e) TRADE UNIONS - why did the general strike fail? Flashcards
MEDIA
British Gazette
Churchill was editor of the British Gazette - it sought to inform the public that the govt was in a strong position, though it did raise fears that the strikes represented a revolutionary threat to the state.
MEDIA
BBC - formed in 1922
BBC = meant to be impartial, but refused to publish anything that would damage the govt.
BBC relied on the govt for its license and the income it provided.
BBC took a concilliatory (to pacify) stance and tried to call for an end to the strike.
Churchill wanted to take control of the BBC and so by avoiding controversy, the BBC was able to remain independent and free from partisan control.
MEDIA
The British Worker
TUC’s propaganda was heavily censored - the govt curtailed print of the TUC’s pro-strike newspaper, The British Worker.
Churchill reduced print from the usual 8 pages to 4 pages.
GOVERNMENT
Top two govt priorities?
Baldwin = peacefully resolving the matter.
Churchill = behave tough
1) maintain food supplies and essential services
2) preserving law and order
GOVERNMENT
How many MC volunteers were there?
300,000-500,000 volunteers but only very few were needed so the govt always had a massive reserve of labour to call upon.
GOVERNMENT
London Underground?
Operated by 2000 Cambridge Undergraduates.
Heightened class tensions = work of the middle and upper classes undermined the effects of the WC strike.
GOVERNMENT
Plymouth breakdown of order? NO
2 battleships brought food, unloaded by 20,000 volunteers.
GOVERNMENT
Eval - freight transport
Strikes made it difficult to move freight - May 5th 1926 saw only 1% of freight being moved.
GOVERNMENT
Eval - clashes
1,760 arrests made during the strike.
Limited use of armed forces = govt never took seriously the threat of a revolution or civil war.
UNIONS
How many days of industrial militancy were there?
9 days, between 3rd May and 12th May 1926.
UNIONS
How many workers came out in support of the coal miners?
1.5-1.75 million workers came out in support of the one million coal miners already locked out.
They came out in ONE DAY, which is a triumph.
UNIONS
Bevin and the Powers and Orders Committee
They directed the unrest and secured 10 agreements from the power stations to cut electricity to London.
UNIONS
Local response - Bradford Council of Action
Bradford’s CoA called out nearly 10,000 workers on strike which found almost 100% support in the town.
UNIONS
Eval - organisation sucked in comparison to the govt
Lots of London power stations remained in operation.
‘Blacklegs’ = workers who continued working.
Barnsley power station remained working - indicative of the lack of effectiveness in organisation and widespread impact.
UNIONS
Eval - calling off the strike
TUC called off strike in May 1926.
This made the General Council look like traitors to the workers it represented.
Unions felt pessimistic about victory following Black Friday - growing calls of revolution by Churchill galvanised the council to cut a deal.
