Combinations of Workmen Act 1825
- When
- 1825
- Where
- United Kingdom
- Episodes
- 2
The Combinations of Workmen Act 1825 was an act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that followed the repeal of earlier Combination Acts. It restricted trade unions to bargaining for wages and working hours while criminalizing industrial actions like picketing. The legislation responded to a wave of strikes following the 1824 repeal, reimposing sanctions on methods of persuading workers not to work.
Episodes
- Passage of the Act
The Combinations of Workmen Act 1825 was passed to reimpose criminal sanctions for picketing and other methods of persuading workers not to work.
- Repeal of 1824 Act
Section 1 of the act repealed the Combination of Workmen Act 1824, which had previously repealed the acts of 1799 and 1800.
Background and detail
Background. The act followed the Combination Act 1799 and the Combination of Workmen Act 1824. The 1824 act repealed the acts of 1799 and 1800, but this led to a wave of strikes. Accordingly, the 1825 act was passed to reimpose criminal sanctions for picketing and other methods of persuading workers not to work.
Legal Provisions. The act prohibited combinations of workers for purposes other than negotiating wages and working hours. It continued to criminalize many forms of industrial action such as picketing, intimidation, and coercion. However, it did not completely ban trade unions or all collective bargaining.
Repeals. Section 1 of the act repealed the Combination of Workmen Act 1824. Section 2 repealed 35 enactments listed in that section, as well as all acts relative to combinations of workmen or of masters as to wages, time of working, quantity of work, etc.
Sources
- Combinations of Workmen Act 1825 Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
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