How Successfully Did Thatcher Deal With Industrial Relations Flashcards
What did Thatcher believe the existing laws on industrial relations were?
‘Abused to protect restrictive practices and over-manning, to underpin strikes, and to coerce workers into joining unions and participating in industrial action against their better judgement’
Why did Thatcher think union power made British firms uncompetitive?
Because high labour costs and restrict practices meant business lost to overseas competitors
What did Thatcher think would happen to the job market once Unions lost their power to control labour conditions?
More jobs would become available once British industry adjusted to market conditions
What act did Thatcher learn about not putting all measures limiting trade union power into a single act?
The 1971 Industrial Relations Act
What act outlawed secondary picketing and increased the rights of employees who refused to join unions and made government money available to encourage unions to hold secret ballots?
The Employment Act 1980
What act restricted sympathy strikes and allowed closed shops only if a ballot showed 85% and employees sacked for not joining a union became entitled to high rates of compensation?
The 1982 Employment Act
What act required unions to hold secret ballots before launching industrial action?
The Trade Union Act of 1984
How many working days were lost to strike in the Thatcher years?
1979: 29.474 million
1980: 11.964 million
1981: 4.266 million
1984: 27.135 million
1985: 6.402 million
1989: 4.128 million
1990: 1.903 million
Why was their so high number of days lost to strike in 1984-1985?
Miners’ strike
What deterred strike action?
The high levels of unemployed
What was the number of union membership in the Thatcher years?
1979: 12.128 million
1980: 12.173 million
1981: 11.601 million
1984: 10.082 million
1985: 9.855 million
1989: 8.652 million
1990: 8.405 million
Why was a Whitehall committee was set up in 1981?
To keep power stations running during the miners’ strike
Who built up large stock piles in the early 190s in power stations?
The Central Electricity Generating Board
What did Home Secretary, Lennon Brittan, set up in New Scotland Yard to ensure control of policing during the miners’ strike?
National Reporting Centre
What was the breakaway miners union created in December 1984 which showed the miners disunity?
The Union of Democratic Mineworkers
