Though some sort of trade union organization (viz. guild) existed in Britain even before the emergence of capital­ism, but the trade union movement in the modern sense was the direct outcome of the emergence of capitalism and the inequalities which followed in its trail.

The labourers felt that the remedy of this inequality lay in union of the workers with identical interest. The French Revolution of 1789 with its slogan of ‘liberty equality and fraternity” provided a further impetus to the workers to fight for their rights. However, the government fearing that the echo of the French Revolution may not be felt in England enacted a number of laws forbidding combination among workers for the purpose of raising wages, reducing of working hourse, or striking to enforce their demands. As a result, the trade unionism in England became illegal.

Certain secret organization of workers continued to operate in the form of friendly societies and were ultimately given legal status in 1793. In the meanwhile demand was also raised for the repeal of the Combination Acts. This demand was conceded by the Parliament in 1824 and the workers were permitted to form societies.

The strikes were also legalized. But in view of the large number of strikes in the year 1826, the govern­ment enacted a fresh Act which restricted the use of the right of combina­tion and strike. It forbade the use of force, intimidation, threats etc. However, as the employers could still prosecute the workers, the trades union’s rights were rendered greatly ineffective.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

In the late fifties of the nineteenth century, the trade unionism in England underwent a change. The trade union abandoned their revolu­tionary and socialistic aims and started concentrating on the improvement of workers conditions. The idea of organizing general union of all classes of workers’ was given up in favour of national unions of workers in a par­ticular trade.

In 1851 the Amalgamated Society of Engineers was founded which became the model for other unions. In the subsequent years the trade union movement grew stronger and the government enacted a num­ber of laws by which the funds of the trade union were protected. The unions were permitted right of peaceful picketing. In short, by 1875 the unions came to acquire a respectable position in the eyes of law.

In the last quarter of the nineteenth century the trade union movement in England grew stronger and even unskilled workers formed trade unions. The growth of socialist thinking also greatly strengthened the trade union movement.

Workers of different shades of opinion came closer and started asserting that it was the duty of the state to provide sickness, unemployment and old-age benefits. In 1893 a political party known as Independent Labour Party was formed to protect the interests of the workers. Thereafter the trade union movement steadily grew stronger.