1970 - 1979 Flashcards
CONSERVATIVE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
What were the aims and objectives summed up on?
The Selsdon manifesto
CONSERVATIVE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
What were the Conservative’s progressive policies?
Reduce the rise in prices, curb unemployment and increase productivity
CONSERVATIVE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Did the Conservatives want to break away from consensus politics?
Yes. This attitude was summed up in the conservative manifesto and referred to as a ‘new type of conservatism’
CONSERVATIVE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
What did the conservatives want to abandon?
The prices and income policy, opting for a hands off approach
CONSERVATIVE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
What would the Heath government not seek to impose?
A wage freeze or intervene with payment settlements. Instead, market forces would be allowed to operate allowing free bargaining between employees and workers
CONSERVATIVE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
What was required to make free bargaining genuine and fair?
Trade unions to not have a headstart: a key reason behind the Industrial Relations Act 1971
THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT
What was the government’s key concern?
The power of trade unions
THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT
When and why was the industrial relations act introduced?
In 1971, to specify what trade unions could and could not do
THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT
Who was employment secretary?
Robert Carr
THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT
What did the act mean?
The government could impose cooling off periods and demand ballots. A distinction was made between official and wildcat strikes.
THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT
Did unions oppose the act?
Yes… bitterly
THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT
What happened in February 1971?
140,000 union members marched through London shouting ‘kill the bill’
THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT
What did the TUC tell it’s members to do?
Deregister and defy the NIRC if action was bought against them
THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT
What did unions exploit?
A loophole in the act by refusing to make agreements unless employers agreed such agreements were not legally binding
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
What did conservatives come to power claiming?
Inflation was a menace and to reduce it was a priority, yet during their time in governance inflation actually went up
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
Whenever inflation went up, what happened?
Unions would demand higher wages and to allow this employers would raise good prices - this caused an inflationairy spiral
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
What was the government itself?
A major employer (nationalization)
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
Which one of it’s agencies had been gradually decreasing in size as the industry itself shrank?
The National Coal Board
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
Why was the NCB discontented?
Following years of improving pay miners had fallen back during the 1960s
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
What did union boss Joe Gormley succeed in 1971?
Gaining a 14% pay rise
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
What was refused in 1972 and what did this result in?
A further pay rise, leading to the first national coal strike since 1926
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
Through the use of flying pickets, what did the NUM quickly succeed in?
Creating a fuel crisis, with picket lines that members of other unions refused to cross
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
What was the power shortage made worse by?
The winter weather, a state of emergency was declared
MINERS STRIKE 1972 AND 74
After 7 weeks of striking what happened?
The miners accepted an improved offer from the NBC