Britain and Parliamentary Reform: Trade Unionism

Outline the Rise of Trade Unionism in WWI

The 1914 Triple Alliance was comprised of the Miners’ Federation, National Union of Railwaymen, and National Transport Workers’ Federation

* Trade Union membership increased from 4 million in 1913 to 8 million in 1919
* Iron and steel production decreased by 18.8 in 1915
* 4,970,000 were recruited into the Army
* Unskilled laborers were hired for skilled work (Dilution), leading to protests such as in May 1917 against the employment of 14,000 female workers
* James Thomas was the 1910 Labour MP for Derby and responsible for NUR
* Ernst Bevin was elected to the executive committee of the NTWF and made the Triple Alliance possible

Outline Government Practices in 1915-6

In 1915, Lloyd George reached the Treasury Agreement, where vital industries would not strike but that industrial profits would be capped

* The 1915 Munitions of War Act required workers to possess a certificate to leave their position in an essential industry
* Employers could prevent workers from leaving, since laborers struggled to find work if dismissed without a certificate
* The 1915 Rent & Mortgage Restrictions Act would freeze rent at 1913 levels
* This was in response to the Glasgow Rent Strike where the Glasgow Women’s Housing Association protested against increases in rent
* Working males joined the GWHA and the Clyde Workers’ Committee threatened a general strike in support

Define Red Clydeside

A period from 1915-24 that shifted from moderate Liberal politics to Marxist policies in Clydeside

* Clydeside in Glasgow employed 370,000 engineers, miners, and shipbuilders that composed 35% of the workforce
* Manny Shinwell was a socialist that became local secretary of the British Seafarers’ Union in Glasgow
* James Maxton was a socialist in response to the poverty in Glasgow, where Maxton would help create the Clyde Workers’ Committee in October 1915
* Maxton became Chairman of the Scottish Labour Party in 1913-19
* During the 1915 Glasgow Rent Strikes, the Clyde Workers’ Committee threatened General Strike

Define the Forty Hours Strike

In 1919, the Clyde Workers’ Committee organized a strike of 50,000 working males

* The strike spread from Glasgow to London
* A socialist flag was raised in George Square on 31 January to declare a workers’ commune
* The Government feared revolution and mobilized 12,000 soldiers to Glasgow
* Following the strike, 10,000 soldiers remained in Glasgow and Shinwell was arrested for 5 months
* Shinwell threated a General Strike and a switch-off of Glasgow power stations

Outline Strikes in 1919

1919 was characterized by 35 million strike days among 2.5 million workers

* Lloyd George: "\[The result of\] a small but active body of men who wrought tirelessly and insidiously to exploit the Labor Organization"
* John McClean was admired by Lenin as an 'outstanding British revolutionary leader'
* In September and October, 500,000 members of the NUR went on strike
* The government was forced to negotiate for a standardized wage between rail companies and an 8-hour working day

Define the Council of Action and 1919 Trade Unions

Composed of the Trades Union Committee, Labor Party, and 350 local councils of action headed under Ernst Bevin

* The Council of Action was formed in response to British intervention in the Russian Civil War
* Strikes were organized to prevent British military supplies reaching Poland
* In October 1920, 6000 London protesters gathered against British intervention

Define the Nationalization of the Coalfields

In 1916, coalfields were nationalized to improve production and eliminate employer profits

* The 1917 Defense of the Realm Act extended nationalization and created national regulation of wages
* By 1919, nationalization had improved all industries
* State planning improved conditions for the railways under nationalization
* Nationalized coalfields saw fairer wages and improved working conditions
* John Foster believes a return to capitalism was undermined by nationalization, as private ownership could not sustain fair wages and working conditions

Outline the Coal Industry after WW1

In 1921, Lloyd George returned coalfields to mine owners, which led to immediate 30% wage cuts

* Heavy industries had accounted for 70% of British exports and 50% of industrial output prior to WWI
* Britain was the leading coal exporter in the world
* 10% of British males were employed in the coal industries
* Coal demand was estimated to increase by 4% annually, and so after WWI, demand was high
* Britain experienced reprieve with the 1922 Miners’ Strike in the United States and the French invasion of the Ruhr
* Miners argued that owners were unfit to run the coalfields
* The growth of other essential industries such as electricity and gas resulted in declining productivity

Define Black Friday

Refers to 15 April, when the miners called for a strike in response to 30% wage cuts, but were ignored by other industries

* In 1921, Lloyd George privatized the coalfields despite the ruling of the 1919 Sankey Commission
* Lloyd George had prepared for a General Strike in 1921 with the 1920 Emergency Powers Act to prepare a military response
* The miners called for strike but the Triple Alliance did not mobilize in 15 April
* Industrial unrest subsequently declined to 11 million strike days in 1923

Define the 1925 Samuel Commission

An inquiry into the mining industry in 1925

* In April 1925, Churchill returned Britain to the Gold Standard which overvalued the Pound Sterling by 10%
* The Trade Union Committee promised to support the miners, who were organizing strike action
* In July 1925, Baldwin promised a temporary subsidy during the investigation of the Samuel Commission
* Subsidies maintained wages and were celebrated as 'Red Friday'
* The Samuel Commission recommends to reorganize the coal industry into amalgamated smaller mines and profits to be shared
* Owners refused the proposal since their profits would decrease
* The miners refused the proposal since reorganization would have resulted in temporary wage cuts ("Not a minute on the day, not a penny of the pay")

Outline the Context to the 1926 General Strike

In 29 April, owners organized a lock out against miners to announce wage cuts in 30 April that they would be unable to refuse

* The owners believed the miners would succumb to economic pressures, as subsidies were due to run out in 1 May
* According to Lee, Baldwin was 'trapped by events' as the Samuel Commission advised against an extension
* Clegg states an extension would have been perceived to be 'an abject and wholly unnecessary surrender'


* Daily Mail refused to issue an editorial that called miners a revolutionary movement, which infuriated Churchill to be an 'interference with the freedom of the Press'
* Baldwin refused to negotiate with the Trade Union Committee on 3 May
* Seaman: "Baldwin’s cessation of talks was the most provocative action"
* Baldwin wanted to avoid risking a divide in the Conservative Party

Define the 1926 General Strike

The General Strike was, according to Webb, a 'nine day blunder' from workers, since 300,000-500,000 volunteers were recruited to maintain essential industries

* 1.5 million transport and heavy industry workers supported the 1 million coal miners
* Bevin considered the General Strike a success because of the number of supporters
* Bevin galvanized even more support from shipbuilders and engineers
* Power stations agreed to cut off power into London
* The General Strike was joined by workers in miscellaneous industries
* 100,000 workers from Merseyside
* 40,000 workers from Leeds
* Some workers did not participate in the General Strike and were labeled "Blacklegs"

Outline Government Response to the General Strike

Hardliner Conservatives were keen not to repeat the appeasement of Red Friday

* 114,000 volunteers were recruited in London, though only 9,500 received work
* 2,000 Cambridge students continued the work at the docks at Dover


* Food and coal supplies were maintained through imports
* Liverpool accounted for 20% of imports
* In Plymouth, battleships with cargo were unloaded by 20,000 volunteers teams
* The government struggled to transport freight
* Only 1% of freight could be moved on 5 May, which increased to 6% on 12 May
* 22% of passenger services continued

Outline Media during the General Strike

Churchill used the *Flying Gazelle* to broadcast how the government was in control and how the disruption was minimal

* Churchill also raised fears of the strike as a revolutionary threat to motivate resistance


* The BBC relied on the government for their income and was forced to adopt neutrality
* The BBC released a speech from the Archbishop of Canterbury to end strike action
* *The British Worker* was requisitioned by Churchill and forced to reduce publications

Outline the End to the General Strike

In 12 May, the General Strike was called off

* James Thomas was blamed by the Miners’ Federation since the Committee did not support militancy
* On 11 May, the Trades Union Committee negotiated with government to end the strike
* Conservative hardliners agree since it was believed the General Strike would devolve into revolution
* No compromise was made since the Miners’ Federation refused the Samuel Memorandum and Baldwin did not wish to lose support from hardliner Conservatives