Trade unions are groups of employees that join together to negotiate with employers on issues like pay, working conditions, and grievances. They were formed during the Industrial Revolution in response to the terrible conditions workers faced, such as low pay, unsafe environments, and long hours. While unions were sometimes banned, they helped achieve important worker rights and protections over time, such as the 40-hour work week, maternity leave, higher wages and benefits, and better living conditions for all.

1. WHAT IS A
TRADE
UNION?
What do they do?

23. Definition
Trade unions are
groups of employees
who join together to
maintain and improve
their conditions of
employment.

24. WHAT
DO
UNIONS
DO?
Negotiate agreements
with employers on pay
and conditions

25. WHAT
DO
UNIONS
DO?
Discuss members'
concerns with employers

26. WHAT
DO
UNIONS
DO?
Support members in
disciplinary and grievance
meetings

27. WHAT DO
UNIONS
DO?
Advise members on legal and financial
matters

28. WHERE DO
UNIONS
COME
FROM?
Why do they exist?

29. The Industrial
Revolution
Europe and the United
States transitioned to new
manufacturing processes in
the period from about 1760
to sometime between 1820
and 1840.

30. The Industrial
Revolution
This created terrible
conditions for the workers,
such as low pay, unsafe or
unsanitary working
conditions and long hours.

31. The Industrial
Revolution
In a grass roots
movement workers
began to organize and
demand better working
conditions and pay.

32. The Industrial
Revolution
For many years, off and
on, trade unions were
banned and organizers
were jailed.

33. Philanthropic Society, Manchester, UK (1818)

34. Philanthropic Society, Manchester, UK (1818)

36. Unions Spread
AcrossTheWorld
• a Royal Commission onTrade
Unions in 1867
• Led to legalization in 1872
• In USA Knights of Labor, in
1869
• In Germany the Free
Association of German Trade
Unions was formed in 1897
• In France The Bourse du
Travail was founded in 1887
• In Grenada the Grenada
Union ofTeachers was
formed in 1913.

37. WHAT
HAVE
UNIONS
ACHIEVED
?
Weekends: A campaign
between 1900-1914 lead to
the establishment of the 8
hours day and 40 hour work
week.

38. WHAT
HAVE
UNIONS
ACHIEVED?
Labour Laws: for a long time contracts
only applied to workers. Employers could
break contracts without penalty. Unions
changed that.

39. WHAT
HAVE
UNIONS
ACHIEVED?
Maternity Leave: Even in the 1970’s
women were routinely fired if they got
pregnant. A long standing union
campaign for maternity leave changed
that.

40. WHAT
HAVE
UNIONS
ACHIEVED?
Negotiation & Arbitration: Until the mid
1800’s most new central contracts were
arrived through strike. Large centralized
unions started using negotiation and
arbitration instead.

41. WHAT
HAVE
UNIONS
ACHIEVED?
HigherWages & Benefits: Union
members have higher wages than non-
union workers, but countries with strong
unions have higher wages and less
income inequality.

42. WHAT
HAVE
UNIONS
ACHIEVED?
Better living conditions for all:Teachers
unions advocate for lower class sizes and
safer and better schools. Health care
workers for better patient care.

43. WHAT IS A
TRADE
UNION?
What do they do?