Trade-Union Act

United Kingdom [1871]

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July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

The Trade-Union Act of 1871 provided the legal foundation for trade unions in the United Kingdom. This legislation was a significant step for organized labor, which had faced considerable opposition from employers and government bodies. The act aimed to protect unions and their members, particularly in relation to strike actions and collective bargaining. It was part of a broader historical development of trade unionism in the 19th century, which sought to improve workers' pay, benefits, and working conditions through collective action.12

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trade union
Legal precedents
…its legal foundation in the Trade-Union Act of 1871. In the United States the same effect was achieved, albeit more slowly and uncertainly, by a series of court decisions that whittled away at the use of injunctions, conspiracy laws, and other devices against unions. In 1866 the formation of the…
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…its legal foundation in the Trade-Union Act of 1871. In the United States the same effect was achieved, albeit more slowly and uncertainly, by a series of court decisions that whittled away at the use of injunctions, conspiracy laws, and other devices against unions. In 1866 the formation of the…
Read More

United Kingdom
Gladstone and Disraeli
…dealing with primary education; the Trade-Union Act of 1871, legalizing unions and giving them the protection of the courts; and the Ballot Act of 1872, introducing secret voting. Moreover, the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were opened to Nonconformists, or Dissenters (Protestants who did not conform to the practices of…
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…dealing with primary education; the Trade-Union Act of 1871, legalizing unions and giving them the protection of the courts; and the Ballot Act of 1872, introducing secret voting. Moreover, the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were opened to Nonconformists, or Dissenters (Protestants who did not conform to the practices of…
Read More