Annual Report Extracts

Extracts from the 8th Annual Report 1901

Mr Simmons, ITUC Vice-President opening conference on May 27th: When, eight years ago, it came into the minds of some of the trade unionists of Ireland to inaugurate and initiate an Irish Trades Union Congress, various pessimists at that period were of the opinion that the efforts of the promoters would result in failure…

Extracts from the 9th Annual Report 1902

The Lord Mayor, Ald E Fitzgerald said it was his duty was to ‘most cordially wish them a hearty welcome to Cork. He did that with the greatest pleasure. Since he was elected to the high position he at present held, it had been his lot to preside at various meetings…

Extracts from the 10th Annual Report 1903

The Earl of Belmore, speaking at the recent Industrial Conference, said, “If you want to stem the tide of emigration, if you want to keep the people at home, you must strive to better their condition. If the industrial institute is to be a power for good in the Country it must tackle the social question boldly, and see that the working classes are better housed and better cared for…

Extracts from the 11th Annual Report 1904

ITUC William Walker said: The men’s representatives are still unequipped with the knowledge which an intelligence department in the Trade Union movement would bestow. They go from the bench or the lathe with just so much knowledge as their leisure time (which is not much) will enable them to become possessed of, and they are confronted with men who not merely have every advantage …

Extracts from the 12th Annual Report 1905

Mr Hugh McManus (Belfast) moved: That this Congress, while fully recognising the splendid practical services rendered by the Irish Members of Parliament in regard to the Trades Disputes Bill, desires to emphasise previous declarations that no measure can be accepted as satisfactory which does not restore the full rights previously enjoyed by trade unions…

Extracts from the 13th Annual Report 1906

Councillor O’Lehane (Dublin), moved: That all deductions from wages in the form of fines, inflicted as punishment for alleged offences or as indemnity for spoiled work, should be rendered illegal, either by a special Act of Parliament or by the requisite amendment of the Truck and Factory Acts…

Extracts from the 14th Annual Report 1907

From the address by James McCarron (Londonderry) President of the ITUC: This is the third occasion on which we have met in the Capital, and this time under very favourable circumstances. We open Congress simultaneously with that of the great Irish International Exhibition…

On the late Belfast Dockers’ Lock-out

From the report of the ITUC Executive: Your Committee considered the question of the Belfast Dockers’ dispute and unanimously adopted the following resolution :—

That this Committee re-affirms the principle of compulsory arbitration

On Unemployment

From the Report of the ITUC Executive: At their meeting on the 1st August last your Committee considered the situation in Ireland as regards unemployment. The reports presented to them from the principal industrial districts…

On the introduction of Labour Exchanges

From the Report of the ITUC Executive: Since your Committee last reported, the Labour Exchanges Bill has been placed upon the Statute Book. This measure had the cordial support of the Labour and Irish Parties, not as a remedy for unemployment, but on the ground that it would supply the necessary machinery for collecting reliable data…

On ending Sweated Shops and Looking after needs of School Children

D R Campbell, ITUC President said, It is to be regretted that the formation of the “Boards” provided for under the “Trades Boards Act” has not been proceeded with in a more earnest fashion…

On proposed Gerrymander of Workers’ Vote in Home Rule Parliament

Michael J O’Lehane, ITUC President, criticises the proposed electoral boundaries in the Home Rule Bill: I must express strong disappointment at the fact that, in the proposed measure, large urban centres are ignored…

Interview with John Redmond on Government of Ireland Bill

The interview took place in the Gresham Hotel [Dublin] and at Mr Redmond’s request was conducted in the absence of the Press. Mr Redmond was accompanied by Mr John Dillon, MP, and Mr Joseph Devlin, MP…

Extracts from the 21st Annual Report 1914

Intolerance has been the curse of our country, it is for us to preach the gospel of toleration and comradeship for all women and men. The day has arrived for us of the Irish working class to reconsider our position…

Extracts from the 22nd Annual Report 1916

Chairman Thomas McPartlin, opening the Conference: Delegates, —In presenting you our Report, embracing in time a period of over two years, we do so under a great handicap. Following the recent uprising in Ireland, not alone has our Secretary, Mr P T Daly, been removed to England, but all his papers and correspondence dealing with the Congress affairs have been seized…

On living conditions of Irish workers

William O’Brien, Chairman, said that, If there is anyone listening to me who has any admiration for our vaunted civilisation, I would advise them to spend a day with an insurance agent whilst going his rounds in a working-class district in any of our large cities…

Extracts from the 24th Annual Report 1918

ITUC President William O’Brien said, There are other problems which we will have to face, such as the development, in the interests of the people, of the national resources of the country, railways, mines, bogs, waterways, etc…

Extracts from the 25th Annual Report 1919

From the Executive report: During the year the organisation of the workers has proceeded steadily. Large numbers of agricultural workers have become Trade Unionists and show every promise of being an active and virile force in Labour’s army…

Extracts from the 26th Annual Report 1920

The year has been eventful for the Labour movement. While in other countries our comrades have been discussing heatedly the wisdom or effectiveness of what is called “direct action” to achieve political ends, circumstances have compelled the Irish workers on several occasions in the past year to use the strike weapon for political and social purposes…

Extracts from the 27th Annual Report 1921

Immediately after the Cork Congress two members of the Executive visited Belfast to interview the Committee who were responsible for the collection of funds and conducting the agitation on behalf of the workers expelled from the ship yards and other establishments because of their political and religious opinions…

Extracts from the 28th Annual Report 1922

The report of the year’s work which we now submit deals more fully with matters political than industrial. Though it is true that the greater part of the activities of your Executive, in their public aspect, has been necessarily connected with the urgent political and social crises which have arisen, a greater amount of attention than the report would suggest has been given to industrial matters…

Extracts from the 29th Annual Report 1923

In view of the improved conditions of affairs and the state of peace which appears now to have been entered upon, we do not think it advisable to recount in detail the various activities of the Executive, arising out of the strife and warfare of the last year…

Extracts from the 30th Annual Report 1924

MR W CARPENTER (Irish Garment Workers’ Union, Dublin) said: His Union had a high percentage of unemployment, but he thought it was a wrong approach to deal, with it as a question between Free Trade and Tariffs…

Extracts from the 31st Annual Report 1925

In September, 1924, the Association of Chambers of Commerce passed a resolution calling upon the Government to appoint a representative Committee which would inquire into the whole industrial situation, and make recommendations for the prevention of strikes and lock-outs, and the Minister for Industry and Commerce invited an expression of our views upon the proposal…