New Unionism
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New Unionism was a development within the British trade union movement in the late 1880s. The New Unions differed from the older craft unions in several respects.
- They were generally less exclusive than craft unions and attempted to recruit a wide range of workers. To encourage more workers to join, the New Unions kept their entrance fees and contributions at a relatively low level. Some new unions, such as the Dockers' Union and the Gasworkers developed in the direction of general unionism.
- They recruited unskilled and semi-skilled workers, such as dockers, seamen, gasworkers and general labourers.
- At the outset, the New Unions were associated with militancy and willingness to take industrial action, unlike the more conciliatory craft unions. A notable strike associated with the New Unions was the London Dock Strike of 1889.
- Many of the New Unions had leaders who espoused socialist ideas. Such leaders included Tom Mann, Ben Tillett, Will Thorne and John Burns.
In recent decades the traditional view of the New Unions as militant, fighting unions informed by a socialist politics has been modified. Although the New Unions sponsored many large strikes in their early years, most in fact favoured conciliation and accommodation with the employers. Similarly, although New Union leaders espoused socialism it was often of a moderate kind.
The most prominent New Unions were:
