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out of work. This condition answers not only
the structure of industrial unions and to swal-
to the economic needs of the moment, but
low small unions. To guard against this,
also to the policy of the government, which
there is some tendency for the unions in spe-
has proclaimed the solemn intention to keep
cific industries (for example, agriculture and
in jobs all people who want them. No con-
tobacco) to build up an industrial unionism
trast could be greater than such a condition
which competes with the general unions, to
as that of two decades ago, when the presence
some extent successfully. The two great gen-
of almost two million unemployed constituted
eral unions, the Transport and General Work-
the greatest problem Britain had to face.
ers' Union and the National Union of General
About nine million British workers are mem-
and Municipal Workers, with a combined
bers of trade unions; about eight and a half
membership of over two million, account for
million belong to the 190 unions affiliated to
over a quarter of the total trade union mem-
the Trades Union Congress.* There are four
bership.
types of trade union organization-craft, in-
For many years collective bargaining in
dustrial, occupational, and general. The old-
Britain has increasingly meant negotiating
est type is that of craft unions, composed of
national agreements for an industry between
workers performing the same or a very similar
a union (or group of unions) representing the
industrial operation; most of them are of
employees and an association representing the
medium size, with membership ranging from
employers in that industry. There are still
5,000 to 50,000. However, six of the twenty
many examples, however, of negotiations con-
largest unions are craft unions, among them
ducted on a local or district basis. In settling
the Amalgamated Engineering Union and the
local disputes, every effort is made first to
United Boilermakers' and Iron and Steel Ship-
deal with it through the local union represent-
building Society. Craft unions are often
atives or Works Committee; if this fails the
criticized for their lack of solidarity with other
agreement frequently provides for the refer-
sections of workers and for the fact that they
ence of the dispute to a joint body of employee
sometimes hinder comprehensive schemes of
and employer representatives on a district
union amalgamation. While it is unlikely
basis. Failing settlement it is then referred
that new unions will develop on craft lines,
to the national bodies, the general principle
those existing are considered an important
being that there is to be no negotiation while
segment of British trade unionism. Indus-
a strike or lockout obtains. In case the na-
trial unions cater for all workers, skilled and
tional bodies cannot agree, provision is made
unskilled, within a given industry. Where it
for arbitration. The machinery for arbitra-
is difficult or impossible to build one union for
tion is voluntary in peacetime and decisions
an industry, federations such as the National
are not binding. By government order in
Union of Mineworkers are a good working al-
1940, to avoid disputes during the war, strikes
ternative. Occupational unions organize
and lockouts were legally prohibited unless
workers within a well-defined occupation.
the dispute had been referred to the Minister
Membership in such unions is conditional upon
of Labor and he had failed either to have it
the worker remaining in a particular employ-
settled or referred to the National Arbitration
ment, as in the case of the Railway Clerks'
Tribunal within twenty-one days. Decisions
Association, or in the employ of a particular
of the Tribunal were binding. The Order has
employer, as in the case of the Prudential Staff
not, as yet, been rescinded, but it is not ex-
Association. General unions cater for workers
pected to be maintained indefinitely. When
in many industries; beginning with unskilled
it is abolished, the Industrial Court, estab-
laborers, they have come to include many of
lished in 1919 by recommendation of the Whit-
the semi-skilled grades and even some of a
ley Committee, will be reestablished. This
high degree of skill. They tend to cut across
Court is an independent tribunal whose mem-
bers are appointed by the Minister of Labor.
See Chapter I Para. 5a for a more detailed ac-
count of the Trades Union Congress and the politi-
Acceptance of its decisions is not mandatory,
cal activities of labor generally.
but they have rarely been rejected. The his-
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"ocrText": "36\nout of work. This condition answers not only\nthe structure of industrial unions and to swal-\nto the economic needs of the moment, but\nlow small unions. To guard against this,\nalso to the policy of the government, which\nthere is some tendency for the unions in spe-\nhas proclaimed the solemn intention to keep\ncific industries (for example, agriculture and\nin jobs all people who want them. No con-\ntobacco) to build up an industrial unionism\ntrast could be greater than such a condition\nwhich competes with the general unions, to\nas that of two decades ago, when the presence\nsome extent successfully. The two great gen-\nof almost two million unemployed constituted\neral unions, the Transport and General Work-\nthe greatest problem Britain had to face.\ners' Union and the National Union of General\nAbout nine million British workers are mem-\nand Municipal Workers, with a combined\nbers of trade unions; about eight and a half\nmembership of over two million, account for\nmillion belong to the 190 unions affiliated to\nover a quarter of the total trade union mem-\nthe Trades Union Congress.* There are four\nbership.\ntypes of trade union organization-craft, in-\nFor many years collective bargaining in\ndustrial, occupational, and general. The old-\nBritain has increasingly meant negotiating\nest type is that of craft unions, composed of\nnational agreements for an industry between\nworkers performing the same or a very similar\na union (or group of unions) representing the\nindustrial operation; most of them are of\nemployees and an association representing the\nmedium size, with membership ranging from\nemployers in that industry. There are still\n5,000 to 50,000. However, six of the twenty\nmany examples, however, of negotiations con-\nlargest unions are craft unions, among them\nducted on a local or district basis. In settling\nthe Amalgamated Engineering Union and the\nlocal disputes, every effort is made first to\nUnited Boilermakers' and Iron and Steel Ship-\ndeal with it through the local union represent-\nbuilding Society. Craft unions are often\natives or Works Committee; if this fails the\ncriticized for their lack of solidarity with other\nagreement frequently provides for the refer-\nsections of workers and for the fact that they\nence of the dispute to a joint body of employee\nsometimes hinder comprehensive schemes of\nand employer representatives on a district\nunion amalgamation. While it is unlikely\nbasis. Failing settlement it is then referred\nthat new unions will develop on craft lines,\nto the national bodies, the general principle\nthose existing are considered an important\nbeing that there is to be no negotiation while\nsegment of British trade unionism. Indus-\na strike or lockout obtains. In case the na-\ntrial unions cater for all workers, skilled and\ntional bodies cannot agree, provision is made\nunskilled, within a given industry. Where it\nfor arbitration. The machinery for arbitra-\nis difficult or impossible to build one union for\ntion is voluntary in peacetime and decisions\nan industry, federations such as the National\nare not binding. By government order in\nUnion of Mineworkers are a good working al-\n1940, to avoid disputes during the war, strikes\nternative. Occupational unions organize\nand lockouts were legally prohibited unless\nworkers within a well-defined occupation.\nthe dispute had been referred to the Minister\nMembership in such unions is conditional upon\nof Labor and he had failed either to have it\nthe worker remaining in a particular employ-\nsettled or referred to the National Arbitration\nment, as in the case of the Railway Clerks'\nTribunal within twenty-one days. Decisions\nAssociation, or in the employ of a particular\nof the Tribunal were binding. The Order has\nemployer, as in the case of the Prudential Staff\nnot, as yet, been rescinded, but it is not ex-\nAssociation. General unions cater for workers\npected to be maintained indefinitely. When\nin many industries; beginning with unskilled\nit is abolished, the Industrial Court, estab-\nlaborers, they have come to include many of\nlished in 1919 by recommendation of the Whit-\nthe semi-skilled grades and even some of a\nley Committee, will be reestablished. This\nhigh degree of skill. They tend to cut across\nCourt is an independent tribunal whose mem-\nbers are appointed by the Minister of Labor.\nSee Chapter I Para. 5a for a more detailed ac-\ncount of the Trades Union Congress and the politi-\nAcceptance of its decisions is not mandatory,\ncal activities of labor generally.\nbut they have rarely been rejected. The his-"
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