Industrial Relations during WWII

Who was the minister of Labour in 1939?

Ernest Bevin

What did Ernest Bevin pass in 1939? (2)

The Emergency Powers (Defence) Act

Gave the government power to pass legislation during WWII

What did Ernest Bevin pass in 1940? (2)

Defence regulatuion 58AA

Banned strikes and ended lockouts

What were the Bevin Boys? (2)

1943-45

10% of young men had to be conscripted into the coal mines rather than military service

What happened in Betteshanger 1942?

Miners went on strike illegally

Betteshanger: Consequences (3)

The goverment took over the running of the coal industry from private ownership

Initially chose to prosecute 1050 miners

Fined them between £1-3

Betteshanger: Consequences of repurcussions (3)

The miners in other pits downed tools in solidarity

Forced the Home Secretary to drop the charges and improve wages

What happened in Spring 1944? (3)

100,000 Welsh miners went on unoffical strikes for better wages

The government quickly relented to their demands

Britains miners found that the war presented opportunities for improved pay that peacetime had not offered

Why were the Bevin Boys frustrated?

They were angry about the lower rates of pay they recieve compared to older, more experienced mine workers

Why did Union leaders gain power during WWII? (2)

Leaders had more acess to the government as they were appointed government bodies for wages, industry and social policy

In 1939, union leaders sat on 12 government committes, but by 1949 they sat on 60