British Trade Union Congress (TUC) — foundation to General Strike (1868–1926)

1. First TUC congress meets in Manchester

   Jun 2, 1868Labels: TUC, Mechanics' Institute, Manchester

   • TUC Library
   • Britannica

2. TUC promotes legal recognition of unions

   Jan 1, 1869Labels: TUC, British Parliament

   • TUC Library
   • Britannica

3. Trade Union Act legalizes union organization

   Jun 29, 1871Labels: Trade Union, Parliament

   • Legislation
   • Trade Act

4. 1871 Criminal Law Amendment Act restricts picketing

   Jun 29, 1871Labels: Criminal Law, Parliament

   • Legislation
   • CLAA 1871

5. Parliamentary Committee becomes TUC’s standing leadership

   Sep 1, 1871Labels: Parliamentary Committee, TUC

   • Britannica
   • Parl Committee

6. Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act decriminalizes disputes

   Aug 13, 1875Labels: Conspiracy and, Parliament

   • Legislation
   • 1875 Act

7. TUC begins affiliating “new unions”

   Jan 1, 1889Labels: TUC, New unions

   • Britannica
   • TUC summary

8. London Dock Strike energizes mass unionism

   Aug 20, 1889Labels: London Dock, Dockworkers

   • Britannica
   • Dock Strike

9. TUC-backed conference founds Labour Representation Committee

   Feb 26, 1900Labels: Labour Representation, TUC

   • LRC 1900
   • Britannica

10. House of Lords decision in Taff Vale case shocks unions

    Jul 22, 1901Labels: Taff Vale, House of

    • Britannica
    • Taff Vale

11. Trade Disputes Act restores union strike protections

    Dec 21, 1906Labels: Trade Disputes, Parliament

    • Legislation
    • Britannica

12. Osborne Judgment restricts union political funding

    Dec 21, 1909Labels: Osborne Judgment, House of

    • History Policy
    • Trade Act 1913

13. Trade Union Act 1913 permits political levy with opt-out

    Mar 7, 1913Labels: Trade Union, Parliament

    • Legislation
    • 1913 Act

14. Triple Alliance forms among key industrial unions

    Jan 1, 1914Labels: Triple Alliance, Miners

    • Triple Alliance
    • NUR

15. TUC replaces Parliamentary Committee with General Council

    Jan 1, 1921Labels: General Council, TUC

    • Britannica
    • TUC report

16. “Red Friday” coal subsidy postpones confrontation

    Jul 31, 1925Labels: Red Friday, Coal industry

    • Red Friday
    • General Strike

17. Samuel Commission report triggers renewed coal crisis

    Mar 10, 1926Labels: Samuel Commission, Coal industry

    • General Strike
    • Red Friday

18. General Strike begins under TUC General Council call

    May 4, 1926Labels: General Strike, TUC General

    • Britannica
    • General Strike

19. TUC calls off the General Strike

    May 12, 1926Labels: TUC General, General Strike

    • General Strike
    • Britannica