The general strike 1926

Question 1

Red Friday 1925

Answer 1

• coalmine owners attempted to abolish 1924 minimum wage agreements
• General council requested NUR and NTWF to not move coal around the country in event of strike
• conservative government intervened - announced temporary subsidy to keep wages at existing level

Question 2

The Samuel commision

Answer 2

• est. to investigate coal industry for long term solutions
• chaired by Sir Herbert Samuel
• recommended maintenance of national wage agreements - owners opposed

Question 3

Reaction to the commision

Answer 3

• mine owners rejected national wage agreements
• miners rejected any wage cuts
• May 1 end of subsidy - owners prepared to issue lower wage rates and a lock out of the miners
• May 3 gov declared state of emergency
• May 4 TUC begin strike

Question 4

Gold standard

Answer 4

• when a currency is fixed to a nations gold reserves
• Churchill implemented gold standard polciy
• created deflation - wages fell, unemployment
• British exports expensive - further cuts

Question 5

Government preparations for the strike

Answer 5

• 1920 emergency powers act - gave gov power to declare national emergency in case of strike
• 1919 gov established supply and transport committee (STC)
• STC oversaw co-operation with businesses to begin stockpiling resources

Question 6

Government response to the strike

Answer 6

• gov recruited 300,000-500,000 volunteers to fill roles of striking workers
• gov forced TUC newspaper - the british worker - to reduce from 4 pages to 8

Question 7

Role of media during strike

Answer 7

• gov published British Gazette - edited by Churchill - ensured public gov was in control
• BBC refused to publish content damaging gov as relied on them for license
• conservative press encouraged fears of a socialist revolution to gain support

Question 8

Poor organisation of TUC

Answer 8

• only limited support from TUC leaders - James Thomas
• made no strike arrangements until 27 April
• memory of Black Friday led to trust issues
• ‘blacklegs’ continued working
• Jimmy Thomas and other TUC leaders looked to cut a deal with the government

Question 9

Limited successes of TUC

Answer 9

• 1.5 to 1.75 million workers came out in support of miners
• 98% if railwaymen stayed on strike until it was called off
• Bevin believed strike was a success in terms of support

Question 10

The trade disputes act 1927

Answer 10

• made general and sympathetic strikes illegal
• restricted strike action to specific disputes
• banned use of trade union funds for political purposes

Question 11

Aftermath of the general strike

Answer 11

• coal miners remained locked out until Nov
• trade union movement divided by allegations of betrayal
• decline in membership from 5.2 to 4.4 million by 1932