The General Strike Flashcards
What was the General Strike?
In May 1926 Britain’s miners walked out and in a move of solidarity other industry workers joined them, creating the first ever general strike in Britain.
What is a Strike?
A Strike is when a large number of workers stop working in protest.
Causes of the General Strike - 1
Trade Unions. In 1913 the miners’, railwaymen’s and transport workers’ unions formed the Triple Alliance. This included a promise to support each other if there was a strike.
Causes of the General Strike - 2
Government. The government suggested cutting wages, but not increasing hours. Both miners and mine owners refused this compromise.
Causes of the General Strike - 3
Mine Owners. The mine owners response was to increase hours and cut pay.
Causes of the General Strike - 4
Competition. There were problems in the economy after the war, and this caused a depression and reduced exports of coal. It was cheaper to import American coal.
Causes of the General Strike - 5
Problems in the Coal Industry. The industry was out of date. Workers were still using pickaxes and only a fifth of the coal was cut by machine.
Who called for the General Strike?
A general strike is called by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to support the miners in their quarrel with the mine owners, who want to reduce their wages and increase their hours. Huge numbers of transport workers and workers from other industries stayed off work.
What did the Government do first about the General Strike?
The government acts against the strike. They sends a warship to Newcastle, and recruits 226,000 special policemen.
What were middle-class volunteers used for?
Middle-class volunteers get some buses and trains, and the electricity working. A few buses are set on fire, and there are fights between police and strikers in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
After Police and strikers clash, what did the Government do?
Police and strikers clash in Liverpool, Hull and London. The government calls the army to London.
What did the Roman Catholic Church think of the General Strike?
The Roman Catholic Church declares the strike ‘a sin’.
What did Strikers in Northumberland do?
They derailed the Flying Scotsman train.
What dit Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin declare?
Baldwin declares that Britain is ‘threatened with a revolution’, and the government arrests 374 Communists.
When was the General Strike called off?
The TUC called off the strike on 13 May 1926. The strikers were taken by surprise, but drift back to work.
