Tolpuddle Martyrs' Tree
General Secretary of the TUC Brendan Barber’s choice of icon reflects perfectly his passionate beliefs in workers’ rights.
“In
the early 1800s, the ancient sycamore tree in the centre of Tolpuddle
was the meeting place for agricultural workers. Faced with further cuts
to their miserable wages, Dorset farm workers formed a union. They
rejected the machine wrecking and petty violence of previous years. By
1834, unions were legal and gaining support from industrial
workers. But the idea was too much for the local squire and
landowners in Tolpuddle.
“Arrested and quickly tried on a
charge of taking an illegal oath six farm workers were sentenced to
seven years’ transportation.
“The fledgling union movement
rallied thousands of supporters across the country in protest. The
campaign won free pardons and the return from Australia.
“Since
then, the great tree in Tolpuddle has been an icon for the labour
movement. It is a place of pilgrimage and celebration for the fight
for social justice and equality.”
Read more about and vote on the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Tree
Image of Brendan Barber © topfoto.co.uk
Brendan Barber
Trade unionist
Brendan Barber has spent most of his career at the TUC where he started work in 1975. He’s been a driving force in the TUC’s ‘United Against Racism’ campaign and in initiatives to help boost union membership and build partnership-style relations between employers and unions. An avid Everton fan, he lives in North London with his partner and two teenage daughters.
