[f. TRADE or pl. trades + UNION.] An association of the workers in any trade or in allied trades for the protection and furtherance of their interests in regard to wages, hours, and conditions of labor, and for the provision, from their common funds, of pecuniary assistance to the members during strikes, sickness, unemployment, old age, etc.
1825. Lett., in Morn. Chron., 27 Aug., 3/4. Trade unions, perverted as they now are into prohibitory corporations, are rather to be viewed as trade persecutions.
1835. Wordsw., Postscript, iii. Poet. Wks. (1910), 966. It has no direct bearing upon clubs … nor upon political or trade-unions.
1842. Cobden, in Morley, Life, xii. (1902), 43/2. Nothing can be got by fraternising with trade unions. They are founded upon principles of brutal tyranny and monopoly.
1887. Lowell, Democr., 17. But the trade-unions are now debating instead of conspiring.
1896. L. Abbott, Chr. & Soc. Probl., x. 272. The phrase ‘trade union’ came into existence about the year 1830 and the organization itself came into existence about the same time.
1906. Westm. Gaz., 6 March, 2/2. A trade union is a quasi-political association, rather than an association for carrying on business.
1831. Times, 18 Jan., 4/1. There is no doubt that these boys [spinners’ apprentices at Haslingden] are kept in countenance by the ‘Trades’ Union.’
1834. Arnold, Lett. to Chev. Bunsen, 29 Sept. You have heard of the Trades’ Unions, a fearful engine of mischief, ready to riot or to assassinate.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., ix. (1876), 88. The purpose of a trades-union is to keep up the price of labour, and if possible to enhance it.
1878. Jevons, Prim. Pol. Econ., 61. A trades-union is a society of men belonging to any one kind of trade, who agree to act together as they are directed by their elected council, and who subscribe money to pay the expenses.
Hence Trade-, trades-unionism, the system, principles, or practice of trade-unions; Trade-, trades-unionist, a member of a trade-union; also attrib.
1834. Vermont Republican & Jrnl., 9 Oct., 4/6. It is the policy of the Tories to foster Anti-masonry and *Trades Unionism, and they secretly lend them all their aid and support.
1875. N. Amer. Rev., CXX. 215. The theory and possibilities of trades-unionism.
1884. Pall Mall G., 10 Sept., 8/2. Although he was both a politician and a trade unionist, he could faithfully say trade unionism had always had his first care and attention.
1888. Voice (N. Y.), 14. Nov. China, it seems, is the cradle of tradesunionism, and boycotts are numerous.
1833. Leeds Mercury, 29 June, 5/4. Fox refused to become a subscriber to the Union funds, or to comply with the solicitation of the *Trades’ Unionists.
1863. Fawcett, Pol. Econ., II. ix. (1876), 248. A social terrorism, very analogous to that by which Trades-Unionists so frequently maintain their organizations.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 12 Jan., 3/2. Even another self-denying ordinance must be asked of the trade-unionist parent in this good cause.
