Industrial Relations Flashcards
When do Britains trade unions date back to?
The craft guilds of the 17th century
What was the 1926 General Strike?
A strike in 1926 called by General Council of TUC
Lasted 9 days
1.7 million out on strike
Called to prevent government lowering wages of coal miners
What event made the unions look good in the early 20th century?
The first world war - as the unions worked with the government to get things done
Who was Earnest Bevin?
He was a war cabinet minister for labour and created the Bevin boys
What did the emergency act of 1940 prevent unions doing?
Calling strikes
How many conscripted men were Bevin boys?
1 in 10
After the second world war how did the unions fair?
Brilliantly, full employment and the Labour government were very good for the unions
Who was the first labour prime minister?
Clement Atlee
What report helped sweep Labour into power in 1945
The Beveridge Report
What is clause IV in labour constitution?
That industries should be nationalised
What did nationalisation do for unions?
Made many government employees unions members
What was the 1906 Trade Disputes Act?
Legal act which said that unions could not be sued for damages that occured during a strike
According to Marwick, why were unions popular post-war?
Becuase they were getting good deals for their members. Pay deals and closed shop
What was unions density in 1940-1950?
33-44%
Who was Walter Citrine?
The leader of TUC and helped to rehabilitate the unions reputation after the General Strike. He was seen as cooperativee and principled
What power does a union have in full employment conditions?
Specify what unions people could belong to and which type of employee is needed in a particualr job
What year was the peak for union membership?
1980 - a recession year
Why do workers join unions in bad economic times?
Becuase they need to increase their representation in the workplace when troulbe is brewing
What was trade union density in 2000?
30% (still higher than France has ever been)
When was British industry shaken up?
1980’s under Thatcher
What system developed in US other than unions?
Welfare capitalism
What was ‘In place of strife?’
A paper written by Barbara Castle to reform Industrial relations
What was 1971 Industrial Relations act?
Passed by Heaths government, The goal was to stabilize industrial relations by forcing concentration of bargaining power and responsibility in the formal union leadership, using the courts. Eventially repealed and unions hated it
What was Heath’s ‘Who governs Britain Campaign?’
It was his relection campaign based on the strikes of coal miners in 1974. HE LOST
Who was Jack Jones?
General secretary of TWGU and was considered more powerful than any politican and very popular. He was the archtiect of the social contract Cult of personality. Shopfloor power
What was the 1976 TUC Black workers charter?
Following the 1975 Race Relations act, it was something put into place by TUC to deal with extreme racism in the workplace
What was the Grunwick dispute?
Unions dispute of film processing workers in London. Unions stepped in to help and showed that they could work for black abd asian workers
What ways were unions satirised in media?
Carry on films, I’M alright jack etc.
Who did government felt had more control than managers?
The shop steward
How many pay agreements in 50/60/70’s were industry wide (therefore determined by the unions)
40%
What is a enterprise agreement?
Factory level agreements between one employer and lots of workers
Who were the EETPU?
The Electrical, electronic, telecommunications and plumbing unions. Under Eric Hammond showed want to be the sole union in a workplace and were expelled from TUC in 1988.
Who was Len Murray?
Was a union leader who attended Beer and Sandwiches meetings at Downing Street in 1974-9
What was the problems with unions leaders like Len Murray?
Alienated the working class workplace
What happened to the unions as instrudrial sector contracted?
They shrunk
What was the 1984-5 miners strike?
A strike by miners to try and prevent pit closures
Why did Thatcher set up the miners strike?
She felt the unions had humiliated the government and wanted to get her own back by taking as much of their power away as she could
What measures did Thatcher take?
- Restricted who could protest outside a workplace
- Banned secondary picketing
- Banned flying pickets
- Forced unions to the ballot before a strike
- Made unions hold ballots for leadership
- Closed shop was abolished
- sat out the 1981 civil servants strike to show they were not going to negotiate
Why did the NUM mines strike fail?
- Scargill didnt get the vote for the strike
- He was painted as the bogey man
- People in the communities were poor and broken
How did foreign investment affect unions?
Less likely to accept them - but Nissan were open to it
