1970s Industrial Relations

Question 1

At the beginning of the 1970s, how many people were members of a Trade Union?

Answer 1

At the beginning of the 1970s, 11 million out of 23 million possible workers belonged to a union.

Question 2

What was the percentage rise in the number of people who belonged a union between 1968-78?

Answer 2

The number of people who belonged to a union rose by 12% from 1968-78.

Question 3

What were the key features of the 1971 Industrial Relations Act?

Answer 3

The 1971 Industrial Relations Act restricted the right of workers to strike by introducing a new concept of unfair industrial practice; introduce the National Industrial Relations Court (NIRC) with authority to judge the validity of strike actions; required Unions to put themselves on a government register if they wanted to retain their legal rights.

Question 4

What did inflation reach by the end of 1971?

Answer 4

By the end of 1971, inflation reached 15%

Question 5

What did unemployment rise to between 1974 and 1976?

Answer 5

Between 1974 to 1976, unemployment doubled to 1.44 million .

Question 6

When was Rolls-Royce nationalised?

Answer 6

Rolls-Royce was nationalised in 1971.

Question 7

How much were the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders given as a government subsidy?

Answer 7

The Upper Clyde Shipbuilders were given £34 million as a government subsidy.

Question 8

What prompted the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to impose an embargo in 1973?

Answer 8

The Yom Kippur of 1973 prompted the OPEC to declare an oil embargo.

Question 9

What were the effects of the oil embargo?

Answer 9

The price of oil rocketed to four times the usual levels, the deficit rose to £1 billion, the annual inflation rate rose to 16%, the value of sterling dropped to $1.57, and interest rate was raised to 15%.

Question 10

How many days were lost in strikes in 1972 and why was this significant?

Answer 10

In 1972, 23,909,000 days were lost in strikes. This was the highest number since the General Strike of 1926.

Question 11

What did the Trade Union Congress (TUC) call on individual unions to do, in order to disrupt Heath’s Industrial Relations Act?

Answer 11

The TUC called on individual unions not to sign up to the government register.

Question 12

Why was there a Miner’s Strike called in 1972?

Answer 12

In 1972, in a bid to increase both wages and highlight pit closures, the NUM, led by Arthur Scargill, called a strike.

Question 13

What was the main method of the striking used during the 1972 Miner’s Strike?

Answer 13

The 1972 Miner’s Strike utilised flying pickets to disrupt the movement of coal around the country.

Question 14

When did the government call a State of Emergency?

Answer 14

On 9 February 1972, the government called a State of Emergency. Schools were closed, 1.2 million workers were laid off and a ‘three-day week’ was imposed.

Question 15

What commission was established to examine the miners’ demands?

Answer 15

The Wilberforce Commission was established to examine the miners’ demands.

Question 16

What were the findings of the Wilberforce Commission and what did this allow the NUM to do?

Answer 16

The Wilberforce Commission’s findings sided with the miners, so NUM leader Joe Gormley was able to negotiate a generous page rise of 21%.

Question 17

As the Oil Crisis occurred, what did the miners demand?

Answer 17

As the Oil Crisis occurred, the miners demanded another wage increase which went beyond the limits the government wanted to impose to tackle inflation.

Question 18

When did Heath reimpose the ‘three-day week’?

Answer 18

Heath reimposed the ‘three-day week’ from the beginning of 1974.

Question 19

When did the NUM call a national strike?

Answer 19

The NUM called a national strike in January 1974.

Question 20

When did Wilson become PM again?

Answer 20

In February 1974, Wilson became the PM again.

Question 21

What was the social contract?

Answer 21

The social contract it was an informal agreement between Wilson and Vic Feather, TUC general secretary, when Labour returned to power the unions would follow a policy of voluntary wage restraint. In return, Labour would repeal the 1971 Industrial Relations Act. It was negotiated in 1972, whilst Labour was still in opposition.

Question 22

When did Harold Wilson reach an agreement with the NUM on pay rises and by how much did miners’ wages rise?

Answer 22

In March 1974, Wilson reached an agreement with the NUM of a 35% salary rise.

Question 23

When did Arthur Scargill begin campaigning for further pay rises for the miners and when were these accepted?

Answer 23

Immediately after the pay rise of March 1974, Arthur Scargill began pressing for another increase to put British miners in line with their European counterparts. In February 1975, the miners accepted more pay rises of up to 35%.

Question 24

Who did Wilson appoint to lead the DTI and the Department of Employment?

Answer 24

Wilson appointed Tony Benn to head up the DTI and Michael Foot to head up the Department of Employment.

Question 25

When did Callaghan become PM?

Answer 25

Callaghan became PM on 5 April 1976.

Question 26

When did Denis Healey begin negotiating a loan from the IMF?

Answer 26

In September 1976, Denis Healey began negotiating a £3 billion loan from the IMF.

Question 27

By what year did the government bring Britain’s public spending under £3 billion, in accordance with the IMF?

Answer 27

By 1979, the government had reduced its spending programme below £3 billion, in accordance with the IMF.

Question 28

What was the unemployment rate in 1978?

Answer 28

In 1978, unemployment reached 1.6 million.

Question 29

What did Callaghan announce in 1977 and what did this prompt?

Answer 29

In 1977, Callaghan announced a compulsory 5% ceiling on wage rises. This prompted the unions to become more aggressive and demand more

Question 30

What limit on weekly wage rises did the TUC agree to in 1976?

Answer 30

In 1976 the TUC agreed to a limit of £6 per week in wage rises.

Question 31

When did the TUC reject the proposed 5% wage limit?

Answer 31

In autumn 1978, the TUC rejected the Labour government’s proposed wage limit of 5%.

Question 32

How many workers went on strike on 22 January 1979?

Answer 32

1.5 million workers went on strike on 22 January 1979 as the National Union of Public Employees and Confederation of Health Service Employees called for a day of action.

Question 33

What was the worst year for strike action since the General Strike of 1926?

Answer 33

1972 saw the highest number of days lost to strikes since the General Strike of 1926.

Question 34

How were strikes organised during the ‘Winter of Discontent’?

Answer 34

Strikes were organised in areas calculated to gather the most media attention. The school meal service was disrupted. Ambulance drivers, hospital porters, dustmen and (most infamously) grave diggers went on strike.

Question 35

How did the disputes during the Winter of Discontent come to an end?

Answer 35

The disputes during the Winter of Discontent were brought to an end in March 1979 when an average pay increase of 10% was achieved.

Question 36

When was the firefighters’ strike called, in response to the 5% ceiling on wage rises?

Answer 36

A firefighters’ strike in 1977, called in response to the 5% ceiling on wage rises, led the government to announce a state of emergency

Question 37

How long did the strike last at the Grunswick Film Processing Lab?

Answer 37

A year-long strike at the Grunwick Film Processing Lab with mass picketing and violent clashes with the police.

Question 38

How was the strike at the Ford plants resolved?

Answer 38

The workers in all 23 plants of Ford went on strike in September 1978 – the dispute was only settled after a 17% pay rise.

Question 39

Why was a lorry drivers strike called off?

Answer 39

A lorry strike called for January 1979 threatened the nation’s food supplies, called off after the driver’s gained a 20% pay rise.