UNIONISM + CO-OPERATION Flashcards
(29 cards)
what is a trade union
- workers from the same industyr binding together as one force
- in the interest of protecting their rights ( collective bargaining)
what is co-operative movements aka friendly societies
- groups of people that come together to promote the welfare of its memebrs
- mutual progress
origins of unionism
- unionsim began in 17th C in the form of trade societies ,which tried to provide basic protection for their memebrs
what were the membership of trade socieites
- highly skilled artisan working class
limitations of early trade societies
- too local
- only interested in looking after their own industry and no one else
what were knobsticks
- ## individuals who worked during strikes
why were knobsticks highly disliked
- the main strength of trade socieites lay in the concept of collective bargaining and threat of withdrawal
-best way to stand up to emploeyrs was to strike as they couldnt make monye
why was there a growth in trade unions
expanding population
adoption of facotyr system
-napoleonic wars
adoption of free trade capitalism
why was there a growth in trade unions : expanding population
- more people lookin for work (1800 = 10 milly 1830 30 milly)
- abundance of people meant people were easily replaceable and could be fired easily
- no secuirty of tenure meant people had to come together
why was there a growth in trade unions : adoption of factory system
- shift from cottage industryto facotry industry meant artisan workers were threatned
- worse working conidtions
- everyone doing the same thing resuluted in a colllective consoiunesses
why was there a growth in trade unions : napoloenic waes 1793-1815
- economy was in deseray and paired with poor harvest made pople despertae, people had to come together
- 400k demobalised soldiers coming back lookign for work but there was none
why was there a growth in trade unions : adoption of free trade capitalism
- profit became the sole purpose so workers had to defenend themselves
- laissez fiar introduced by adam smith attitdues meant no gov intervnetion even in unfair working conidtions
1800 combination act
- outlawed trade unions, aimed at supressing worker empowerment
- gov was worried due to french revoltuon
1824 combination act
- repealed the 1800 act lead to an upsurge in trade union activity
-wave of strikes
1825 Amending Act
- implimented in reaction to the surge of protests due to the 1824 act
- made striking and forming trade unions harder
what does the gnctu stand for
grand national consilidated trade union
what was the gnctu
- most successful organisation that network unions before 1834
-but was short lived
-early attempt to unite all trade unions in birtain
how many members did the gntcu have
1 milly
impact of the gnctu
-presented the impression of a united organsation of workers that conveyed the effect of working class solidarity
- generated the widespread use of the document
who founded the gnctu
robert owen
what was the document
- employers forced employeers to sign it which meant they couldnt join a trade union
why was the gnctu short lived
- only 16k out of the 1 milly members payed membership fees meaning it couldnt effectively fund itself (strike fund)
-the document
-lacked support from 3 biggest unions (potters, spinners, builders)
when were the tollpuddle martys
1834
what were the tolpuddle martyrs
- whig gov arrested 6 agricultural tolpudle labourers
-sentanced to 7 years in a penal colony (bus)
