Exam Cards - The General Strike 1926 Flashcards
What were the causes of the General Strike?
- 1925 - The Gold Standard made British coal more expensive
- 1925 - Mine owners announced a plan to cut miners’ wages and to increase working hours, non-compliance would be met with lay-offs
- 30 April 1926 - End of wage subsidies from Red Friday
- 1 May 1926 - Miners locked out of mines by mine owners
What was the TUC?
The Trade Union Congress
What was Red Friday and the Samuel Commission?
On Friday 31 July 1925, the government issued the Samuel Commission to investigate the poor conditions of the mines and announced that the miners’ wage subsidy would continue for a further 9 months. This was seen as a victory for the miners, so it was known as Red Friday.
What did the Samuel Commission report in March 1926?
That wage cuts would be necessary to sustain the mining industry.
How did miners react to what the Samuel Commission reported?
They refused the wage cuts and thus were caught in a deadlock in negotiations. This was made worse by the fact that the wage subsidies ended on 30 April.
How did the mine owners react to the miners refusing wage cuts?
They locked them out of the mines on 1 May 1926.
When did the TUC begin aiding the miners in their strike?
3 May 1926.
How was Baldwin’s government prepared for the General Strike?
- The Government had been anticipating a strike for 3 months
- Good propaganda - Utilised newpapers (the British Gazette) and the BBC
- Used the Emergency Powers Act to create the Organisation for Maintenance of Supplies - people volunteered to assist with the distribution of fuel and food.
- Used the Emergency Powers Act to swear in over 200,000 special constables to maintain order
How did the TUC fail to manage the strike?
- They only prepared for the strike a week before it started
- When they called print workers to go on strike, supportive as well hostile newspapers were closed
- When the TUC began publishing their own newspaper, the British Worker, it was too late to have a significant impact
- The TUC was divided between people like J.H Thomas, who were against the strike from the beginning, and people like A.J Cook, who wanted to use the strike to bring down the government
- They failed to gather the support of either Labour or the Liberal Party
- They had not considered the cost, and in 9 days had already spent £4 million of their £12.5 million budget
When did the TUC abandon the strike?
12 May 1926.
What were the consequences of the General Strike?
- 1927 - The Trade Disputes Act - declared sympathetic strikes to be illegal
- Trade unions left in debt
- Divided the Labour movement
