ABSTRACT
The terms ‘old’ and ‘new’ unions are used to denote two classes of trade unions, the distinction between which first assumed marked importance during the years 1889-1894. The terms are, however, in some degree misleading, since unions with the main features of new unionism have been founded at various times throughout the history of the movement, and some of those most recently established belong by character to the old unions. The benefits afforded by trade unions to their members, as has been seen, fall under two heads —viz., trade protection or dispute benefit, which is given by almost every union ; and a number of friendly benefits, some of which occur in the majority of cases, whilst some of the most typical old unions provide them all, and some of the most typical new unions provide none of them. Out-of-work and superannuation benefits stand upon a somewhat different footing to the other friendly benefits.
