|
|
A REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE
A History of the Glasgow Printing Industry
1 2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
11 12
13
14 15
16
17
18
19 2021
Part Four - The Era of
Industrialisation
The Regulations of the Glasgow Society explain the nature of a Relief
Society. A member setting out in search of work received 15 shillings
from the Society or, if married, 21 shillings. A tramp visiting
Glasgow received 7 shillings, provided he was a member of a similar
Society. The sum of 5 shillings was paid to strangers who had not
had an opportunity of becoming members of a similar Society, provided
they were ‘free of professional opprobrium’.
In addition to operating a relief system, the Glasgow Society was
also concerned with the preservation of standard rates of wages.
The first attempt at national organisation in the Scottish printing
industry dates from 1836 when trade unionism was in its infancy
The General Typographical Association of Scotland was formed in
1836 and was first located in Glasgow. Two of the Association’s
main objectives were to secure more uniform rates of pay and to
regulate the number of apprentices entering the trade.
In 1844 the Association was replaced by the Northern District Board
of the National Typographical Association, whose main functions
were to support and maintain strike members and also the unemployed.
Another of its objectives was to replace the old ‘tramping
system’ with a regular system of unemployment benefit.
On the establishment of the Northern Board, agreement was reached
that the minimum wage rates be 25 shillings per week in places within
a 10 mile radius of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and elsewhere 20 shillings.
A question arose over pay for ‘Sabbath work’ in the Glasgow
Herald office at the end of 1845. It was eventually agreed that
the men were entitled to double pay, that is 9 pence per hour, and
in the case of Sunday night work 1 shilling per hour.
The year 1846 severely tested the National Association. Trade was
at a very low level, disputes were numerous, there was growing opposition
from employers, and the funds of the Association had become seriously
depleted. By December 1846 the Northern Board found itself with
no funds and the final death blow came with the epic strike in Edinburgh.
First steps to re-form a Scottish Association came from the Glasgow
Society in January 1849. Trading conditions at the time were very
poor and this attempt appears to have been premature; nothing more
was heard until 1851. In November 1852, Glasgow announced that the
formation of the Scottish Typographical Association was all but
completed. A delegate meeting was held in Angus’s Temperance
Hotel, Glasgow, on 9 November at which unanimous approval was given
to the formation of the Association, and on 1 January 1853 the Scottish
Typographical Association came into operation.
The second half of the nineteenth century saw continued consolidation
and expansion of printing and publishing in Glasgow. Apart from
the development of technology, the expansion was helped by the provision
of municipal libraries in 1850, repeal of newspaper tax in 1855,
the removal of excise duty in 1861, and population growth in the
city.
|
|
Volume 2 published 1994
Buy a
copy of the illustrated book?
Download a PDF (9.9MB)
|
