GENERAL LABOUR UNIONS IN BRITAIN, 1889–1914

Abstract

G E NERAL labour unions' which enrol all classes of labour, irrespective of skill or occupation, have existed, at some time or other, in most industrial countries. In Britain, where they play a greater part in modern trade unionism than elsewhere,2 they have been permanently established in strength since the late i88o's. While 'general unions' have used many of the bargaining techniques of 'craft' unionism in the past, and have increasingly tended to adopt those of 'industrial unionism3', they cannot wholly be analysed in terms of either of these classical divisions of trade union organization. They have, in fact, fulfilled three quite distinct functions-often simultaneously. As 'class' unions they have attempted to unite all workers against all employers, generally under socialist or revolutionary inspiration. As 'labourers unions, they have attempted to provide effective organization for workers incapable of, or excluded from, orthodox craft unionism. As 'residual' unions, lastly, they have organized any body of workers not effectively covered by other unions (and some that were). Neither the first nor the third functions call for any special form of organization. Indeed, the modern 'class' union-the Industrial Workers of the World in the U.S.A. and elsewhere, the One Big Union in Canada, the various communist unions between the wars-have been among the chief propagandists of rigorous 'industrial' unionism. But the problem of