National Association for the Protection of Labour
In today's world, National Association for the Protection of Labour has gained unprecedented relevance. Whether in the field of science, culture, entertainment or politics, National Association for the Protection of Labour has become a fundamental topic of discussion and analysis. Its impact has transcended borders and has generated a great debate in contemporary society. In order to understand its importance and implications, it is necessary to carry out a deep and detailed study that allows us to delve into all its dimensions. In this article, we will explore different aspects related to National Association for the Protection of Labour, from its origin to its influence in today's world, with the aim of shedding light on this topic that is so relevant today.
The National Association for the Protection of Labour was one of the first attempts at creating a national trade union centre in the United Kingdom. The organization was established in July, 1830 by John Doherty, after an apparently unsuccessful attempt to create a similar national presence with the National Union of Cotton-spinners.
Doherty was the first secretary, and the Association quickly enrolled approximately 150 unions. These consisted mostly of textile related unions, but also included mechanics, blacksmiths, and various others. Within the first nine months, Webb estimates that membership was between 10,000 and 20,000 individuals spread across the five counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, Derby, Nottingham, and Leicester.
As a part of establishing awareness and legitimacy, union officials started an unsuccessful weekly paper, the United Trades Co-operative Journal. This was soon followed in 1831 by a larger publication, the Voice of the People, having the declared intention "to unite the productive classes of the community in one common bond of union."
With notable exceptions, the association continued to grow and expand, reaching 100,000 members and a circulation of 30,000 for the Voice of the People. However, by mid 1832, the National Association for the Protection of Labour appears to have rapidly faded. Disagreements between Doherty and the executive committee; the disappearance of the weekly paper; and fractured relations with its constituent unions, particularly from Manchester, ultimately inflicted "a fatality" upon the association.
The place of the association was soon filled by numerous other general trade societies - most directly by the Operative Builders' Union.
References
- ^ Webb, Sidney; Webb, Beatrice (1894). History of Trade Unionism. London: Longmans Green and Co. pp. 120–124.
- ^ Webb & Webb 1894, p. 122.
Further reading
- Address of the National Association for the Protection of Labour to the Workmen of the United Kingdom (4 pp. 1830), in Home Office Papers, 40-27.
- The Changing Face Of Britain (Paul Shuter, Page 134-135)
