BRITISH TRADE UNION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2365, 8 December 1921, Page 4

BRITISH TRADE UNION.

Provisional statistics compiled by the Ministry of Labour show that at the end of 1020 there were in the United Kingdom 1301 trade unions and other associations of employees, with a total membership of approximately 8,502,000, as compared with 8,051,000 at the end of 1010, showing an increase of 5.0 per cent. The number of male members were about 7,130,000, an increase of 433,000, or 0.5 per cent, as compared with a year earlier, and that of female members was about 1,302,000, an increase of 18, 000, or 1.3 per cent. The total of 8,502,000, however, includes about 72,000 members of overseas branchas of certain unions, and also a number of persons (principally teachers) who are members of more than one society, and are therefore counted twice in the figures. When the necessary allowance is made for these cases, the net number within the United Kingdom would appear to be not more than 8,400,000, and possibly somewhat less. The increase in the total membership in 1020, though still considerable, was much less than in the previous three years, and was chiefly in the male membership. During the years 1015-1020, however, the female membership almost trebled, while the male membership almost doubled. The year’s increase affected most of the groups of trades, the largest numerical increases being in the groups of builders’ labourers (80,000), other building occupations (00,000), coalmining (80,000) metal, engineering and shipbuilding (00,000), general labour (50,000), and employees of public authorities (40,000). In several groups there were decreases in total membership, the largest numerical decreases being in the tailoring group (20, 000) and miscellaneous group (20,000).