Trade Unionism - Red Clydeside

Question 1

Glasgow rent strike - Events - What was the background of the Glasgow rent strikes

Answer 1

In wartime Glasgow, there were about 70,000 more residents than there were pre war – with increased demand for accommodation, landlords could raise rents – if tenants could not pay, they would be evicted – this hit hardest the women whose husbands were away with the army – landlords could obtain a court order to allow the forcible eviction and to take property to make up the value of the missing rent

Question 2

Glasgow rent strikes - Events - What happened during the protests?

Answer 2

This led to protests mainly led by women including Mary Barbour – they blocked bailiffs entering properties, and picketed the houses of landlords who had evicted tenants – by Nov 1915, there were 25,000 people involved in the strikes – across Glasgow, committees of workers in munitions factors and dockyards threatened sympathy strikes in support of the protesters – this included every industrial area across Glasgow – to avoid strikes, the gov ordered the police to halt legal action against protesters

Question 3

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - Why was this a real concern?

Answer 3

This was a real concern for gov since it threatened strikes in vital munitions factories – from May 1915, the British Army was already facing shall shortages, so this posed a serious issue

Question 4

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - Why was gov wary of angering TUs?

Answer 4

Gov was already wary of angering TUs, since the June 1915 Munitions of War Act introduced dilution and prevented workers from changing factories for better paid jobs without permission – unpopular with TUs

Question 5

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - Which groups worked together and what did this show?

Answer 5

Glasgow Women’s Housing Association, Clyde Workers Committee, and the ILP all worked together, showing the potential of cooperating union pressure

Question 6

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - What did employers fear?

Answer 6

Employers, fearing conflict with workers over an issue that did not involve them, supported the strikes

Question 7

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - What did Lloyd George introduce in Nov 1915 and what did it demonstrate?

Answer 7

In Nov 1915, Lloyd George introduced the Rent Restriction Act, which guaranteed pre-war rent levels would be fixed until the end of the war - it demonstrated the ability of the Unions to pressure gov

Question 8

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - What did the ILP do during the protests and what impact did this have?

Answer 8

The ILP supported the protests and voiced the concerns of the workers, strengthening the TU’s voices nationally

Question 9

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What was gov policy re working week and what did events in Europe do?

Answer 9

Gov policies required a 54-hour working week from 6am to 5:30pm in the week, and until noon on Saturdays – the Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia in 1917 and the Spartacist uprising in Germany in 1919 encouraged workers hoping for change

Question 10

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What happened on 27th Jan 1919?

Answer 10

On 27th Jan 1919, the Clyde Workers’ Committee began a strike which involved 70,000 workers where workers stopped working in Glasgow – on the 29th they presented a petition for a 40 hour working week to the Lord Provost and requested that it be presented to P

Question 11

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What happened on the 31st Jan 1919?

Answer 11

On the 31st Jan, 60,000 workers and their supporters gathered in George Square under a large red flag to hear the response – this response was a rejection – it had already been published in the Glasgow Herald that morning – a small group went into the City Chambers to discuss the matter, while other leaders gave speeches to the crowd

Question 12

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What happened as a result and injury number?

Answer 12

Fighting broke out between the protestors and the police – the Sherriff read the Riot Act but by reports from witnesses it was knocked from his hand – the fighting lasted several hours around Glasgow – 19 policemen and 34 protesters were injured

Question 13

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What did the gov do to combat this?

Answer 13

The gov deployed 6 tanks and troops to restore order – machine guns were also put up on high buildings

Question 14

The 40 Hour Strike - Significance - What did the engineering unions succeed in doing later?

Answer 14

Although the event failed, subsequently the national engineering unions succeeded in obtaining a 47 hour working week

Question 15

The 40 Hour Strike - Significance - What did the events generate and gov reaction highlight?

Answer 15

The events generated awareness of the potential threat of industrial action – the strong gov reaction showed how much of a threat industrial action could be

Question 16

The 40 Hour Strike - Significance - How did the gov see industrial action and how many leaders were punished?

Answer 16

For the gov, industrial actions were seen in the light of the Russian Revolution as revolutionary actions, rather than just simple demands for social reforms – two leaders were given prison sentences though 10 were acquitted

Question 17

The 40 Hour Strike - Significance - What did it do to links between TUs and the ILP?

Answer 17

It strengthened links between the ILP and TUs since the group presenting the petitions included Lab MPs – a number of militant leaders of 1919 became Lab MPs in the 1922 general election

Question 18

Black Friday 1921 - Events - What did the 1919 Sankey Commission recommend, what did the gov do, and what did the owners do?

Answer 18

The 1919 Sankey Commission recommended that the gov retain control of the coal industry – but the gov chose to return it to the former owners on 31 March 1921 – the owners immediately reduced pay, and locked out any miners who would not work for lower rate (in South Wales this was up to 49% of miners)

Question 19

Black Friday 1921 - Events - What did the gov do and what was the reality?

Answer 19

Fearing the potential of the Triple Alliance to create large-scale disruption, the gov used the 1920 Emergency Powers Act to recall troops from Ireland and abroad and positioned them to quell any strikes – in reality, the Triple Alliance was not a serious threat – Ernest Bevin’s transport workers and James Thomas’ rail workers did not join the strike – the Triple Alliance collapsed, since it only existed on the principle of mutual support – the miners struck on their own, but were unable to sustain this – they were forced to accept significant wage decreases and return to work

Question 20

Black Friday 1921 - Impacts - Why was it named Black Friday and what did it do to the threat of a united front?

Answer 20

The failed strike was named ‘Black Friday’ by historians of the labour movement since it was a failure to follow the principles of mass protest – it weakened the position of the TUs by indicating that the threat of a united front was a myth

Question 21

Black Friday 1921 - Impacts - What did Black Friday mark an end of?

Answer 21

It also marked an end to gov involvement in pay and employment reforms – for the rest of the inter-war period, the gov maintained a non-interventionist stance – its put the TUs onto the defensive, as opposed to the more aggressive stance that had been demonstrated in Clydeside in 1915 and 1919

Question 22

Black Friday 1921 - Impacts - What happened to wages as a result of this?

Answer 22

With the lack of governmental support and the collapse of power bloc of the Triple Alliance, employers in all industries forced down wages – the TUs were unable to prevent this