Why did trade unions suffer setbacks in
Why did trade unions suffer setbacks in the period up to 1906?
In the 1870s there was the growth of new unionism which meant the growth of trade unions for unskilled workers. This meant that all of the cheap labour that the employers took for granted now had a voice and wanted change. The majority of employers didn’t want this change because all of the cheap labour benefitted them. In the lead up to 1906 there were a series of events that caused the employers to clamp down and battle the trade unions which made it difficult for the trade unions to progress and grow in power.
The employers worked together as a force to battle the trade unions and in each industry they formed groups which battled the growing trade union power. One group that formed was the National Free Labour Association which was made up of employers who had the shared belief that they should be able to have workers without unions. They were a massive group and at one point had 850,000 members which was a force to be reckoned with. This group displayed its power when it defeated the Dockers union in the Hull dock strike of 1890. In this event the National Free Labour Association used naval boats to support the employers who were trying to stop the strike and they successfully defeated the union. The trade unions suffered many setbacks in the form of striking due to the united power of the employers who formed groups against them.
The trade unions also suffered setbacks because their tactics were no longer effective, the employers combatted their strike action with blackleg labour and lockout schemes which proved to be very effective. In 1891 the Federation of Master cotton spinners locked out employees who went on strike and refused to accept their pay cuts. This was used again in 1897 by the Lancashire cotton mills and coalfield employers. Both events forced the workers to accept the pay cuts despite most workers already living in poverty. This was a definite setback for the trade unions because
In the 1870s there was the growth of new unionism which meant the growth of trade unions for unskilled workers. This meant that all of the cheap labour that the employers took for granted now had a voice and wanted change. The majority of employers didn’t want this change because all of the cheap labour benefitted them. In the lead up to 1906 there were a series of events that caused the employers to clamp down and battle the trade unions which made it difficult for the trade unions to progress and grow in power.
The employers worked together as a force to battle the trade unions and in each industry they formed groups which battled the growing trade union power. One group that formed was the National Free Labour Association which was made up of employers who had the shared belief that they should be able to have workers without unions. They were a massive group and at one point had 850,000 members which was a force to be reckoned with. This group displayed its power when it defeated the Dockers union in the Hull dock strike of 1890. In this event the National Free Labour Association used naval boats to support the employers who were trying to stop the strike and they successfully defeated the union. The trade unions suffered many setbacks in the form of striking due to the united power of the employers who formed groups against them.
The trade unions also suffered setbacks because their tactics were no longer effective, the employers combatted their strike action with blackleg labour and lockout schemes which proved to be very effective. In 1891 the Federation of Master cotton spinners locked out employees who went on strike and refused to accept their pay cuts. This was used again in 1897 by the Lancashire cotton mills and coalfield employers. Both events forced the workers to accept the pay cuts despite most workers already living in poverty. This was a definite setback for the trade unions because