The Washington bee., 1909-12-04
THE WOMEN'S TRADE-UNION
MOVEMENT IN GREAT
BRITAIN

=
lished in Bulletin No 50 of the Bu-
reau of Labor, Department of Com
merce and Labor. The writer gives
a history of the movement and dis
cusses its growth, the obstacle to
organization of women, the attitude
of male trade unionists, the results
of organization, and the relation of
women's trade unions to low wages
and the sweating system. From the
beginning of the movement in 1874,
what is now known as the Women's
Trade Uuion League has been the
most important agency in the devel-
Opment of unionism among women in
Great Britain. This organization at
present has nearly 10000 members.
As regards the comparative growth
of male and female membership in
trade unions in recent yeras it is
shown that in 1896, which is the first
year for which comparative figures
of female trade-union membership are
available, I49 unions included women
and girls as members out of total
of 1902 trade unions, the female
membership at that time being II7,-
O3o, or 78 per cent of the member
ship increased from 1886, 1000 to l.
'768,767, or 27.6 per cent, while the
female membership rose from II7,O3O
to I26,285, or ~ per cent. Since
1904 the percentage of gains among
male and female members has been
largely reversed. In 1907 the organ
lied women numbered POI, 700, a gain
! of 5o.7 per cent over 1904, while the
increase in male membership, although
amounting to 436,27o new members,
represented a relative increase of only
247 per cent.
Among the chief obstacles to the
organization of women workers in
Great Britain have been the tempor-
ary nature of their occupations, low
wages and low standard of living,
class distinctions, and apathy. Male
trade unionists in the printing trades
have offered opposition on account
of inferior workmanship and the gen
orally lower rate of wages paid to
! women. 1t is stated, however, that
''in Manchester the men trade-union
leaders are enthusiastic over the work
accomplished by the women's unions
throughout Lancashire. 1t is difficult
to determine just what the opinion
of the male trade unionist of the
present day is in regard to the advan-
.tages or necessity of unionism among
industrial women"
As to the results accomplished the
writer concludes that the women's
trade-union movement has in some
instances been directly responsible for
increase of wages, has added success
| full pressure to initiation and furth-
erance of protective legislation, and
through the Women's Trade-UnlOn
League has accomplished much to-
ward the conservation of health and
the promotion of safety among local
workers where little or no local or
ganization can yet be effected.
! The women trade-unionists of Great
Britain seek to secure the betterment
of labor conditions through protective
I legislation rather than by militant ac-
ton. They regard the trade unions
as a medium for suggestion aud as an
aid in enforcing the legal rights of
workers. The greatest endeavor OF
the leaders at the present time is to
secure the extension of the board OF
arbitration prerogative to an author
itative for legal decision in wage dis
putes and the establishment of wages
boards empowered to fix a legal min
imum wage in certain trades.
w. Sidney Pittman,
Durham, N. c., Nov.27.
! w. Sidney Pittman of Washing
ton, D. c., was invited, by DR.. Jas
! E. Shepard, the rising young educa-
/ tor, to come to Durham, D.. c, last
[ week on business.
j While here Mr.. Pittman was royalty
entertained. He left for Greensboro
today and from there he will go to
? Kentucky. The people in Durham
are highly pleased with this young
architect.
. pafora caiaCtinU yOrr mas Orac.