Talk:Early Closing Association

Churchill

I'm not a fan of Winston, but this sentence is troubling:

Home Secretary Winston Churchill was very anti-trade union regularly opposing any legislation to assist the improvements they so desired.

Firstly, searching the reference no. 5 pdf USDAW Leaflet, 'Churchill' was not to be found.

Secondly, in the noted author E. S Turner's section on the Early Closing movement, Roads to Ruin: chap 0004, it ends:

But at long last an effective Shops Act was on the way, piloted by Mr. Winston Churchill, then Home Secretary.

and

In 1911. after a by no means easy passage, Mr. Churchill's Bill reached the Statute Book.

Therefore the information is the exact opposite of the historical truth. Claverhouse (talk) 02:09, 21 June 2021 (UTC)

@Claverhouse: Churchill is mentioned in the leaflet - but the search does not work on it. However, I don't think it can be used to support the sentence as it stands. The leaflet, referring to events in 1903 says "The Liberal government of the day had Winston Churchill as Home Secretary and it was he who personally moved the removal of the 60 hour working week clause". This is clearly bollocks. The government in 1903 was Conservative, not Liberal, and Churchill did not become Home Secretary until 1910. The leaflet is not a reliable source and should not be used as a reference. I have removed the sentence and the leaflet. DuncanHill (talk) 02:54, 21 June 2021 (UTC)

@DuncanHill: Thank you. Oddly, I just now found Churchill mentioned there. He did in fact, it says, remove several items that would have improved affairs; but I doubt if it can be sustained that he, one of the architects of the Welfare State at that time, was very anti-trade union.

Whatever the reliability, I must say the description of living-in, which was new to me, showed how vilely employers treated their fellow humans ! Claverhouse (talk) 04:47, 21 June 2021 (UTC)