Topic 7 - Working and living conditions, Trade Union Militancy

What were the pros of industrialisation?

• Urbanisation ^ of cities e.g. Dublin, Belfast, Cork

• Manufacturing - e.g ^ Shipbuilding

• Trade - Dublin exports of Guiness, biscuits and livestock

What were the cons of industrialisation?

• Living conditions - overcrowding and disease

• Polarisation of class

• Exploitation of workers - constant supply of workers → people willing to work for little

• Religious inequality - prots skilled workers/jobs of power, caths unskilled

• Discontent

What was the average wage per week for unskilled workers?

10 shillings, 9 pence for those in permanent employment

What hours would an average docker work in Belfast?

75 hours a week

What were common jobs for unskilled workers? What was casual work?

Dockers or Carters - this was often casual work meaning no binding contract and secure emp

What would basic costs for a family be per week in 1914 on average,(bearing in mind, the average wage of an unskilled worker being 10 shillings)?

22 shillings and 5 pence required

For unskilled workers, work was u… d… and not s… . They were also the demographic of people first to be … … if employer was trying to decr costs (easy hire, easy fire).

For unskilled workers, work was unsanitary, dangerous and not secure. They were also the demographic of people first to be laid off if employer was trying to decr costs (easy hire, easy fire).

A key example of unskilled workers being easy hire, easy fire was the fact that during a depression in 1908-9 unemp in Belfast Shipyards was …%

20%

Wives and children of unskilled workers often had to work. What were common jobs for wives?

Domestic servants (Dublin)

Linen mills (Belfast)

In 1901 what did the legal age of children working change to? How did people get round this to get their children into work?

1901 -legal age for child work = 12

Forge school-leaving certificate or impersonating older siblings

What was the life expectancy for men and women?

Men = 49.3

Women = 49.6

What were the infant mortality rates in Dublin and Belfast in 1900?

Dublin - 153/1000

Belfast - 169/1000

What were the two major businesses that attracted people to Dublin?

• Guiness Brewery

• Jacobs Biscuits

Dublin couldn’t accommodate influx of people

What did the rush of people to Dublin lead to in terms of housing?

Slum areas

What event led to an survey looking into housing?

1914 - Collapse of slum building in church Street killing 7 people

What did the survey looking into housing find (following the Church Street collapse)?

25,822 families living in 5,322 houses

20,000 each living in 1 room

Who was the Medical Commissioner of Health in Dublin? He completed a study, what did this study find?

T.J. Stafford - Examined 1,254 Dublin families concluding ½ of cities pop lived in pov

What did unskilled labourers diets primarily consist of? What did this lead to?

Bread, tea, few veg

Lack of vit and minerals → malnourishment

What were the mortality rates in Dublin vs London in 1905?

Dublin = 22.3/1000

London = 15.6/1000

What was the main cause of death?

Pulmonary TB

What is the NUDL? Why did the NUDL move attention to Ir?

National Union of Dock Labourers - to ^ conditions for unskilled dock workers

NUDL moved attention to Ir as:

1. Conditions in Ir so poor for unskilled labourers

2. Larkin’s move from Liverpool to Ir

Why was Larkin a key figure within NUDL? How many Dockers did he unionise in Belfast?

• Lost job in 1905 after strike action → full time NUDL organiser → Ir

• Unionised 3,100 Belfast Dockers (prot and cath)

• Responsible for lots of action

What strike did Larkin organise in 1907?

Docker’s strike against Belfast Steamship comp

What were the demands of the 1907 Belfast strike? At what point were these demands presented to all Belfast companies?

Min wage of 27 shillings for 60 hr week

June - demands present to all comps

What methods were used in the 1907 Belfast Strike?

• Carters/Backleg

• Barret

• RIC, 300

• 10,000

• 2

• Secondary Strike Action (e.g carters) → employers not able to get backleg labour

• Low-ranking sympathetic officer, William Barret refusing to be in vehicle transporting backleg labour →…

• Munity in RIC - 300 officers refused like Barret → troops had to do it

• Aug, meeting of 10,000 prots and caths → fight with troops →…

• 2 deaths

Who was responsible for the end of the 1907 strike?

How did they want to end it? Why?

• NUDL leader, Sexton,

• GFTU leaders, Gee + Mitchell

To find solution for unions and employers due to personal interest - desire to keep their jobs with good income and rep.

What was the result of the 1907 strike?

What were some successes?

Carters ^ wage but no union recognition and dockers defeated

Successes:

• Unskilled workers united - TU historically dominated by skilled workers

• wc solidarity - secondary action

• Religious unity

How does religion interact with the story of the Belfast strike?

• Secretarianism of Belfast (e.g due to HR) overlooked

• Larkin unity Prots and Caths in meeting

• 10,000 Prots and caths fighting together

What specific event within the 1907 strike→ Sexton wanting to diffuse explosiveness of Larkin?

August meeting, violences that followed and the 2 deaths

How did Sexton provoke Larkin into forming the ITGWU?

Sexton wanting negotiations rather than militancy of Larkin but this undermined strike action and alienated Larkin

Larkin encouraging ^ militancy in NUDL → ^ tensions with Sexton and ultimately forming new union ITGWU

When was the ITGWU founded by Larkin?

1909

How did the ITGWU differ from other unions in Ir?

• general

• militancy

• syndicalism

• General union for all trades → …

  • larger membership

  • More chances for unskilled workers having a broader base and support

• Shift to militancy

• Radical agenda - syndicalism

  • small self-organised groups to run industries, run by workers avoiding employer/worker tension

On what grounds can the ITGWU be consider successful by 1911

Early 1911 - 5,000 members → end of 1911 - 18,000 members - Ir’s Largest Union

Feared by employers - high threat level

How did Larkin end up in Ir?

Born in Liverpool, part of Liverpool NUDL in 1901

Lost his due to 1905, liverpool strike → going to Ir to unionise dockers

What skills did Larkin have that made him good as an organiser? What was his key principles?

Good orator

Key principles in socialism and reorganisation of the economy

What event did Larkin lead in 1907? Why was this event significant?

1907 Belfast Dockers Strike

• Evidence of prots and caths working together

• Supported by RIC

What strike did Larkin organise in 1908? What were their demands? How many got involved? Was it successful/What was the outcome?

Dublin Carters Strike

• ^ wages and union recognition

• 3,000 men on strike

• Employers ^ rates for overtime but basic wages remained the same (limited success but still significant e.g ^ in sympathy strikes and ^ unity)

How did the 1908 strike → Larkin’s confrontations with Sexton?

Sexton disapproving of Larkin’s militancy → suspending him from the union

This → Larkin setting up ITGWU in retaliation

What did Sexton get Larkin imprisoned for?

Sexton proving Larkin was guilty of fraud in 1908 → 1 yr imprisonment

What did Larkin establish in 1911? Was it successful (give stats)? What was its aims?

Irish Worker Newspaper

• 1st issues sold 5,000 eventually reaching 20,000 a week

• Aim to reach out to wc and ^ militancy and unity

What year did Connolly become an organiser of ITGWU and Larkins ‘Right Hand Man’?

1911

When/What successes did Connolly bring for female linen workers?

1911 established Ir Textile Worker’s Union to ^ militancy

What did Connolly do in 1912? What was its aims? Why was this sigificant?

Organised Ir Lab Party - to represent wc better than Ir HR party

Signalled determination in political agenda as well as union activity

What group was Connolly responsible for creating during the Dublin Lock-out?

ICA (Irish Citizen Army)

Why was Connolly and Larkin a good pairing?

Connolly - grasp on socialist theory and politics

Larkin - charismatic, personal struggles

Who was William Martin Murphy? What religion was he?

What were his opinions on TU militancy?

One of Dublin’s wealthiest business men

Catholic (unusual)

Strongly opposed ITGWU, Larkin and Connolly

What companies did Murphy own?

• Dublin’s United Tramway Comp

• Dublin’s Largest Hotel

• Clergy department store

• Two Newspapers - Irish Catholic and Irish Indpendent

Who did Murphy defeat in a strike in 1911? How?

Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (ASRS)

By threatening lockout

What group was founded by Murphy in 1911? What was his aims with it?

Dublin Employers’ Federation - to get all Dub employers not to employ members of ITGWU

Who did Murphy threaten with dismissal in 1913? Why?

Employees of Dub United Tramway Comp - encourage to join ‘legitimate’ union and threatened to dismiss them if they joined ITGWU

How did Murphy trigger the Dublin General Strike?

Sacked all ITGWU members of Irish Independent (40 men and 20 boys)

What major Dublin event was the 1913 strike organised to coincide with, causing major disruption to Dublin?

The Dublin Horse Show - big event so city needed to be fully operational

When did the strike begin? How long did it last for?

Late August 1913

Lasted 6 months

What organisation led the Dublin General Strike?

ITGWU

Who supported the Dublin Strike? (give 3)

• Br Independent Lab party (Keir Hardy Leader) - initially supported

• Distributors of Murphy’s paper - refusing to print

• Dock workers - refusing to transport Eason and Co. goods when selling Irish Indepdant

How many tram workers were there in Dublin at the time of the 1913 strike? How many of those participated in it?

700/1700 Dublin tram workers took part

What happened on the 28th Aug?

Larkin and ITGWU leaders arrested and charged

Union demonstration banned

What happened on the weekend of the 31st-30th August 1913?

What did this lead to?

Dublin Met police baton-charged workers in O’Connell street

Led to ^ violnece e.g Burgh and Eden Quays - 2 killed (Byrne and Nolan) and Byrne’s 14-yr-old daughter clubbed in head

After the weekend of the 30th-31st, how many died? How many injured on Saturday? How many received medical attention by Sunday?

2 died

200 injured on Sat

500 medical attention by Sun

Overall, the involvement of the Dub Met police shows the city of Dublin siding with who?

The Employers

How did news of the August weekend reach Br?

Daily Herald paper

Their Dublin correspondent Skeffington gave graphic reports of the event

After reports of the events on 30th-31st reached Br, what event happened showing Br Lab mvt support for ITGWU?

William Partridge (member of ITGWU) invited to speak at Manchester TUC in September

What did Keir Hardie do to show support for the ITGWU fro Br lab party?

Went to Dublin - visits Larkin in prison, attends Nolan funeral

Overall, the Br lab movement seem to be siding with who?

The workers

What religion were the majority of ITGWU members?

Catholic

Did the cath church support the Dublin general strike, if so why, if not why not?

No

• Militancy

• Threat of socialism to hierarchy and status quo - esp since 1850 devotional rev

Give 2 examples of the Cath Church not supporting the 1913 strike?

• Father Condon - wrote in newspapers attacking union socialism

• Strong opposition to ‘Save the Kiddies scheme’ even after the scheme was changed to send kids to catholic homes in Belfast - Archbishop of Dub William Walsh

Overall, the Cath Church seem to be siding with who?

The Employers

When did the lockout begin?

2nd September 1913

Give two key companies who participated in the lockout, and how many employees of their were impacted?

Bewley and Draper (mineral water comp) - 200

Jacob’s Biscuits - 2,000 women (few were even ITGWU members)

By the end of …, … employees were locked out by … different companies.

By the end of September, 25,000 employees were locked out by 400 different companies.

What opportunity were employees given in the early stages of the lockout but many of them didn’t take it ^ intensity of lockout?

Chance to sign doc to not join/support ITGWU (aim to destroy it)

Didn’t sign it out of principle even if they weren’t members of ITGWU

What was the overall £ loss of employers over the course of the lockout?

Murphy’s Dublin tramway comp saw a net profit decr of how much?

£300,000

£22,000

Br wc provided boxes of supplies to support Dublin strikers?

• When did it first arrive?

• How many boxes were on the first shipping?

• How many could each box feed?

• 28th September

• 60,000

• Each with enough food to feed a family of 5

How many £ worth of food did Br wc send over each month (oct, nov, dec)?

• October - £13,000

• November - £16,000

• December - £21,000

What was the Askwith commission? When did proceeding begin for it?

29th Sept

Meeting Employers and employees to find mutually agreeable solution to strike

What 3 key proposals did the Askwith commission suggest?

• X employers ban on ITGWU membership

• X sympathy strikes

• Create conciliation board

How did ITGWU feel about the proposals of the Askwith Commission? How did the Employers feel?

In light of this, whose feelings did the outcome of the Akquith commission ultimately reflect?

• ITGWU liked the terms

• Employers didn’t (main goal of destroying ITGWU not met)

Askwith commission failed due to Employer’s feelings showing strength of employers

In lights of the Askwith commission what did employers set out on 14th October?

How was this received?

Own demands

• Replaced Union Leader

• Strikers lose jobs

Not recieved well by ITGWU, ultimately strike continued

Who suggested the ‘Save the Kiddies’ Scheme’? What were her political beliefs?

Dora Montefoire - British

• Socialist, Feminist, Sympathetic to strike

What was the ‘Save the Kiddied Scheme'? How would it help the strike?

Sending kids of striking workers to England

• Practical support - easing pressure for parents

• Exposing heartlessness of employers

When was the first attempt for the ‘Save the Kiddies’ made? What stopped its success?

13th October

Cath priests stopping children leaving the station

Why was there catholic opposition to ‘save the kiddies’?

What did the unions do to over come this?

How was this also unsuccessful?

Cath chr not wanting kids to go to non-cath homes in Br (→ first intervention 13th Oct)

Unions tried to send kids to cath homes in Belfast

Cath Chr still intervened → police intervention in Late Oct

When were the scab labourers brought over, from where?

How many on first day? How many came later that week?

29th Oct from Manchester - 50 on 29th and 160 later in the week

What did the ITGWU do in response to Scabs? Was it successful?

Picketing

Limited impact - scab protected by police and had own weapons

What did Connolly form in response to scab labour? How many were part of it?

ICA - 300 union members against the police

What did Larkin and Connolly encourage all workers to do in response to Scab labour? How was it received?

Encourage all employees to stop working even those not locked out to close Dublin down

Controversial e.g Dockers resentful HOWEVER did do it

What did Larkin want from Br Lab mvt regarding scab labour?

Spread news to Br so scab lab from Br would cease

Pre 1913 Dublin Strike, what evidence is there for Br TU leaders hampering Ir militancy in Union mvt?

Sexton, Gee, Mitchell undermining Larkin in ending the Belfast Dock strike

Sexton undermining Larkin in 1908 → accusation of fraud and Larkin imprisoned

What did Larkin undertake on Nov 1913? Explain what it was

‘Fiery Cross Crusade’ - tour round Br to stop straffic between Dub and Br → X scab lab

Where did Larkin’s Fiery Cross Crusade begin?

Free Trade Hall, Manchester

Give examples of continued strong support from Br unions in solodarity with Ir Unions

NUM - 130 calling for action

ASLEF - 2 not transporting Dublin goods → 30,000 railway men on unofficial strike

Why did the growth of support from Br workers for Ir counterparts cause issues for Br TU leaders? What did this lead to?

Br TU leaders wanting to negotiation rather then take radical stance

→ TUC conference in Dec

How was the TUC conference in December 1913 not what Larkin anticipated?

He thought it would be rank and file delegates (unofficially pro-militancy)

Reality it was all TU leaders (anti-militancy)

At the TUC conference in December, how many voted against a motion condemning Larkin’s actions?

Only 6 - attack on Larkin rather than the lockout

Why is the TUC conference in Dec 1913 so significant?

Regarded as the moment Br lab mvt abandoned striking workers

When did the first people start going back to work?

mid-dec (secretly advised to do so by ITGWU)

Shows strike disintegrating

Who was shot in a scab/striker clash in mid-dec, dying from injuries in jan?

16-yr old Alice Brady

When did the strike officially end?

18th Jan - Larkin told ITGWU to go back to work no matter what conditions

Many employers were now on bad terms with workers.

Jacob’s Biscuits took back …/… of their male IGTWU staff and cut their wages by …-…. shillings a week. Many workers were … and not allowed to return to work.

Jacob’s Biscuits took back 100/672 of their male IGTWU staff and cut their wages by 2-4 shillings a week. Many workers were blacklisted and not allowed to return to work.