Change and Challenge in the Workplace

Question 1

What reasons were there for industrialisation

Answer 1

-Old machinery, old methods of production and underinvestment, made it difficult to compete with foreign competitors, such as the USA

-The most industrial unrest was taking place in the older industries during the interwar years

Question 2

What was meant by ‘Two Englands’

Answer 2

-During the inter war years, older industries saw a decline. For example, the cotton, ship building, and coal industries, each lost 1/3 of their workforce

-At the same time, the newer industries saw increases.
E.G Electricals, building, service industries

Question 3

How did the newer industries increase during the interwar years (industrialisation)

Answer 3

-Those making electrical appliances increased their workforce by two and a half x

-Those working in the building industry increased their workforce by 33%

-Service industries like hotels, increased their workforce by 40% during the 1930s. (This is a reflection of the fact that more people could take holidays)

Question 4

By 1939, how many people were awarded holiday pay for the first time

Answer 4

11.5 million people

Question 5

By 1921, what was the largest union in Britain and how many members did it have

Answer 5

-The Miners Federation of Great Britain

-Had over 900,000 members

Question 6

Who took control of the coal mines during ww1 and why had it been popular among the miners

Answer 6

-The wartime government

-The miners looked upon the pit owners as lazy, greedy and incompetent

Question 7

Why was there discussion between the MFGB, NTWF, and NUR about the possibility of united strike action in 1921

Answer 7

-The governments control of mines ended in March 1921, returning them to private industry. As a result, wages were cut and hours were lengthened in order to compete with foreign coal imports.

-The high levels of unemployment enabled mine owners to lower wages. They wanted to protect wages if a post war economic slump occured.

Question 8

What happened April 1st 1921

Answer 8

-Union leaders refused to accept pay cuts so mine owners locked out their workers.

-The government used the Emergency Powers Act to send troops to south Wales, in anticipation of unrest and violence

Question 9

What events occured on ‘Black Friday’ and when was it

Answer 9

-Friday 15th April 1921

-The miners attempts to strike were sabotaged by the NUR and the NTWF, who both decided not to go out on strike in solidarity with the miners.

-This was because they were not allowed to be part of negotiations, making them become wary of the potential consequences in involving their members.

Question 10

How long did the Miners Strike 1921 last and why were they forced to end the walkout

Answer 10

-15th April- June 28th

-They realised that they could not beat the mine owners alone and were forced to accept pay cuts that left their wages 20% lower than in 1914

Question 11

Why did Baldwin’s decision to return Britain to the Gold Standard result in a strike in 1925

Answer 11

-It left mine owners profits depleted. Their default response was to cut miners pay, resulting in a strike by the MFGB (led by Arthur Cook)

Question 13

Why was there a General strike in 1926

Answer 13

-The government established an enquiry into miners conditions, fearing a general strike, and offered a subsidy to mine owners that would maintain miners pay until 1st May 1926.

-Knowing that the subsidy was coming to an end, mine owners told the miners that they had to accept pay cuts and threatened a lockout unless they agreed

-March 1926, a government enquiry, the Samuel Commission, recommended a 13.5% pay cut for the miners and the withdrawal of the subsidy.

-On 1st May, 1million mine owners across Britain were locked out of their workplaces for refusing to accept the new lower wages

Question 14

How did the government prepare itself for the General Strike 1926

Answer 14

-The Government was better organised for it than the TUC, publishing its own propaganda paper, the British Gazette, and using the new BBC to broadcast radio messages in support of the government position.

Question 15

Why did the 1926 General Strike fail

Answer 15

-An anti union group of volunteers, the Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies, was founded to do the work that the strikers refused to do

-The 1906 Trade Disputes Act (gave unions legal immunity from damages claims for the loss of profits from buisnesses would not apply)

Question 16

What was the result of the General Strike 1926

Answer 16

As a result, the miners wages were slashed and the industry lost 30% of its jobs. The following year the Ammendment of the 1906 Trade Disputes Act was introduced.

Question 17

What happened to trade unions during the 1930s

Answer 17

-The Great Depression and the resulting mass unemployment led to union revenues depleting and membership declining from 8million in 1922 to 4.5 million in 1932

Question 18

What happened to the National Unemployment Workers Movement during the 1930s

Answer 18

-Increased in membership due to the Depression

Question 19

What did the movement to war production result in during WW2

Answer 19

-Led to full employment and women entering the workforce

Question 20

By 1944, how many people in Britain were involved in the war effort

Answer 20

-33% of the population
-7million being women

Question 21

What was the Essential Work Order, who issued it and when?

Answer 21

-Issued by Minister of Labour, Ernest Bevin in 1941

-It tied people to jobs considered to be essential for the war effort and made it difficult for employers to dismiss them.

Question 22

What was the 1939 Control of Employment Act and why was it introduced

Answer 22

-Used to allow semi skilled workers to undertake formerly skilled jobs. Skilled workers in essential war industries were also exempt from military service

-Introduced as there was a shortage of skilled workers

Question 23

How did high unemployment impact industrial relations

Answer 23

-Employers had to use attractive wages and working conditions to prevent skilled workers from leaving for another job

-This meant workers were more likely to leave a job if it wasn’t right for them

Question 24

What happened to employment opportunities after WW2

Answer 24

-Employment opportunities developed. People were no longer expected to follow their parents into the same occupation.

-This was due to things like rising expectations, better education, development of technology leading to more white collar and technological jobs and also more managers were also required.

-As a result, people happened to be more satisfied in these workforces and the service sector significantly grew

Question 25

What did unemployment rise to by 1972

Answer 25

1 million

Question 26

What parts of Britain was unemployment at a smaller number during the 1970s

Answer 26

-The decline in heavy industry meant that unemployment was more acute in industrial parts of Britain like Wales, the Midlands and Scotland

Question 27

What were relations between the government and unions during the consensus period (50s and 60s)

Answer 27

-Unions and the government worked closely together
-An era of consensus and policies of corporatism gave unions a role in industrial policy and wage setting alongside buisnesses

Question 28

What was relations like between unions and the government during the 70s

Answer 28

-During the late 1960s and the 70s the relationship between unions and the government became progressively less cooperative and more antagonistic. this resulted in a series of confrontations between them.

Question 29

From a union point of view, who was the most important member of Churchill’s cabinet

Answer 29

Ernest Bevin

Question 30

Who was the leader of the Transport and General Workers Union

Answer 30

Ernest Bevin

Question 31

Why did Churchill see Bevin as a ‘safe pair of hands’

Answer 31

-He had repeatedly preached moderation and co operation, hoping that workers and bosses could find compromises between themselves

Question 32

What was the ‘Bevin Boys’

Answer 32

-A policy that began in December 1943
-It conscripted 10% of young men into the coal mines rather than military service.

-It was a controversial policy as men resented this enforced alternative to joining military service

Question 33

What problems did WW2 create regarding the workplace and what did they lead to

Answer 33

-Long anti social hours
-Lack of recognition for workers
-Changeable pay packets

-Led to numerous strikes and protests over wages and working conditions

Question 34

When did the government introduce the Defence Regulation 58AA and what did it do

Answer 34

-Introduced in 1940
-Banned strikes and lockouts

Question 35

What were the events of the 1942 miners trike at Betteshanger in Kent

Answer 35

-Miners went on strike illegally. the government took over the running of the coal industry from its private owners and initially chose to prosecute 1050 miners, fining most between £1 and £3.

-However, the home secretary was forced to drop charges and improve wages when the miners in other pits downed tools in solidarity

Question 36

Why did the Bevin Boys often go on strike during the war

Answer 36

-They went on strike often as they were angry about the lower wages they received compared to the older more experienced mine workers

-In the south Wales coalfields there were 514 strikes between 1939 and 1944

Question 37

1944 Welsh miners strike

Answer 37

-100,000 Welsh miners went on unofficial strike for better wages. the government quickly relented to their demands.

Question 38

What opportunities did the war present for miners

Answer 38

-The war presented better opportunities for improved pay that peacetime had not offered

Question 39

Ways that trade union power was restored between 1945-51

Answer 39

-Union leaders had more access to decision making than at any point in their history and their views were frequently heard in government

-Labour reappealed the 1927 Trade disputes Act

Question 40

What was the Industrial Charter 1947

Answer 40

-The conservative party carried out a review of its policies and published the industrial charter

-It expressed a desire to see large unions that democratically represented the will of their members.
It argued a ‘human relations’ approach to dealing with workplace disputes rather than strike action

Question 41

What happened to trade union membership between the 1960s and 1970s

Answer 41

-They grew in membership

Question 42

What happened the lifestyles of union leaders 1951-64

Answer 42

-They lived more comfortable, affluent lives, though they worked long hours in the interests of their members

Question 43

What were many of the younger members of the unions keen to do in the 1950s and what did this lead to

Answer 43

-They were keen to participate in the consumer boom and so wanted wage rises that would enable this

-Led to many members having more in common with the more militant and unpaid shop stewards, who often staged walkouts before any negotiation with management could happen.

Question 44

What did the growth in the power of the stewards lead to

Answer 44

-Led to more aggressive and confrontational unions in the 60s and 70s.

-this new attitude was less to do with the success of socialist ideas among the workers and more a product of the success of the new consumerism

Question 45

Why did working class men and women want pay rises during 1950s and 60s

Answer 45

-They wanted to participate in the consumer boom
-With a decline in deferential attitudes they were less content to ask politely for them

Question 46

By 1970, how many working days were lost to strike action

Answer 46

10 million working days

Question 47

Between 1945-54, what was the number of strikes per year and how many workers were involved

Answer 47

-Around 1751 strikes per year, involving just over 1.1million workers

Question 48

What was ‘I’m Alright Jack’

Answer 48

-A 1959 comedy film, which became the most successful movie of the year, and was watched by the Queen and PM MacMillan. This suggests that there was much about it that seemed familiar to viewers .

-It satirised British industrial relations by presenting a union shop steward as a pompous, incompetent bully, forcing the factory that employs him to go on strike over the tiniest and pettiest of issues.

Question 49

What were the Wildcat Strikes of the 1960s

Answer 49

-Strikes that were not officially sanctioned by the unions or TUC. They steadily increased throughout the 1960s.

-Wilson was reluctant to intervene, but it became a serious political problem as the representation of the shop steward in ‘i’m alright Jack’ was becoming more accepted, as labour was seen as sympathisers with unions

Question 50

What percentage of strike action was unofficial during the 1960s

Answer 50

90%

Question 51

How many days were lost to strike action during the 1960s

Answer 51

-An average of 3million working days were lost to strikes, however, it led to 4.8million in 1968

Question 52

What was the cause of increased militancy between unions and employers

Answer 52

The result of creeping inflation

Question 53

Meaning of militancy

Answer 53

engaged in warfare or combat

Question 54

Who were the only ones who benefited from the growth of affluence throughout the 60s

Answer 54

-The growth of affluence only benefited the professions that were rewarded with above-inflation pay increases and most unionised professions, particularly the miners, were frequently exempt.

Question 55

What did Wilson task Barbara Castle with in 1969

Answer 55

-1969, Wilson tasked Barbara Castle, a rising star of Wilson’s cabinet, was tasked with the job of creating new laws to prevent wildcat strikes and limit union power

-She complied a White Paper called ‘A Place of Strike’

Question 56

What did ‘A Place of Strife’ propose

Answer 56

-The government could order a strike ballot before a strike took place if it was deemed to threaten the economy

-Workers in unofficial strikes led by militant shop stewards could be ordered back to work for a 28 day ‘cooling off’ period

-When unions fought on another in the workplace the dispute would go to an industrial board who would hand down a legally binding verdict

-A strike that broke these rules would be declared illegal and the union would face stiff fines and its members even imprisoned

Question 57

The Industrial Relations Act 1971

Answer 57

-Attempted to introduce all the measures that Castle had proposed.

Question 58

Causes of the Miners strikes in the 1960s

Answer 58

-Miners were consistently underpaid and undervalued

-Many of the high expectation of nationalisation had not been fulfilled

-Inflation

-Miners declining living standards

Question 59

What happened to the British Coal Industry during the 1960s

Answer 59

-The NCB had shrunk during the 1960s and had closed over 400 pits and over 420,000 miners had been made redundant

Question 60

What did the union vote for in 1970

Answer 60

-Voted for a 33% wage increase so they were more on par with the wages of other industrial workers