Today in Labor History March 18, 1834: The authorities sentenced Six farm laborers from Tolpuddle, Dorset, England to be transported to Australia for forming a trade union. In April, 30,000 workers marched in support of the deportees. The Tolpuddle struggle, which began in 1832, marked the beginning of British trade unionism. The workers were fighting for an end to the “Combination Laws,” which outlawed the formation of unions. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were pardoned in 1836, thanks to the popular protests.