BRITISH TRADE UNIONISM

Evening Star, Issue 19777, 30 January 1928, Page 2

BRITISH TRADE UNIONISM

GREAT SLUMP IN MEMBERSHIP 'According 'to figures published in the ‘ Ministry of Labor Gazette,’ the mem- j bership of British trade unions during 1926 fell by 289,000. The number of * unions decreased by fifteen. What gives food for thought is that this diminution of membership has been progressive over a number of years. Membership began to increase considerably after the Insurance Acts. Many of the unions formed approved societies in order to secure insurance benefits, and this roped in many nonmembers, but from 1920 the fall has been almost continuous. During the period, 1920-26, the general decrease in membership has been about 38 per cent. The chief decreases in 1926 were in the following occupations Mining and quarrying, 126,351; metal groups, 21,522; road transport and docks, 43,844; paper, printing, 19,908; railway service, 36.903. Ma e members of tmions have decreased by 26o 3 uoi) and j females by 24,000. j

A TABLE OP DESCENT. In 1920 the membership of these unions had reached the high figure of 8 337,000, and in 1926 the number had • decreased to 5,208,000. Such a falling off as over three millions in six years appears rather startling. . The following are the registered figures for the seven years:—l92o, 8337,000; 1922, 5,016,000; 1924, 5,534,000; 1921, 6,621,000; 1923, 5,413,000; 1924 there was a very active general campaign of “back to the unions, which caused some increase, which has , not been maintained, " .

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES? Nowhere have we seen any clean exposition of what are the causes which have effected this striking change. A drop of over one-third in the total membership of the unions is so great that we might expect investigation. Trade depression of itself will not account for the great decrease. Many who are unemployed yet retain* membership in their union. We have seen it argued that the unions suffer from not being militant enough—adopting the _ Communist cause. Such Red contention has no validity. Never were the unions more militant, Socialistic, and Communist than during this period of decline. There is more reason for thinking that many workers are leaving the unions because they find them taking ,up politics, spending time and money on Socialist theorising and useless conflicts rather than constructive work from which they can see some direct and practical benefits. The study of this great movement of British industry is of much importance, and we shall he glad if anyone can throw some light on this question of the great slump .in trade union membership in Britain during the six years that have just passed.—Contributed by the New Zealand Welfare League.