Drawing from a variety of libraries and archives, this collection brings together material to illustrate the history of the development of trade unionism and industrial relations. It spans the period from the early journeymen's trade societies as they emerged in the 18th-Century through to the end of the First World War. This is the final volume of 8, Part II Vol 8 spans 1912-1918.

Volume 8: 1912-1918 The immediate pre-war years brought some of the most bitter strikes and from many directions the language was that of the class war. The need for workers' collaboration in the war effort presented unions with huge challenges, such as dilution of skilled labour with unskilled workers, but also with great opportunities for advancing their cause, and generated a vigorous debate over what trade unionism ought to be in the post-war world. Ben Tillett, 'London Transport Workers' Strike', The Dockers' Record (1912); Guy Bowman, Syndicalism: Its Basis, Methods, and Ultimate Aim. Compiled by Norman Young from a lecture by Guy Bowman, 6 April 1913, in Co-operative Hall, Little Newport Street, W (1913); The Greater Unionism. With Special Reference to Mining, Building, Engineering and Shipbuilding, Transport and General Labour, and to the position of the General Federation of Trade Unions (1913); TUC Parliamentary Committee. Dublin Dispute. Report of Special Conference held at the Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, London EC (1913); Trades Union (No.2) Bill. TUC Parliamentary Committee. Report of Proceedings of the National Conference held in the Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, London, EC (1913); W M Geldart, The Present Law of Trade Disputes and Trade Unions (1914); George R Shann, 'Scientific Management', The Workers' Union Record (1914); 'Taylor's System of Scientific Management', The Workers' Union Record, (1914); 'Taylor's System of Scientific Management', The Workers' Union Record (1914); 'Scientific Management and Trade Unionism', The Workers' Union Record (1914); 'Scientific Management. The Skilled Man and the Unskilled', The Workers' Union Record (1914); 'Scientific Management. Our Attitude Towards it', The Workers' Union Record (1914); J Beard, 'The Call for Munitions', The Workers' Union Record (1915); 'Munitions of War Act', The Workers' Union Record (1915); G D H Cole & W Mellor, The Price of Dilution of Labour. An Open Letter to Members of the ASE Conference, 30th December 1915 (1915); 'Betrayal of the Labourers at Woolwich Arsenal', The Workers' Union Record (1915); War Emergency Workers' National Committee, Compulsory Military Service and Industrial Conscription. What they mean to the Workers (1915); W F Watson, One Union for Metal, Engineering and Shipbuilding Workers (1916); John Beard, 'First Triennial Conference. Full Report of the Proceedings in Birmingham', The Workers' Union Record (1916); Labour Party, Report of the Special Committee appointed by the annual conference held at Manchester, in January 1917, to inquire into and report upon the circumstances which resulted in the deportation in March 1916, of David Kirkwood and other workmen employed in munition factories in the Clyde District (1917); (1916); 'Memorandum of Conference between the Engineering Employers' Federation and Stream Engine Makers' Society and 13 other unions', The Workers' Union Record (1918); J T Murphy, The Workers Committee: an outline of its principles and structure (1918); J T Murphy, Compromise or Independence? An Examination of the Whitley Report with a plea for the Rejection of the Proposals for Joint Standing Industrial Councils (1918)