4.3 Rise (and fall?) of trade unions

“Combination” of workers prohibited (when?)

around 1800

Trade unions allowed (restricted) (when?)

from 1825

Trade unions Act (1871)

expands rights of TUs, including right to strike

Growing importance of nation-wide unions (when, examples)

• 20th cent.

• National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)

• Trade Union Congress (TUC)

political influence of trade unions through…

Labour Party

Oil crisis (1970-80s)

• leads to high inflation

• unions demand higher wages

• Miner’s strikes in 1972 & 1974

How many working days lost to strikes in 1970s&80s?

over 60k

Winter of Discontent (when?)

1978/79

Winter of Discontent: Background

“social contract” with unions to limit wage increase to bring down inflation (1975-77)

Winter of Discontent (what?)

• no new agreement reached

• series of strikes

• cold winter isolates part of the country

• PM James Callaghan (Labour) denied that there was a serious situation

Miner’s Strike (when?)

1984/85

Miner’s Strike (what?)

• strikes against closure of coal mines not backed by nation-wide vote or TUC

• labelled as “illegal” strike

• led to divisions within NUM

• pitted PM Thatcher against NUM president Scargill

• strike ended after a year, more closures of mines followed

Miner’s Strike: background

• National Coal Board announces closure of 20 mines

• loss of 20k jobs

Thatcher on unions

“the enemy within”