50 Years Ago: TU Amalgamation

While we support any move which will eliminate the existing craft outlook and other barriers which separate trade unionists, we do not make the mistake of supposing that the problems of the working class will be solved by the mere substitution of the great union for many smaller unions. What is of much greater importance is to get the workers to see that capitalism itself is the enemy.

A useful corrective to attaching too much importance to a mere change of the form of organisation is contained in a remark made by Mr. Bevin in a speech advocating trade union amalgamation at the conference of the Transport and General Workers’ Union.

   Nobody welcomed this amalgamation more than the employers, who now met one body instead of dozens, with their internecine frictions. (Daily Herald, 20 July)