1 / 9

The Role of Trade Unions in Changes in Employment and Working conditions

The Role of Trade Unions in Changes in Employment and Working conditions. Trade Unions – Reasons for increase 1888-1918. Success of TUs encouraged increase in membership Semi and unskilled workers joined in large numbers High employment figures meant more members between these years

damian-house
Download Presentation

The Role of Trade Unions in Changes in Employment and Working conditions

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Role of Trade Unions in Changes in Employment and Working conditions

  2. Trade Unions – Reasons for increase 1888-1918 • Success of TUs encouraged increase in membership • Semi and unskilled workers joined in large numbers • High employment figures meant more members between these years • Preparation for WW1 meant rise in production therefore , rise in membership • During WW1 women in industry boosted membership

  3. The Growth of Trade Unions before the 1880s • Main function of Trade Unions was to improve hours of work, pay and safety. • Unions were small, local and ineffective.

  4. The Growth of Trade Unions 1880s – 1918 • Trade Unions contributed to the formation of the Labour Party in the 1890’s. • The party represented the interests of working class people • British trade union membership increased from 750,000 in 1888 to 2 million in 1900 and over 4 million by 1914. • During WW1, union membership doubled, women becoming more actively involved.

  5. Industrial Unrest 1880s – 1918 More unskilled workers were encouraged to join unions. Many strikes between 1900 – 1914. Less successful when unemployment was high, employers not willing to negotiate WW1 meant end of many strikes except on “Red Clyde side”, in 1919 40,000 workers in Clydebank took part in general strike.

  6. The 1920s and 1930s • Unemployment soared during economic depression. • Trade Union membership fell from 8 million in 1920 to 4 million in 1933. • In the late 1930s trade unions began to grow again as the country prepared for war. • Unions were formed in new and growing unions.

  7. Trade Unions in WW2 • Cooperated with the government during WW2. • Union membership increased during the war, unions gained improvements in working conditions in war work. • Working people expected further improvements in working conditions in post-war Britain.

  8. Trade Unions 1945 – 1980s

  9. After WW2 Britain faced major competition from abroad. Unions opposed any reduction in the number of workers. Unions gained improvements in pay and conditions through negotiations in the 1950s and confrontations in the 1960s and 1970s. Trade Union membership fell at times of high unemployment. Workers became unwilling to take strike action in case they lost their jobs.

More Related