000 to 3.2 million
Where did production move during industrialization
Into factories, with manufacturing practices becoming a series of repetitive and monotonous tasks
What was the purpose of small craft unions in 1865
They opposed employers attempts to reduce wages and provided sickness benefits for their members
What was the strength of small craft unions
They were a closed shop- they only admitted craftsmen
What was the issue with an increasingly large workforce as a result of industrialization
They had no representation or protections from exploitation by employers
What did the situation of industrialization prompt Labour leaders to realize
That there was a need to organize Labour on a larger scale if the worst evils of industrialization were to be avoided and the rights of workers to be established and recognized
William H. Sylvis
One of the leaders first to promote idea of working class solidarity
What was Sylvis the president of
The Iron Moulders’ International Union
What did Sylvis call for
A convention of workers leaders in 1866, from which came the national labor union
National Labour union
An attempt to form a single association that would cross craft lines and draw mass membership
What did the national Labour union call for
An 8 hour day, currency and bank reform, the end of convict Labour, a federal Labour department and immigration restrictions, particularly of the Chinese
What cause did the NLU also promote
Working women
Who did Sylvis encourage to form organizations
African Americans, but separate from the NLU
What was the impact of the failed strike of the iron founders
This wreaked the position of the NLU but didn’t deter membership
How many members were there of the NLU by 1868
300,000
After the failed iron founders strike, what did Sylvis recognize?
That the only way Labour rights could be established was through political reform
What was the impact of Sylvis’ death
It prevented further change and marked the demise of the NLU
What was disappearing by the 1880s
Traditional skills, meaning men and women workers were becoming increasingly unskilled and low paid
What proportion of the workforce was women by 1890
35%
What did the expansion of the factory system create
An unprecedented demand for unskilled Labour
What system did industrialists use
The contract system to hire unskilled workers
How much did unskilled workers make in the late 1870s
1/3 of that of skilled workers - bricklayers earned $3 a day whilst unskilled labourers earned $1.30
