“Come, Let Us Reason Together”: Trade Unions at Rowntree’s in the 1920s
As part of the Joseph Rowntree Centenary, The Rowntree Society explored the story of Rowntree’s relationship with Trade Unions during the 1920’s. Our Executive Director presented our research, alongside other contributions from Cllr Pete Kilbane and Dr. Nicola Sleapwood in an event included in the Festival of Ideas.
We told the story of the trade unions at Rowntree’s in the 1920s principally through the lives of Chief Shop Steward, Fred Hawksby and the Assistant Chief Shop Steward, Irene Pickup. The ways in which Joseph and Seebohm Rowntree dealt with industrial relations in their company inspired by their Quaker values and liberal politics were also investigated. We revealed how each character’s background and individual perspective was so significant in influencing each other and the pioneering work in developing workplace democracy at Rowntree’s, and the wider impact this had nationally. The talk weaved themes of poverty, industrial relations, and the tensions between liberal and socialist politics in 1920s Britain in navigating these issues. This telling of history from below will bring a new perspective to Rowntree and York histories and demonstrate how working class people make their own waves.
Inkblot Films recorded the event for us and you can watch it on our YouTube channel:
