Wool textile workers and trade union organisation in the post-war woollen district of Yorkshire
This thesis examines the level of trade union membership amongst wool textile workers in the Yorkshire woollen district after 1945. Trade union membership had always been low amongst wool textile workers, in comparison with similar industries such as the cotton textile industry. Although wool workersâ low level of union membership has been referred to by eminent scholars of labour history such as David Howell and E. P. Thompson, no studies of significant length or scope have been undertaken on this topic. This thesis seeks to redress the balance away from other, better-organised groups of workers onto a workforce and an industry that have received little scholarly attention. Although the wool workforce had always been poorly organised collectively, the post-war period was chosen both because of the larger variety of sources available to historians, including oral sources, and because the industryâs decline was occurring throughout this period. The thesis shows that decline â and the threat of jobs which accompanied it â was not enough to induce wool textile workers to join a trade union. The thesis draws on oral history sources with former wool textile workers, along with statistical information about
Price, Laura Christine
Wool textile workers and trade union organisation in the post-war woollen district of Yorkshire. This thesis examines the level of trade union membership amongst wool textile workers in the Yorkshire woollen district after 1945. Trade union membership had always been low amongst wool textile workers, in comparison with similar industries such as the cotton textile industry. Although wool workersâ low level of union membership has been referred to by eminent scholars of labour history such as David Howell and E. P. Thompson, no studies of significant length or scope have been undertaken on this topic. This thesis seeks to redress the balance away from other, better-organised groups of workers onto a workforce and an industry that have received little scholarly attention. Although the wool workforce had always been poorly organised collectively, the post-war period was chosen both because of the larger variety of sources available to historians, including oral sources, and because the industryâs decline was occurring throughout this period. The thesis shows that decline â and the threat of jobs which accompanied it â was not enough to induce wool textile workers to join a trade union. The thesis draws on oral history sources with former wool textile workers, along with statistical information about
wool textile worker trade_union organisation post_war woollen district yorkshire examines level trade_union membership amongst wool textile worker yorkshire woollen district trade_union membership always low amongst wool textile worker comparison similar industry cotton textile_industry although wool worker low_level union membership refer eminent scholar labour_history study significant length scope undertaken topic seek_redress balance away better organised group worker onto workforce industry receive_little scholarly_attention although wool workforce always poorly organise collectively post_war_period choose large variety_source available historian include oral_source industry decline occur throughout_period show decline threat job accompany enough induce wool textile worker join trade_union draws oral_history source former wool textile worker along statistical information