How Successfully Did The Labour Government Deal With Industrial Relations

Question 1

What did Wilson believe about trade unions?

Answer 1

Strike for higher pay, were distributing production, forcing up labour costs and contributing to inflation and Britain’s poor export performance
Industrial relations needed to be more strongly regulated

Question 2

What did trade unions agree in the 1960s to Wilson’s Labour?

Answer 2

The country’s lack of competitiveness should be blamed on employers and on government investment politics, not employees
The government’s attempt to limit wage increase unfairly penalised low-paid workers
The right of unions to bargain freely with their employers should not be restricted with laws

Question 3

What did Barbara Castle, the leader of the new established Ministry of Employment and Productivity props in her ‘In Place of Strife’, which was published in January 1969?

Answer 3

Employees would have a legal right to join a trade union
The government could order a ballot to be held before a strike if it believe there was a serious threat to national interest
In unofficial disputes the government could order a return to work for a 28-day ‘cooling-off’ period
Disputes between unions could be referred to an industrial commissions
There would be finical penalties if the commission was not obeyed
Workers who were unfairly dismissed would be entitled to compensation or to get their jobs back

Question 4

How many Labour MPs rebelled when ‘In Place of Strife’ was debate din the House of Commons?

Answer 4

50

Question 5

What type of employment saw the biggest growth in the 1960s?

Answer 5

White collar employment