general strike

• What is a trade union?

  Organisations that represent people at work. The purpose is to protect and improve pay and conditions of employment. They also campaign for laws and policies that will benefit the working people
• What is the privatisation?


  the transfer of a business, industry, or service from public to private ownership and control.
• What is nationalisation?


  The industry and economy is now in state ownership and not private.
• What factors caused the general strike

  - triple alliance

  - government nationalised Coal mines during the war

  - after the war coal miners faced competition from foreign imports (Germany)
• How did the triple alliance help trade unions?

  - unions representing coal railway and transport industries combined

  - it was fiercely protective over its members working conditions and wages

  - during the war relations between government and triple alliance was close

  - workers could not strike during the war
• What happened to coal mines after the war

  - returned to their original owners

  - millions of men returned from war and wanted work

  - britains industries (textiles, shipbuilding, coal) faced completion from foreign imports
• What happened in 1926?

  by 3rd may miners and dockers went on strike
• How did the government respond to the strike

  - were prepared so army were deployed to do jobs

  - used emergency powers act

  - used radio and newspapers as propaganda
• What is the emergency powers act 1920?


  Government could do whatever necessary to ensure basic needs were met/maintained
• What happened after the strike

  - ended after 9 days

  - trade union membership fell, public support for strikes fell and Labour Party was weakened
• Long term causes of strike

  - coal, transport and railway industries formed triple alliance Which worked closely with the government

  - after ww1 without consulting alliance government privatised mines

  - competition - Germany had to pay of reparations and did this through providing coal

  - other countries had more modern technology making mining more efficient and coal cheaper

  - demand for British coal dropped - prices fell- workers faced pay cuts and longer shifts
• Short term causes pf strike

  - Black Friday

  - Friday 15th april 1921 mine owners announced an extension of hours and dropping of wages

  - TUC called other industries to strike in solidarity

  - dockers and railway unions pulled out last minute
• Trigger cause of strike

  - red Friday

  - in 1925 price of coal fell again

  - more Changes to hours and a 13% pay cut

  - pm Stanley Baldwin agreed to subside wage gap on 31st July 1925

  - was worried about a large scale workers revolution

  - set up Samuel commission to reach agreement between mine owners and miners
• Samuel Commission


  -1926 government enquiry into miners pay suggested a 13.5% pay cut

  - satisfied miners until government money stopped in april 1926

  - on 1st may 1926 TUC agreed to go on strike
• What happened in first 3 days of the strike

  Day 1 - 3rd may 1926 - 1.7million worker walk out at 12pm, government deploy troops

  Day 2 - British gazette introduces anti strike propaganda

  Day 3 - strikers are arrested, volunteer workers drive busses and run services
• What happened day 4-6

  Day 4 - clashes between police and strikers

  Day 5- media intensifies with British workers paper, Churchill names the strike a "challenge to constitution"

  Day 6- food shortages, more volunteers introduced
• What happened day 7-9

  Day 7- secret negotiations began between TUC and government, mine leaders excluded

  Day 8- government refused to negotiate until strike ended, TUC consider calling strike off

  Day 9- TUC calls of strike, miners refused pay cuts and continue striking
• Government response to strike

  - TUC agreed to slight change in Samuel's report as they ran out fo Money and government were prepared for 9 months

  - Labour Party didn't support strike

  - everyone except miners returned to work - forced back in November by hunger and disillusionment
• Clauses of trade unions act 1927


  - illegal for unions to strike
• Impact of strike on unions

  - could no longer use union members up to fund political parties

  - union relations with Labour Party unpacked

  - union membership fell

  - worked longer hours for lower wages

  - did not reach peak levels again until ww2
• TUC actions in the general strike

  - created own newspaper to explain action

  - reminded strikers to remain peaceful

  - traveled up country to picket with other industries in solidarity

  - funds set up to feed strikers and families
• Government actions in general strike

  - army did workers job

  - middle class students worked in heavy industries

  - used radio and newspapers to turn public opinion

  - Stanley Baldwin - speeches on radio - referred to strike as revolution

  - army and police send to key cities to stop violent clashes between strikers and government supporters
• What is a constitutional government?

  A government which operates within a set of rules that limits the power of the government and protects citizens rights
• What is a punch magazine?


  Not supportive of either

  Made comments on social and political events