Political Developments: 1972 Miners Strike Flashcards
When did the first miners strike occur? When did the last miners strike occur?
1972, first strike since 1926
Why did the miners strike?
They wanted an 8% pay rise for 1972 but the government only accepted 6%
What pay increase did the miners get in 1971?
14%
Why was coal still significant for Britain?
It was still their main source of energy
Who got coal miners to strike?
Arthur Scargill
What did Scargill tell the miners to do? Where were the miners originally from?
To go down to Birmingham and close the main powerplant there. Miners were from Yorkshire
What was the technique that Scargill used similar to picketting?
Flying Pickets
What are flying pickets?
Getting people from industry locations to be transported to other industries and encourage them to strike
What was the result of the fly-picketting outside Birmingham Power Plant?
It closed down
What was Heath told would happen to Britain if power plants stayed closed?
They were 2 weeks away from a national blackout
What did Heath eventually do with the coal miners?
Gave them a 17% pay rise
What did the success of the 1972 coal miners strike encourage? Why?
Encouraged other trade unions to strike so they could get better pay rises
How many coal miners were there in 1971 compared to 1961?
700,000 miners in 1961 300,000 in 1971
How many Yorkshire miners came down to Birmingham to Picket?
Over 7000
