As a consequence of these various influences, between the early days of the war and the year 1'92o, the membership of trade unions doubled, reaching the figure of 8,337,00o, of whom 00o were men and 1,342,000 were women. During this time the number of women trade unionists was actually trebled. Similarly, there had been phenomenal increases in the membership of unions catering for the less skilled workers. Before the war, what are known as the general labour unions had already become factors of some importance in the trade union movement. During the war period, their strength increased rapidly. The number of organised non-manual employees also rose much above the pre-war level.
But just as rising wages are closely followed by a rise in the curve of trade union membership, so unemployment and falling wages are accompanied by a decline in it. The onset of the grave trade depression after the temporary post-war boom led to a decline of trade union membership amounting to 20.6% in the first 12 months, and a further 15.2% in 1922, the total roll of trade unionists falling in two years from 8,337,00o to 5,616,000. The net loss on the previous year's figure was less than 4%, whilst during 1924 there was a net increase.
The backwash of the trade depression, and the disillusionment which followed the shattered dreams of post-war "reconstruction" had spent themselves. The trade union movement had shed the temporary passengers, and those who entered its ranks through the abnormal influences of the war and early post-war periods; and a definite attempt to stem the tide and re-create a powerful trade union movement had begun to take effect. The established minimum trade union membership may be taken as being about 5+ millions, an increase of over a million on the figures of 1913.
From 1924 onward the general council of the Trades Union congress has pursued a policy of propaganda, first by means of a national "back to the unions" campaign and then by special activities with a view to the spread of trade unionism amongst women and agricultural workers respectively, whilst individual unions, though impoverished as the result of the long depression, renewed their efforts to secure an increasing membership. But the efforts which were made to increase trade union membership met with a rebuff as a consequence of the National Strike of 1926, which led to a shrinkage of membership. Since then, how ever, organising activities have been resumed with the result that members are being recovered. After 1926, the trade unions
were far more concerned with rehabilitating their membership and finances than with the formulation of new demands. Indeed, their negotiations were primarily directed towards defending exist ing standards. The weak negotiating position of the unions was one of the reasons for the lull in industrial stoppages after the settlement of the miners' dispute in 1926, whilst it was a con tributing factor in the acceptance of the idea of the "Mond Turner" discussions. The ebb and flow of direct action since the war is reflected in the table above (p. 378).
The broad distribution of trade union membership amongst the various industries is shown in the table on page 381.
The post-war period has been one of mixed gains and losses. The unions in many industries secured the eight hour day, and apart from the increase of hours in the mines in 1926, the reduc tion in working hours is the most solid achievement standing to the credit of the trade union movement. In some industries the unions have succeeded in maintaining real wages, in others they have had to make concessions. A feature of the disputes since the war has been what many people regard as their political char acter. It is certainly true that there has been more Government intervention and even participation in disputes than ever before. The coal problem, which has dominated the post-war industrial situation was the direct cause of the so-called "general strike." In July 1925, the T.U.C. general council promised its full support to the Miners' Federation even to the extent of a sympathetic strike. This step, however, was averted only to be implemented in the following year. The strike called by the T.U.C. general council, on the decision of a conference of trade union executives was the first occasion when the general council actually directed a stoppage, and it was the largest strike ever waged in British history. The "general strike" and the defeat of the Miners' Federation was followed by the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act of 1927.