British Trade Unions, 1707-1918, Part II, Volume 6

Drawing from a variety of libraries and archives, this collection brings together material to illustrate the history of the development of trade unionism and industrial relations. It spans the period from the early journeymen's trade societies as they emerged in the 18th-Century through to the end of the First World War. Part II, Volume 6 spans 1881-1899.

W. Hamish Fraser

Volume 6: 1881-1899 Trade union organisation spread among groups of unskilled workers and women workers amongst whom unionism had previously tended to be ineffective and sporadic. With socialist ideas influencing some of the most active leaders there was a demand for a legislative imposition of an eight-hour working day. Disputes tended to be on a larger scale and more embittered, with employers trying to claw back some earlier gains. John Burnett, 'Trade Unions as a Means of Improving the Conditions of Labour', The Claims of Labour. A course of lectures delivered in Scotland in the summer of 1886, on Various aspects of the Labour Problem, edited by James K. Oliphant (1886); James Bartley, The Eight hours movement: the 'points' of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress issued by them to the Trades Unionists of the United Kingdom, in regard to the Eight Hours Movement (c.1886); Benjamin Tillett, 'The Dockers' Story', English Illustrated Magazine (1889); John Burns, 'The Great Strike', New Review (1889); Henry Hyde Champion, The Great Dock Strike in London, August, 1889 (1890); George Shipton, 'Trade Unionism, New and Old', Murray's Magazine (1890); 'Trade Unionism. Replies to Mr George Shipton', Murray's Magazine (1890); Eight Hours Movement: Speech by Mr H H Champion, at Eight Hours Demonstration held at Aberdeen, on 17th May, 1890, Under the Auspices of the Aberdeen United Trades Council (1890); Maltman Barry, The Labour Day. An address delivered to the Trades Council of Aberdeen, on August 12, 1890, and now published by them (1890); Eva Gore Booth, Women Workers and Parliamentary Representation (1890); James Mavor, The Scottish Railway Strike 1891: A History and Criticism (1891); William Whitefield, The Miners' Eight Hours Bill (1891); Harry Quelch, Trade Unionism, Co-operation, and Social Democracy (1892); Lady Emilia S Dilke, Trades Unions for Women (1893); Clem Edwards, 'The Lock-out in the Coal Trade', Economic Journal (1893); William Smart, Miners' Wages and the Sliding Scale (1894); Leonard Hall, The Old and New Unionism. Being a Reply to a Leaflet entitled, 'To Hell with Trades Unionism' (1894); London Society of Compositors Socialist Group, Socialism and Trade Unionism: Wherein do they differ? (early 1890s); Robert Blatchford (Nunquam), The Living Wage and the Law of Supply and Demand. A Letter to Colliers. Dedicated to B Pickard, M P (1893); J M Ludlow, 'The National Free Labour Association', 'Notes and Memoranda', Economic Review (1895); The Case of Temperton v. Russell and others (1895); Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Notes on the engineering trade lock-out, 1897-98. (1898); Free Labour Frauds. A Study in Dishonesty. Reprinted from The Critic (1898)