Political Developments: 1974 Miners Strike Flashcards
What war started in 1973?
Arab-Israeli War
What did the war mean would happen to oil prices?
They went up heavily
What was an additional charge that Arabs added to their oil? How would you get this extra charge?
25% extra for oil if a country supported Israel
How did the coal miners take advantage of the oil crisis?
They felt they could increase the price of coal
Why was oil becoming increasingly important for Britain in the 1970’s?
Rise in plastic products
Who represented the coal miners in 1973? What did he want?
Joe Gormley, wanted miners to experience the affluence of the 1950’s
What pay rise did the coal miners want?
35%
What was the first move towards striking for the miners? When did they do this (to the day)?
Overtime ban, starting on 12th November 1973
What was clever about when the miners did the overtime ban?
It was becoming winter when people needed energy the most
What was the impact of the overtime ban?
Coal production went down by over 50%
How did Heath respond to the overtime ban?
Electricity reduced to only being available 3 days a week
When did TV’s shut off in the 3 day weeks?
TV’s turned off at 10:30 PM Petrol usage reduced to 50 miles a week
What happened with petrol during the 3 day weeks?
It was reduced to 50 miles a week
What was the impact of the electricity cuts on industries?
Lots of workers had to be laid off
How much did productivity go down during 3 day weeks?
Productive work down by 40% Output down by 5%
