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British History > industrial relations > Flashcards

industrial relations Flashcards

1
Q

what act first gave legal recognition to unions?

A

1871 Trade unions act which caused a series of new unions to develop for the unskilled workers.

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2
Q

what was much of Britain industry made up of after the war?

A
  • coal
  • iron
  • steel
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3
Q

what areas suffered the most economic hardship?

A

area of heavy industry.

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4
Q

where were the new industries located?

A

in the midlands and south east of Britain, the most noticable was the motor industry.
- more light engineering of domestic goods.

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5
Q

what is meant by the term “two Englands” ?

A

was a term used to describe England during the interwar years. it differentiated between the new industry and the old, for example minning, cotton and ship building each lost 1/3 of their workforce during the 20’s.

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6
Q

what industries increased during the 1918-30 period?

A
  • electrical appliences increased thier work force by 2 and 1/2 times
  • building industry increased their workforce by 33%
  • service industries and hotels also increased in 1939 11.5 million were awarded holiday pay for the first time.
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7
Q

role of Lloyd George and the unions 1918 - 1920?

A
  • Lloyd George negotiated with the Trade union movement in order to keep strikes at a minimum.
  • this was because the wartime economy needed a high degree of labour discipline.
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8
Q

examples of wartime strikes? (WW1)

A
  • 1917; 48 strikes across Britain that involved over 200,000 workers
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9
Q

why were relationships with the minors deteriorating 1918?

A
  • 1918 following the armistice there was an enormous wave of unrest across the country as not only workers, but soldiers and the police were went on strike as resentments for the miss-justices that went on during the war provoked them.
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10
Q

what stats show that striking declined between 1919 and 1920? what is the reason for this?

A
  • 1918 = 32 million days lost to strikes
  • 1920 = 25 million
  • this is due to factories taking on more workers, with new jobs that paid better.
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11
Q

why did the decline in strikes in 1920 not last very long?

A
  • because the following year unemployment slumped and wages declined which cause an increase in strikes
  • days lost reached 84 million.
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12
Q

what were the grievances of the strikers based on?

A
  • wages
  • rising prices
  • food shortages
  • minority of strikers expressed political and ideological grievances.
  • however gov was able to contain strikes making a revolution unlikely
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13
Q

when was the first minors strike?

A

1921

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14
Q

what was the MFGB?

A

the minors federation of Great Britain - the largest union with over 900,000 members

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15
Q

what happened after the war to the mines?

A
  • they were run by gov during the war which minors liked due to the private owners being “lazy” and “incompetent”
  • they were given back to private control after the war which meant wages fell and hours lengthened in order to keep up with foreign competitors
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16
Q

why were the private owners of the mines able to raise prices and increase their hours (20’s)?

A
  • because in 1921 unemployment was very high and therefore they knew if people left they would not find another job so they need the job they had.
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17
Q

who was involved in the discussion of a united strike 20’s?

A
  • MFGB
  • the national transport workers federation (NTWF)
  • national union of railwaymen (NUR)
  • this was discussed incase post-war economy slumped
  • minors strike could easially be sorted by importing coal but if the dockworkers and railway men refused then the consequences could be crippling.
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18
Q

what happened when union leaders refused to accept the pay cuts?

A

mine leaders locked out their workers on April 1st and the government used the emergency powers act to send troops to south Wales in anticipation od unrest and violence.

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19
Q

what stopped the miners attempt to strike in 1921?

A
  • the two branches on the tripple aliance (NUR AND NTWF) abandoned their cause
  • this became none as black Friday
  • the reason they didn’t want to strike is because the minors didn’t want them involved in negotiations which was a crucial mistake for the minors.
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20
Q

did the minors continue to strike even though they had been abandoned by the tripple alliance?

A
  • yes April 15th 1921 - 28th June
  • not for long however as they realised the could not beat the mine owners alone
  • they were forced to accept a pay cut which left their wages lower than in 194 (20% lower).
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21
Q

who did the minors hope to be elected in 1924?

A

labour - however due to labs not achieving any of their core goals they were reluctant to assist the unions.

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22
Q

what was Stanley Baldiwn’s decision regarding the economy ? and how did this effect the minors?

A
  • returned Britain to the gold standard
  • mine owners profits seriously depleated
  • their immediate reaction was to cut wages
  • resulting in another strike by the MFGB
  • led by Arthur Cook
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23
Q

what was the govs response fearing a general strike from minors?

A
  • established an enquiry into miners’ conditions and offered a subsidy to mine owners that would maintain pay until May 1st 1969
  • March 1926 the gov enquiry, the Samuel commission recommended a 13.5% pay cut for minors with the withdrawal of the subsidy
  • 1926 a million workers in Britain were locked out after refusing to accept pay cuts.
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24
Q

what did the TUC announce in May?

A

announced a general strike would begin in May 3rd

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25
Q

what was the govs response to the strike?

A
  • published own propaganda paper e.g. the British Gazette and using the BBC to broadcast anti-union feelings
  • ## labs distanced themselves from the trade unions
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26
Q

why did union members begin to return to work?

A

when it was found that the 1906 were there was a trade disputes act which immuned minors legally from famages and claims for loss of profit frim businesses would not apply.

  • they went back to work
  • TUC appealled to the gov not to victimise the strikers
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27
Q

how did Baldwin respond to the strikers?

A
  • told them he could not guarentee their rights of workers and many were labeled trouble makers
  • wages for minors were slashed
  • and the industry lost 30% of jobs
    the strijke had been a catastrophic faillure for the minors
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28
Q

what was the new trade disputes act and was it enforced?

A

1927 prevented sympathetic strikers and mass picketing.

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29
Q

why were strikes significantly weakenened and when?

A
  • after the failure of the general strike
  • 1930’s striking declined
  • mass unemployment of the depression meant unions revenues had depleted and membership had declined for 8 mill in 1922 to 4.5 mil in 1932
  • an acception was the communist-party backed national unemployed workers movement which grew in size during the depressuon
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30
Q

how did WW2 bring considerable changes to Britain regarding employment?

A
  • the movement to war production brought full employment
  • as well as large deployment of women into factories and jobs which were previously for men.
  • factories that were previously laid idle were fully opperational in 1930’s for building weapons and ammunition
31
Q

how many people were involved in war work during WW2?

A

1944 = 33% of civilians were in war work

- which included 7 million women

32
Q

how did WW2 impact Britain?

A
  • mass unemployment of the 30’s had virtually disappeared

- wages, working conditions had also improved.

33
Q

what was the essential work order ?

A

March 1941 labour minister Ernest Bevin had issued this

  • which tied people to jobs considered to be essential for the war effort
  • which also made it difficult for employees to dismiss them
34
Q

what was the control of employment act?

A

1939 September

  • allowed semi-skilled workers to undertake formally skilled occupations due to there being a shortage of skilled workers.
  • skilled workers were exempt from military service.
35
Q

what did Bevin inist that employees provided ?

A
  • canteens and medical centres
  • as well as creches for mothers children.
  • established the popular promgram “worker’s playtime” which allowed these things to occur.
  • wages increased but hours were long
36
Q

what commitment occurred between all parties between 1940’s and 70’s regarding employment?

A
  • commitment to full employment
  • this was possible due tp favourable economic conditidons of the 50’s and 60’s
  • unemployment only rose to 2% in 8 years (1948-70)
  • which was a positive impact on industrial relations.
37
Q

how did full employment commitment benefit workers?

A
  • employers were having to keep employee’s happy through increasing wage and better conditions to prevent them from leaving for another job.
  • this was especially in skilled jobs and in places such as Nottingham’s textile industry
38
Q

how did employment opportunities begin to rise through the 50’s and 60’s?

A
  • children who had previously followed in the same career path as their parents and more options
  • as technology developed there was more white collar jobs in electronics
  • surveys found that those in white collar jobs teneded to gain more job satisfaction than in manual jobs,
  • growth in the service industry as well
39
Q

what factory/industry became a major employer during the 50’s and 60’s?

A

the car industry and car manufacturing

- 1956 = 500,000 people were directly employed in the production of motor vehicles or components

40
Q

what was a problem with factory work?

A
  • people did repetitive jobs
  • and as automation developed this got worse
  • the only benefit was pay
41
Q

when did full employment begin to decline again?

A
  • 1970’s before gov actually began to abandon it
  • unemployment rose to 1 million in 1972
  • ideas about job security which was around in the 50’s began to fade
42
Q

where was decline in industry more acute during the 70’s?

A

North of Britain e.g. Scotland, Midlands and south Wales.

- in these areas there was often little alternatives apart from jobs in mining and factories.

43
Q

when did the commitment to full employment actually get abandoned by gov?

A

1976

44
Q

who was the most important member of Winston Churchils new cabinate for the minors?

A
  • Ernest Bevin

- through his emergency powers act 1939 he had almost complete control over the British Workforce.

45
Q

what problems did WW2 create for industrial relations?

A
  • long anti-social hours
  • lack of recognition for the workers
    this led to numerous strikes and protests over wages and working conditions
  • 1944 the gov introduced the Defence regulation 58AA banning strikes and lockouts.
46
Q

where and when did the minors go on strike illegally during WW2?

A
  • 1942 Betteshanger in Kent
  • gov took control of the coal industry and initially chose to prosecute 1,050 miners fining them between £1 and £3
  • miners in other pits downed tools in solidarity annd forced the home sec to drop charges and improve wages
47
Q

why did younger miners often go on strike?

A
  • angry about pay compared to older miners
48
Q

what happened Spring 1944?

A

100,000 Welsh miners went on strike ( un-official strike) for better wages as average wage for them was £5 but for manufacturing it was £6.10s

49
Q

what gave unions leaders more access to decision making during WW2?

A
  • union leaders had been appointed to gov bodies on wages, industries and social policy and this continued after 1945
  • this allowed their views to be frequently heard on decision making.
  • 1939 union leader sat on 12 government committees but by 1949 they had sat on 60.
  • Labour repealed the Trade disputes act 1927 giving miners more power
50
Q

how did union leadership change in 1951-64?

A
  • membership grew
  • leaders such as Vic Feather and Len Murray were v affluent and were far removed from their poorer members however they worked long hours for their member’s
51
Q

who was Walter Monckton?

A
  • cons minister of the lab party
  • he attempted a conciliatory policy with the tu
  • but the relationship between TUC and cons deteriorated.
52
Q

how many strikes between 1945-54?

A

1,751 per year involving 1/2 million workers

between 1955-64 this number jumped to 2,521

53
Q

what growing resentment and perception was held by the middle class during 50’s 60’s?

A
  • unionised men were lazy, obstructive and too powerful.
54
Q

how was Harold Macmillan presented to attract union support?

A
  • drinking beer, smoking on holiday in the Scilly Isles
55
Q

what types of strikes increased during the 60’s?

A
  • wildcat strikes - those who were not officially represented by the unions
  • 90% of all strikes were unofficial during this period.
  • problem for lab who were sympathetic towards unions due to their joint history.
  • on average 3 million days were lost a year due to striking.
56
Q

what was “alright Jack”?

A

1959 a popular comedy film and unexpectedly became the most successful film of the year (even watched by the Queen)
- represented a union shop steward as a bully forcing factories to go one strike over the tiniest issues.

57
Q

what was the cause of increased militancy?

A
  • creeping inflation 60’s

- miners were frequently exempted from pay increases above inflation like other proffessions

58
Q

example of TUC and Harold Wilson’s gov being close?

A
  • they were invited to 10 downing street for beer and sanwhiches
  • however in 1969 he began coming up with policies to limit their power due to Heath’s proposals of anti-union legislation becoming popular.
59
Q

who was Barbra Castle?

A

1969 was tasked with the job of reducing union power and preventing wildcat strikes.

  • she compiled a white paper called “in place of strife”:
  • gov could order a strike ballot before industrial action took place if it could threaten the economy
  • workers in unofficial strikes could be ordered back to work
  • unions fighting within workplaces would go to industrial board who would h give a legally binding vedict
  • a strike that broke these rules could be imprisoned.
60
Q

what happened to the white papers?

A
  • they were scrapped as union opposed it and so did James Callaghan so he feared his job
  • the public however showed widespread support for the papers.
61
Q

what was Heath’s industrial relations act?

A

1971

  • attempted to introduce all measures that Barbra castle had proposed
  • however in a time of soaring inflation this legislation proved ineffective as the TUC had now refused to comply
62
Q

what happened through out the 60’s for the British coal industry?

A
  • it had shrunk

- National coal board had closed 400 pits and 420,000 people made redundant

63
Q

what happened during the 70’s regarding mining?

A

NUM leadership voted for strike action but only got 50% support and needed 2/3

  • despite this however there was a wave of unofficial strikes
  • only 55% now needed a majority and a strike began January 1972
64
Q

what was flying pickets?

A
  • developed by Arthur Scargil
  • using a group 1,000 miners to quickly blockade power stations and coal depots
  • in 1972 this reduced electricity output to 25%
  • Scargill had over 40,000 miners picketing 500 separate sites across the country
  • Heath fesred widespread violence and loss of life if the miners were not confronted.
65
Q

why was Heath’s experience of the strike unlike Baldwin’s in 1926?

A

because he had not anticipated it and therefore lacked the resources to be able to deal with it

66
Q

what happened during the second strike 1973-74

A
  • 1973-74 led by NUM who realised that the oil crisis of 1963 had left the country dependent on coal
  • the strike led to power cuts causing the gov to run a state of emergency and enforced a 3 day week between jan and march - all business were given free electricity for 3 days and employees had to stay at home for the wrest of the week.
67
Q

what poll did Heath call?

A

1974 “who governs Britain”

  • asking voters to back him against the unions
  • cons defeat showed the lack of public supprot and their lack of confidence in Heeath’s ability to deal with the unions.
68
Q

what did James Callaghan make a much more important economic priority?

A
  • inflation
  • 1977 Denis Healy his chancellor believed inflation was being brought back under control and that the social contract - whoch was creasred to prevent the need of formal income policies had run its course
    -
69
Q

when was the winter of discontent?

A
  • 1978-79
70
Q

what was social contract?

A
  • a new policy negotiatied with unions which creasted as a voluntary code to prevent the need for formal incomes policy with specified limits for pay rises but it rested on the assumption that union bosses could pursuade their members.
71
Q

for pay negotiations?

A
  • ford had attempted to pay the gov pay policy in response to 15,000 auto workers on strike in 22 Septemebr
  • Ford offered a rise of 17%
72
Q

what was the haulage strike?

A
  • gov had no way pf enforcing restraint and the unions seized opportunity to gain pay rise
  • 1978 lorry’s began an over time band demanding a 40% pay increase
  • this meant petrol could not be reached by statiosns and heating old could not reach schools
  • coldest winter since 1947
73
Q

public sector strike?

A
  • 22 JAn low paid public sector employees went on strike e.g. the national union of public employee’s (NUPE)
  • ## they wanted the same pay rises as those in the private sector

British History (20 decks)

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