Reasons for & concequences of Industrial Relations change 1918-1938 (1a) Flashcards
Were the recommendations of the Sankey Commission followed through with?
No
What was the Sankey Commission?
It proposed keeping the mines nationalised
What did unemployment rise to in 1920-21?
12% of the working population
How much did the price of coal go up by?
25% –> wages failed to keep up with the increase
What happened near this time which increased fears of the trade unions?
The communist Russian revolution
What did Black Friday do to unity within trade unions themselves?
It destroyed the ‘triple alliance’ of unions: miners, transport workers & railwaymen
How did unity within the unions split?
Transport workers and railwaymen refused to strike alongside the miners
How did Black Friday change unions?
They thought that they had to display unity after the fractures were shown during Black Friday
What event gave unions a false hope that they could win things from the government
Red Friday in 1925 –> They would go on to demand more
How did the general strike affect the unions?
It greatly damaged their reputation and their power in relation to the govt.
Why did a North/South divide begin to appear?
As traditional industries were on the decline, and modern industries were booming.
Traditional industries tended to be located in the North, and modern industries in the South
What did the Sankey Commission propose?
- Mines were kept nationalised
- Miners could unionsie and demand higher wages but it was more likely to lead to larger scale unemployment.
What were the main factors in changing industrial relations?
- Declining treatment and wages in the mining industry
- Union power declined due to Black Friday 1921
- The Great Depression
- Suffering taking place in traditional industry
- One off events i.e. 1926 Samuel Commission
