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Trade Unions - The founding of the NUDL and the ITGWU - Coggle Diagram
Trade Unions - The founding of the NUDL and the ITGWU
Context
Unions grew as a result of the repeal of the Combination Acts in 1824
1868 first national Congress called the Trades Union Congress and then an Irish Trade Union Congress (ITUC) was established in 1894
Period of New Unionism (1889-1890) involving an unexpected strike wave
Industrial action included the strike by the Match Women of Bryant and May in 1889
Not until 1907 that the National Union of Dock Labourers (NUDL) was established in Ireland
New movement involved the growth of Socialism with the founding of the Independent Labour Party in 1893
1900 Labour Representation Committee (LRC) established winning 26 seats in 1906 and renaming itself as the Labour Party
Led to backlash to Torys which involved the Taff Vale in 1901 meant trade unions could be held viable for the damages caused by strikes
1906 Liberal Government passed the Trade Disputes Act reversing the Taff Vale meaning they couldn't be sued and allowed peaceful picketing
The National Dock Labourers Union (NUDL)
founded in 1889 in Glasgow but moved it headquarters to Liverpool
Led by James Sexton whose father and grandfather were members of the IRB
Sextons resentment to living conditions of dockworkers led to him being blacklisted by most dock employers
Sexton was elected general secretary in 1893
Sexton was one of the founding members of the Independent Labour Party
Sexton believed progress should be made through persuasion, moral force, and legal reform with militancy as a last resort
Sextons efforts to become Labour MP didn't happen until 1918
Background to the Belfast Strike 1907
Workers faced poor wages so poor living conditions and low job security and there was more and more labour flowing in from the countryside
Belfast offered the NUDL a fertile recruiting ground with the largest shipyard (Harland and Wolff), a large linen industry, rope works and a large tobacco factory
Dockers has no secure contracts so had to haggle for work each day (Belfasts 3,100 dockers often earned no more than 10 shillings a week)
The carters were slightly better off than the dockers but not by much
Larkin recruited dockers to the NUDL at their corner meeting on the dock and managed to recruit 2,900 of the 3,100 dockers but employers refused to recognise the NUDL
Jim Larkin
Born in Liverpool in 1874
son of a fitter who died of TB in 1887
Became a socialist at 17 and a member of the Independent Labour Party
Joined the NUDL and the Liverpool dock strike of 1905 hich cost him his job
1906 secured the position of organiser for the union
Strike marked the emergence of Larkin
Also led to a breach between Larkin and Sexton which led him to go on and form the Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU)
The Belfast Strike 1907
Began in April when some NUDL members working at Kelly's Coal Quay refused to work with no union men so walked off the job
Thomas Gallaher (who led shipping and owned tobacco) saw strike as chance to break the NUDL
Striking workers were sacked and called for workers not to handle goods from companies in dispute
Companies locked out union members and brought in non union workers from Liverpool called 'blackleg'
Violent clashes took place between striking dockers and 'scabs'
Larkin was arrested for 'assault and battery' for hitting a blackleg with a stone after they had stabbed three dockers with a knife
In June the carters struck in sympathy with the dockers involving over 1,000 carters from over 60 different firms
The situation esculated when the Royal Irish Constabulary 'downed tools' in protest and went on strike
12th July 1,000 Orangemen signed a letter signed a later stating that Larkin would be spared to work for the emancipation of unskilled workers
As a result of the letter the British authorities now had to Act quickly to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order in Belfast
In August 6,000 British army troops sent in and killed 2 and wounded others
The split
Sexton was keen to end the strike as it had cost £7,000 and disiliked the army violence
Sexton wanted peaceful negotiations and blamed Larkin for the esculated situatuion
Sexton persuaded carters to go back to work for a pay rise and shorter hours
Larkin was excluded from this settlement
Dockers were defeated permanently and replaced by scab workers