1001 Space Earth Nature History First Civilisations Ancient Egypt Biblical Times Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Chinese, Japanese Civilisations Indian Civilisation African Civilisation The Early Americas The Rise of Islam The Middle Ages The Renaissance Civil War and Revolution The Industrial Revolution Two World Wars 20th-century Achievements Human World Science and Technology	What were trade unions? Trade unions were organised groups of factory workers who came together to demand better working conditions. They were often forced to work up to 16 hours a day for low wages, using dangerous machinery.   Previous: Back Book: 1001 Section: History Chapter: The Industrial Revolution