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How did the British Trade-Union Act of 1871 affect trade unions?
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Labour law
Diorite stela inscribed with the Code of Hammurabi, 18th century bce.
The British Trade-Union Act of 1871 was a landmark piece of legislation that provided the essential legal foundation for the British labour movement.1
Prior to this act, trade unions and their members frequently faced prosecution under various conspiracy and restraint-of-trade statutes, which were used by employers and government authorities to suppress worker organization. By establishing a formal legal status, the 1871 Act helped protect unions from these legal challenges, allowing them to operate more securely as they sought to improve pay, benefits, and working conditions through collective bargaining.1