APPENDIX IV
THE SUMMONS TO THE FIRST TRADE UNION CONGRESS
No copy of the invitation to the first Trade Union Congress has been preserved, either in the archives of the Congress, the Manchester Trades Council, or any other organisation known to us. Fortunately, it was printed in the Ironworkers’ Journal for May 1868. But of this only one file now exists, and as the summons is of some historical interest we reprint it for convenience of reference.
“Manchester, April 16, 1868.
“Sir—You are requested to lay the following before your Society. The vital interests involved, it is conceived, will justify the officials in convening a special meeting for the consideration thereof.
“The Manchester and Salford Trades Council having recently taken into their serious consideration the present aspect of Trades Unions, and the profound ignorance which prevails in the public mind with reference to their operations and principles, together with the probability of an attempt being made by the Legislature, during the present Session of Parliament, to introduce a measure which might prove detrimental to the interests of such Societies unless some prompt and decisive action be taken by the working classes themselves, beg most respectfully to intimate that it has been decided to hold in Manchester, as the main centre of industry in the provinces, a Congress of the representatives of Trades Councils, Federations of Trades, and Trade Societies in general.
“The Congress will assume the character of the Annual Meetings of the Social Science Association, in the transactions of which Society the artisan class is almost excluded; and papers previously carefully prepared by such Societies as elect to do so, will be laid before the Congress on the various subjects which at the present time affect the Trade Societies, each paper to be followed by discussion on the points advanced, with a view of the merits and demerits of each question being thoroughly ventilated through the medium of the public press. It is further decided that the subjects treated upon shall include the following:
“1. Trade Unions an absolute necessity.
“2. Trade Unions and Political Economy.
“3. The effect of Trade Unions on foreign competition.
“4. Regulation of the hours of labour.
“5. Limitation of apprentices.
“6. Technical Education.
“7. Courts of Arbitration and Conciliation.
“8. Co-operation.
“9. The present inequality of the law in regard to conspiracy, intimidation, picketing, coercion, etc.
“10. Factory Acts Extension Bill, 1867: the necessity of compulsory inspection and its application to all places where women and children are employed.
“11. The present Royal Commission on Trades Unions—how far worthy of the confidence of the Trade Union interests.
“12. Legalization of Trade Societies.
“13. The necessity of an Annual Congress of Trade Representatives from the various centres of industry.
“All Trades Councils, Federations of Trades, and Trade Societies generally are respectfully solicited to intimate their adhesion to this project on or before the 12th of May next, together with a notification of the subject of the paper that each body will undertake to prepare, and the number of delegates by whom they will be respectively represented; after which date all information as to the place of meeting, etc., will be supplied.
“It is not imperative that all Societies should prepare papers, it being anticipated that the subjects will be taken up by those most capable of expounding the principles sought to be maintained. Several have already adhered to the project, and have signified their intention of taking up the subjects Nos. 1, 4, 6, and 7.
“The Congress will be held on Whit-Tuesday, the 2nd of June next, its duration not to exceed five days; and all expenses in connection therewith, which will be very small, and as economical as possible, will be equalized amongst those Societies sending delegates, and will not extend beyond their sittings.
“Communications to be addressed to Mr. W. H. Wood, Typographical Institute, 29 Water Street, Manchester.
“By order of the Manchester & Salford Trades Council.
“S. C. Nicholson, President.
“W. H. Wood, Secretary.”