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Silk Mill Lockout anniversary marked with march
TRADE union banners were marched through Derby on Saturday in honour of workers involved in Britain’s first major industrial dispute — the Silk Mill Lockout.
In 1833, workers at a Silk Mill struck after the mill’s “master” sacked a worker for refusing to pay a fine for “shoddy work.”
The factory’s workers walked out and were followed by workers from other factories until 2,400 were out. The dispute lasted a year and, along with Tolpuddle, became part of Britain’s labour and trade union history.
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