Effect of WW2 on industrial relations (T2) Flashcards
How did the war become an issue for workers?
It placed demands on workers, the extent of the strikes however were a problem for the government
How did the government during WW2 deal with the worker strikes?
They made Ernest Bevin the Minister of Labour in 1940
Who was made Minister of Labour in 1940 for the Conservative government?
Ernest Bevin
Who were the strikes mainly carried out by during WW2?
The coal miners - this was a continuation from the interwar period
What happened in the 1943 London factory strike?
In 1943, workers at a factory in London making tail-fins for Halifax bombers went on strike
What was the Rolls-Royce strike in Glasgow during WW2?
More than 16,000 women + some men walked out of the Rolls-Royce factory in Glasgow
They should have been making engines for fighter planes
Give some examples of unrest in the docks during the war?
Dec 1943 - 1,000 dockers went on strike in Middlesbrough
1944 - an annus horribilis in terms of strike action, lightning walkouts and in many ports at fall stretch preparing for the invasion of Europe
What happened at the strikes at docks in the West of England?
i.e. in Plymouth, in Jan, over the suspension of 11 men who refused to move to another port and work for less pay
What was the 1940 Defence Regulation 58AA?
It banned strikes and lockouts, thus showing that Industrial Relations were not calm despite the threat of war
How did the Defence Regulation 58AA affect the strikes in Plymouth?
The suspension of the 11 men which caused the strike was in the context of this law
What was the coal mine strike in 1944 like?
100,000 Welsh miners went on an official strike for better wages
Why did the coal miners strike in 1944?
They wanted better wages - by 1944 the avg daily rate was £5 per day, in the manufacturing industry it was over £6 a day
How did the government deal with the 1944 coal miner strike?
The gov. quickly relented their demands for better pay - this shows the power the workers had
When did Ernest Bevin become Minister of Labour?
1940
What did Bevin promote as Minister of Labour?
Working relationships between unions and management
Who were the Bevin Boys?
Young British men conscripted to work in the coal mines between 1943 and 1948
Why was it good for the Tories appointing Bevin as the Minister of Labour?
He had a softer touch with the unions than some of his Conservative colleagues - there was therefore less unrest
Why was it necessary that Bevin was appointed Minister of Labour for the Conservative party?
Given the long-standing acrimony that TUs had with the PM at the time (Winston Churchill)
Why was there tension between Winston Churchill and the TUs?
Lots of anger from the TUs dated back to 1910 when, as the then Home Secretary, Churchill had used the army to take on rioters during the Tonypandy riots
How did WW2 affect TUs?
It lead to the inclusion of trade unionists in many government making bodies
It dictated an approach to industry + industrial relations which would be carried over into the years of consensus that followed WW2
In 1944 what did the government declare in relation to TUs?
Their long term responsibility for the maintenance of high levels of employment
How did commitment to full employment affect the economy?
In the long term it had a huge effect on the health of the British economy due to other problems it faced too
