Industrial Relations 1918-1939

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What were the “Two Englands”?

The divide that was emerging between the older, traditional industries in the North and the newer, lighter industries in the South

What was the North dominated by?

Old industries such as coal mining, shipbuilding and cotton prdocution

What was the South dominated by?

Newer industries such as electrical, car production, light engineering and service industries

When did old industrial conditions improve in Britain?

When moving towards war production

What did newer industries focus on? (2)

The production of consumer goods for the home markets

The number of telephones increased from 1 to 3 million between 1922 and 1928

Why did newer industries do better? (2)

Employed modern techniques

Better industrial relations as unionism was not deeply rooted in them

How did DLG minimise strike action during WWI? (3)

Negotiated with trade unions to keep striking to a minimum

This was in order to help the war effort

However, after the war, strike action rose quickly

When did Soldiers and Police go on strike?

In 1918, after the armistice

Work days lost to strike action (2)

In 1919, 32 million days were lost to strikes

By 1921, this was up to 84 million days

What were the fears surrounding strike action? (3)

Many feared that strikes were politcally motivated

Even believed some were aligning with the Russian revolution model

However, most were only striking for fair pay and working conditions

How did the Scottish TUC Glasgow Trades Council try to help unemployment? (2)

Proposed to reduce the working week to 40 hours

This was to give the extra hours to unemployed men after the war

What was the Red Clydeside? (3)

31st January 1919

90,000 demonstrators filled George Sqaure and raised a socialist flag to show support for the TUC reformations

Tanks and soldiers were brought in - large scale violence ensued

What was the impact of the Red Clydeside?

The government agreed to reduce the working week to 47 hours

Reasons for the Miners Strike 1921: Wartime help ending (3)

During the war, the government took control over coal mines (better pay + conditions)

This ended in March 1921 and they were returned to private ownership

Wages were cut and hours lengthened in order to compete with foreign coal imports

What was the Triple Alliance? (2)

The cooperation between the Miners Federation of Great Britain (MFGB), National Transport Workers Federation (NTWF) and National Union of Railwaymen (NUR)

This was formed to protest wages in their respective industries

What was Black Friday? (3)

15th April 1921

The NUR and the NTWF decided against striking in support of miners

The strike was defeated

What were the consequences of Black Friday? (3)

Miners were forced to accept pay cuts - left their wages 20% lower than in 1914

They realised they couldn’t fight the government alone

MFGB bitterly resented the fallout of the Triple Alliance

General Strike 1926: Causes

June 1925

After a significant fall in coal prices, coal owners announced pay cuts and increased hours of work

To avoid strikes, the governmennt offered temporary financial aid

General Strikes 1926: Trigger

Governments temporary pay ended in May 1926 and miners pay was cut further

General Strikes: Organisation

The TUC announced a general strike to begin on 4th May

Traditional industries would team up to strike with the miners

General Strikes: Conflicting Views (2)

Many conservatives saw the strike as a plan to overthrow the state

TUC saw it as support for miners

General Strike: Government response (3)

The government argued its “overthrow the state” viewpoint through its newspaper, the British Gazette

The BBC broadcast radio messages in support of this

The Organisation for the Maintenance of supplies helped keep services running eg. driving buses and trains

General Strike: Ending (2)

The strike collapsed because the TUC realsied they couldn’t support a prolonged strike that they could lose control over

Union members began to return to work

Consequences of the General Strike (3)

Miners wages were cut

The industry lost 30% of its jobs

The Trade Dispute Act 1927 was passed - this weakend unions ability to strike

How did the GD further weaken union activity? (2)

Mass unemployment meant union revenue declined

Union membership decreased from 8 million in 1922 to 4.5 million in 1932