Trade unions

The right to organise

The Combination Acts of 1799 made trade unions illegal for the first part of the 19th century. Some of the earliest pamphlets in the collection concern these laws. For instance, the London Trades Combination Committee published "Combinations defended: evidence to a Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry into combinations of employers and workmen", 1838, (HD6/158), M(PAMPHLETS 189), The Labour League published a tract on the "Necessity of union" in 1849, (HD6/312), M(PAMPHLETS 191) and J. Jones wrote "The bad effects of combinations of workmen, in the town and neighbourhood of Bolton Le Moors", 1823, (HD6/377), M(PAMPHLETS 192). J. Loveless (one of the Tolpuddle Martyrs) wrote a narrative of their transportation ordeal in 1838, (HD6/D351).

The arguments on both sides continued into the 19th century with "Evils of collective bargaining in trades unions" by T.S. Gree, 1898, (HD6/8), M(PAMPHLETS 187), "Labour's right to combine" in the face of intimidation by the London and North Western Railway Company, published by the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, 1897, (HD6/125), M(PAMPHLETS 188) and "Trade unions: are they consistent with the laws of political economy" a paper to the Birmingham Society of Artisans, 1896, (HD6/327), M(PAMPHLETS 192). The founding document of Trades Union Congress, "Report of the Conference of Trades Delegates of the Working Mens' Association of 1867" is held at HD6/521, M(PAMPHLETS 196).

The issue of union recognition continued into the 20th century. J.R. Macdonald wrote "Trades unions in danger" in 1912, (HD6/C82). The Trades Union Congress and Labour Party issued "The attack upon trades unionism", 1922, (HD6/266), M(PAMPHLETS 191), Harold Laski and E. Benn "The Trades Disputes and Trade Unions Bill", 1927, (HD6/C99), and in memory of the early days of trades unionism-Walter Citrine wrote "The Tolpuddle Martyrs: how the TUC will commemorate the Dorsetshire labourers' cententary", 1934, (HD6/269), M(PAMPHLETS 191). The Trades Union Congress also issued "Plain words to the wage-earner: why every worker should be a trades unionist?", 1928, (HD6/D319).

"New unionism" and syndicalism

The "new unions" founded at the end of the 19th century involved the organisation of unskilled workers. They were a new form of organisation compared to the craft unions of the mid 19th century, which had operated like friendly societies. The new unions relied upon strike action to achieve their aims. Their members did not have skills to protect. Revolutionary ideas such as syndicalism, the idea that the workers should take over the running of industry, also gained support amongst some trades unionists.

Tom Mann and Ben Tillett wrote "The "new" trades unionism", 1890, (HD6/440), M(PAMPHLETS 194), E. Allen of the Industrial League wrote "Revolutionary trades unionism", 1909, (HD6/446), M(PAMPHLETS 194) and P. Kurinsky wrote "Industrial unionism and revolution", 1914, (HD6/A25). The report of proceedings of the Triple Industrial Alliance (miners, dockers and transport workers) of 1917 is held at HD6/B182).

Pamphlets on syndicalism are in many different languages. Examples include "Le syndicalisme revolutionaire" by E. Berth, 1930, (HD6/15), M(PAMPHLETS 187), "Der moderne franzosische Syndikalismus" by A. Acht, 1911, (HD6/25), M(PAMPHLETS 187) and "Sindacalismo" by F. Carnelutti, 1928, (HD6/117), M(PAMPHLETS 188). H. de Jouvenel wrote "Pourquoi je suis syndicaliste?", 1928, (HD6/B17) and V. Codovilla "El movimiento sindical y la union nacional", published in Buenos Aires in 1942, (HD6/B72). The Confederation Generale du Travail Syndicaliste Revolutionaire published "Les buts et l'organisation du syndicalisme revolutionnaire", 1936, (HD6/B281). Sidney and Beatrice Webb wrote "Examen de la doctrine syndicaliste", published by the Parti Socialiste in 1912, (HD6/C142).

In the 1950s the Syndicalist Workers' Federation published a series of "Direct Action Pamphlets", including "Workers' control", (HD6/D298), and "What's wrong with the unions: A syndicalist answer", (HD6/D297).

Trade unions and politics

Some of the earliest pamphlets in the collection concern the politics of the labour question. For example: "A few plain questions and a little honest advice to the working people of Great Britain", published in 1792, (HD4/130), M(PAMPHLETS 172), and "The great war between capital and labour and how to emancipate the working class in twelve months", by F. Tustin, published in 1890, (HD6/167), M(PAMPHLETS 189). Chartist, Ernest Jones wrote "The workman and his work", in 1856, (HD4/182), M (PAMPHLETS 173). "What capitalism has done for the worker", written by H.W. Wilson, was published in 1908 by the Anti-Socialist Union of Great Britain, (HD4/D117).

The political influence of trade unions and their links with political parties have been covered from many points of view.

In Britain efforts were made to stop trades unions from financing the Labour Party with the Osborne Judgement of 1911 and the Trades Disputes Acts of 1927. The Library holds "Trade union funds and party politics" written by W. Osborne himself and published by the Anti-Socialist Union of Great Britain, (HD6/272), M(PAMPHLETS 191). Also an organisation called Enemies of the Red Flag issued "Socialism and the Osborne Judgment" in 1910, (HD6/C143). Keir Hardie wrote "The party pledge and the Osborne judgement", 1911, (HD6/D70).

There are a whole number of pamphlets on the position of the trade unions in society. Some examples include "Trade union regulations: the employers' point of view", by Sir H. Bell, 1916, (HD6/7), M(PAMPHLETS 187), "Trade unionism, democracy, dictatorship" by F. Neumann, published by the Workers' Educational Trade Union Committee in 1934, (HD6/150), M(PAMPHLETS 188), "Labour and the community" by Walter Citrine, 1928, (HD6/160), M(PAMPHLETS 181) and "The responsibility of trade unions in relation to industry" by J.R. Clynes, a lecture delivered to the Industrial Reconstruction Council in 1919, (HD6/184), M(PAMPHLETS 189). The links between trades unions and socialism were considered in "Gewerkschafts-Bewegung und politischen Parteien" by A. Bebel in 1900, (HD6/246), M(PAMPHLETS 190) and "Trade unions and socialism" published in 1926 by the Independent Labour Party Industrial Policy Committee, (HD6/C100).

There are a number of pamphlets on the influence of communism within the trades unions: for instance, by Walter Citrine, "Democracy or disruption: an examination of communist influences in the trades unions", published in 1928, (HD6/268), M(PAMPHLETS 191). The General and Municipal Workers Union issued a report on communists and the National Minority Movement in 1928, (HD6/443), M(PAMPHLETS 194) and the constitution of the National Minority Movement, published in 1920 is at HD6/A29. G. Donaghue wrote "Focus on a communist front: the truth about the World Federation of Trade Unions" in 1958, (HD6/C41). "One red union: an account of the visit of a delegation of the TUC to Russia in 1924" is at HD6/C55.

There are also a number of pamphlets on the impact of fascism on the trades union movement, for example: "The fate of trades unions under fascism" by F. J. Gorman, 1937, (HD6/193), M(PAMPHLETS 189) and "Trade union policy in the war against fascism" published in 1942 by the Communist Party of Great Britain, (HD6/348), M(PAMPHLETS 192). There are publications about trades unions under the Nazi regime in Germany, including "Die deutsche Arbeitsfront" by C. Selzner, published in 1935, (HD4/12), M(PAMPHLETS 170) "Der deutsche Arbeitsdienst" by W. Decker, 1937, (HD4/98), M(PAMPHLETS 172), "Labour under Nazi rule" by W. A. Robson, 1940, (HD4/196), M(PAMPHLETS 174) and "How Nazi Germany has mobilized and controlled labour", by L. Hamburger, 1940, (HD4/204), M(PAMPHLETS 174).

Labour in wartime

A number of pamphlets were published on the labour situation during the First World War, when the government adopted a labour policy to replace workers who were fighting in the trenches. These included "War and the workers" by J. Macdonald, 1915, (HD4/16), M(PAMPHLETS 170), "The Munitions Act and the restoration of trade union customs" bY G. D. H. Cole, 1916, (HD4/152), M(PAMPHLETS 173) and "Labour in chains: the peril of industrial conscription" by P. Snowdon, 1917, (HD4/D33). The Joint Committee on Labour Problems after the War Advisory Committee on Labour Problems After the War published "The restoration of trade union customs after the war", 1916, (HD4/151), M(PAMPHLETS 173).

During the Second World War there was an industrial truce under a coalition government and so there were few industrial disputes. Trade unions were often represented, at factory level in joint production committees with the employers. The Trade Union Congress published Trade unions and the war situation", 1942 (HD6/354), M(PAMPHLETS 192) and J. Roper of the Workers Educational Association wrote "Trades unionism and the new social order", (HD6/373), M(PAMPHLETS 192). However there was a Shop Steward Pamphlet Series which campaigned against the wartime industrial truce. One example of these publications was "Engineers in action", (HD4/352), M(PAMPHLETS 176).

The post-war period

The post-war period produced a new industrial climate and J.B. Jefferys wrote "Trades unions in a Labour Britain", published by the Fabian Society in 1947, (HD6/444), M(PAMPHLETS 194). V. Feather wrote "Trade unions, true or false?", 1951, (HD6/472), M(PAMPHLETS 195), and D. Clarke "More about the trade unions" published by the Conservative Political Centre in 1950, (HD6/474), M(PAMPHLETS 195).

Pamphlets anticipating trades union reform in Britain include "After Donovan?: an assessment of the Royal Commission on Trades Unions and Employers' Associations 1965-1968", by A. Marsh, (HD6/A16) and by T. O'Donovan "Above the law?: the case for a Royal Commission on the trades unions", 1960, (HD6/C104). O. Parson wrote "The Tory threat to the unions", published by the Labour Research Department in 1970, (HD6/A36), P. Hampton "The Industrial Relations Bill: a declaration of war", published by the International Marxist Group in 1971, (HD6/A75), LSE Professor B. Roberts "Trade unions: the challenge before them", published by the Industrial Educational and Research Foundation, 1971, (HD6/B162), and J. Henderson "The Industrial Relations Act at work", published by the Industrial Society in 1971, (HD6/B181). Conservative Central Office published "It is a fair deal: the Industrial Relations Act" in 1971, (HD6/B188), and B. Jones "An open letter to the true anti-registration trade union delegates to the TUC", 1971, (HD6/B163). G. Hanson of the Institute of Economic Affairs wrote "Trade unions: a century of privilege", (HD6/B225) and Aims of Industry "Reds under the bed", in 1974, (HD6/B258). The Institute for the Study of Conflict published "Sources of conflict in British industry" in 1974, (FOLIO fHD6/F111).

The Working Together Campaign published pamphlets in the 1970s advocating industrial peace. Ralf Dahrendorf wrote "Conflict and contract: industrial relations and the political community in times of crisis", published by the Foundation for Business Responsibilities, 1975, (HD6/B277). Publications on the industrial relations policy of the 1974-1979 Labour Government include "Trade union responsibilities" by David Basnett, 1974, (HD6/B236) and "Collective bargaining and the Social Contract" published by the Trades Union Congress, 1974, (HD6/B241). "The case against the Social Contract" was published by a group of Independent Socialists, (FOLIO fHD4/F120). "A worker's guide to the Employment Protection Act" by I. Clemiston was published in 1976, (HD4/B129).

Specific trade unions

The collection contains material from a broad range of trade unions, both in the UK and internationally. Unions include the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada, Canadian Brotherhood of Railroad Employees, Amalgamated Union of Cabinet Makers, United Society of Boilermakers, Shipbuilders and Structural Workers, the Typographical Association, the London Trades Council, the Society of the Poor Paper Cryers' (Edinburgh), the National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades' Association, Amalgamated Union of Upholsterers and the Deutscher Holzarbeiter Verband.

The constitution of NALGO (predecessor of UNISON) is at HD6/456, M(PAMPHLETS 194), published in 1914. B. Roberts wrote "The battle for Britain's county workers", 1941, (HD6/293), M(PAMPHLETS 191) and the Municipal Employees Association published "Statement for a union of municipal employees", 1905, (HD6/300), M (PAMPHLETS 191). The rules of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union published in 1941, are at HD6/464, M(PAMPHLETS 194). The Amalgamated Society of Engineers' publication, "Banking and security of the various branch funds", 1868, is at (HD6/316), M (PAMPHLETS 191).

The Amalgmated Union of Building Trade Workers published "The building workers' struggle" in 1955, (HD6/B66). The report of the Conference on the Question of the Amalgamation of Trade Unions in the Distributive Industry, London, 1911, is at HD6/C65. There are a couple of histories of trades councils, for instance "A short history of the Liverpool Trades Council 1848-1948" by W. Hamling, (HD6/D38).

International aspects of the collection

The collection contains pamphlets on the history of the working class and trade union movement throughout the world. Some of these topics and organisations have already been mentioned, but there are areas of particular note.

The collection has many items on the trade union movement in the USA. L. Huberman wrote "The truth about unions", 1946, (FOLIO fHD6/F47). The Public Affairs Committee published "Labour and the New Deal", 1936, (HD4/68), M(PAMPHLETS 171). There are many publications from the Industrial Workers of the World, including "One big union of al the workers", 1920, (HD6/A66). J. Walker wrote "Bloody American capitalism: its murder of labour", published by the Socialist and Labour Press in 1924, (HD4/D69).

The League for Industrial Democracy published "Anti-labor activities in the USA" written by D. Saposs and E. Bliss in 1938, (HD6/245), M(PAMPHLETS 190). Other trades union publications include "You'll get all ten when you join the Amalgamated", published by the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America, 1950, (HD6/A46), "The stewards' job in building the CIO", published in 1953 by the Congress of Industrial Organizations, (HD6/A55) and "How to speak at union meetings " issued by the UAW-CIO, in 1953, (HD6/A67). There are two publications from the International Ladies Garment Workers' Union Educational Department (New York) , "Introducing your union", (HD6/10), M(PAMPHLETS 187) and "Structure and functioning", (HD6/11), M(PAMPHLETS 187), both published in 1934.

An example of the experience of black workers in the USA is "Equal opportunity in the USA" by T. Rees, published by the Runnymede Trust, 1974 (FOLIO fHD4/F84).

The German labour movement is also widely covered from its early years through its destruction in the Nazi era to the post war reconstruction. Early examples include "Die deutsche Gewerkschaftsbewegung" by C. Legien, 1911, (HD6/D307). Some later examples include "Project for the reconstruction of the German trades union movment" published in 1944 by the Trade Union Centre for German Workers in Britain, (HD6/363), M(PAMPHLETS 192) and by H. Gottfurcht "The trade unions in a new Germany", (HD6/365), M(PAMPHLETS 192). A. Karl wrote "Die deutschen Gewerkschaften und die internationale Gewerkschaftsbewegung", 1949, (HD6/B226).

There are a significant number of pamphlets on trade unions in the former Soviet Union. For instance: "New functions of the Soviet trade unions" by N. M. Shvernik, 1933, (HD6/2), M(PAMPHLETS 187). Also there are pamphlets on conditions of work in the factories of the 1930s. These include "The protection of labour in the USSR", 1933 by Z. Mokhov, (HD4/35) and "Why piecework in the USSR?" in 1932, (HD4/36), M(PAMPHLETS 170).

The other collection of importance is on the working class movement in South Africa. E. B. Rose wrote "White labor in the Transvaal" in 1901, (HD4/24), M(PAMPHLETS 170) and J. Smuts "The syndicalist conspiracy in South Africa", 1914, (HD4/99), M(PAMPHLETS 172). There are publications from the South African Institute of Race Relations, including a series of New Africa Pamphlets. Examples include "South African trades unionism: a study of a divided working class" by M. Horrell, 1961, (HD6/D392). A. Hepple wrote "The African worker in South Africa: a study of trades unionism", 1956, (HD6/D96). The International Defence and Aid Fund published a series of Fact papers on Southern Africa. Later publications include "Workers in chains" published by the South African Congress of Trade Unions in 1976, (HD4/B139) and "The black-white wage gap" by S. Bieshavel, (HD4/B140).

In addition there are pamphlets on international trade union organisations such as the World Federation of Trades Unions, Red International of Labour Unions and the World Confederation of Labour. There are also publications on the setting up of the International Labour Organisation, issued by, for instance the League of Nations Union. The International Centre of Free Trade Unionists in Exile published material on Eastern Europe.

The extent of material cannot be listed here, but there are significant collections from Australia, New Zealand, India and the Latin American countries, as well as Europe, including Eastern Europe. Fabian Commonwealth published "Labour in the colonies" in 1942, (HD4/218), M(PAMPHLETS 174).

On the subject of labour migration, the University of Reading published "Migrant labour and economic growth: the post-war experience of EEC countries" by G. Yannopoulous in 1974, (FOLIO fHD4/F83).

To find pamphlets on trade unions search under Trade-unions subdivided by country or category of worker, for example:

• Trade-unions-Agricultural laborers

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