ECONOMIC - Miners

In 1979 what was the state of politics regarding unions?

Union leaders before 1979 had been national figures, seen in Downing Street regularly playing central role in managing the economy

Employment Act 1980

• Closed shop (where workers MUST join union) rules tightened → at least 80% worker approval in ballot

• Picketing restricted to only at a worker’s own place of employment, and secondary picketing largely illegal

• Employees gained stronger rights if chose NOT to join union

• Encouraged secret ballots before strikes

1982 employment act

• Higher approval rate for closed shops (85%)

• More tight on secondary picketing and sympathy strikes

• Financial penalties if illegal industrial action (court)

• Lost immunity from being sued

Ok now summarise 1980 and 1982 cuz u dont need to know all of that

• Forbade mass picketing

• Outlawed ‘closed shop’ almost by introducing high approval rates

• More financial penalties, less immunity

• Formal ballots before strikes

1984 Trade Union Act

• MANDATORY SECRET BALLOTS BEFORE STRIKES

• Regular elections for union leaders

What does Thatcher want to do regarding coal pits

Close unprofitable coal pits, as she didn’t want to put more public money into an industry that had little chance of being able to recover its place in a competitive market

NCB and pit closures

Announces plans to shut 20 pits in 1984

would cause around 20,000 job losses

communities in the north of England and Wales were reliant on it

Violence - goes up to key battle - what and when and where

• BATTLE OF ORGREAVE

• In June 1984

• 6000 pickets fought a pitched battle with police

• Over 90 arrests

What had Thatcher allowed police to do

Break the strike - using batons and actually injuring miners as a result

Poll suggest how many people support miners

35% → large proportion of population opposed to government’s severe repression of strikes

Why strike fails for miners - Nottinghamshire miners

Defied Scargill’s appeals and continued working throughout strike, preventing it from becoming solid

Why strike fails for miners - Scargill himself

Did not hold a ballot of the NUM members - undemocratically forcing union into a strike

Other unions didn’t like this, and few were willing to support

Why strike fails for miners - what had Thatcher done

• Stockpiled coal and supplies

• Mobile police units to neutralise the efforts of flying pickets (who were trying to stop coal going to power stations)

• National Recording Centre (NRC) used - linking 43 police forces to enable police forces to travel to assist in major disturbances

• And oil and gas used a lot now - coal of declining industrial importance

Working days lost

1979 just under 30m to under 2m in 1990 → DRASTIC DECREASE

Finally, 1990 Employment Act

Banned closed shops - unions really restricted now