MEMBERSHIP OF BRITISH TRADES UNIONS.

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 42, 17 August 1918, Page 11

MEMBERSHIP OF BRITISH TRADES UNIONS.

. The British Department of Labour Statistics announced a couple o{ months ago that particulars were then available respecting the membership of trades unions, both registered and unregistered,- at the end- of 1916. The total membership of the 1115 trade unions known to tho department was 4,399,696, showing an increase of 6.2 per cent, on the previous year, and being the highest figure yet recorded. The inoreaso in male members was 127,555, or 3.4 per cent., and in female members 130,352, or 32.2 per cent._ The membership by trades is shown in the following table, all the figures being to the end of 1916, the latest available:— No. of Unions. 1916. BuildingCarpenters and Joiners 2 102,387 Builders' Labourers ... 14 26,255 Others 47 100,686 Mining, etc.— Coal 82 851,039 Other 9 26,432 Engineering, etc.— Iron and Steel 15 89,201 Ironfoundry 9 54,165 Engineering 60 390,588 Shipbuilding „., 15 114,203 Miscellaneous 76 47,198 TextileCotton 149 354,148 Other Textile 87 99,712 Printing, etc 38 75,486 Clothing— Boots and Shoes 11 71,927 . Tailoring, etc 23 49,623 Transport— Railway 7 424,528 Trams, etc 17 97,852 Seamen 11 109,852 Docks, etc 22 159,758 ' Printing and ajlied tr'd's. 31 97,669 Furnishing, etc 81 69,405 Shop Assistants, etc 12 121,415 Other Trades 198 193,168 General Labour ._ 13 509,083 Employees Public Authorities 86 163,940 Sinoe 1913 the most marked changes in membership have been inorcases in the metal, engineering, and shipbuilding group (152,000), general labour (179,000), and railway service (98,000). The totals for all unions since and including 1913 are as follow :—1913, 3,947,899; 1914, 3,937,728; 1915, 4,141,489; 1916, 4,399,696.