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A-Level History Britain > Theme 1c) Change and challenge in the workplace > Flashcards

Theme 1c) Change and challenge in the workplace Flashcards

1
Q

Reasons for industrial change, 1918-1921

A
  • Areas of heavy industry were old fashioned - not competitive and left behind from Victorian era.
  • Newer industries in the Midlands and the south - motor vehicles adopting Ford mass production techniques.
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2
Q

‘Two Englands’

A

Cotton, mining and shipbuilding each lost a 1/3 of its workforce whilst newer industries made gains:
- Building increase by 33%
- Service Industries up 40%
However, most still worked in older industries - where most unrest was.

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3
Q

Industrial Relations were poor, 1918-1921

A
  • Relationship between gotv and workers deteriorating - 48 strikes in 1917 (200,000 involved)
  • 1921: 84 million days lost to strike action as wages slumped and unemployment soared.
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4
Q

Miners’ Strike, 1921

A
  • Pits went private again in 1921.
  • Workers had hours lengthened and wages slashed.
    Black Friday, 15th April:
  • Miners attempted to strike in a triple alliance (15/04/21-28/06/21).
  • However, dockers and railwaymen bailed.
  • Miners couldn’t win alone.
  • IMPACT: Wages made 20% lower than in 1914.
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5
Q

General Strike, 1926

A
  • CAUSE: Fall in coal prices in June 1925 due to the Gold Standard menat govt had to supplement wages to prevent striking.
  • Samuel Commission: End govt supplements and cut wages by 13.5%
  • 1st May 1926: 1 million workers locked out for refusing to accept pay cut. TUC order strike 4th May.
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6
Q

Consequences of General Strike:

Social

A
  • Anti union civilians filled in these jobs to limit the strike’s affect - Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies.
  • This was because people feared this could result in revolution.
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7
Q

Consequences of General Strike:

Political

A

Trades Disputes Act:
- Prevent sympathy strikes and mass picketing.

  • Tory popularity rose due to how they handled the crisis.
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8
Q

Consequences of General Strike:

Economic

A
  • Coal industry lost 30% of its jobs.
  • Wages were slashed.
  • 162 million days lost to strike action in 1926.
  • The Great Depression hurt the unions even more:
    = Mass unemployment meant revenues fell away and membership declined.
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9
Q

Union membership decline in the interwar years

A

1922: 8 million
1932: 4.5 million

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10
Q

Consequences of General Strike:

Cultural

A
  • BBC established itself as a PSB - on the side of conservatism + supported the govt.
  • TUC ordered strikers back to work after 9 days - the strike made workers look bad.
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11
Q

WW2 impact on Changes in opportunities

A

Considerable employment changes:
- Brought about full employment and many women in o the workforce
= 1944: 33% of the civilian population in war work and 7 million women.

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12
Q

Wartime employment

A
  • Wages increased
  • 1941 Essential Work Order: A way to keep workers essential to the war effort in their jobs - stop employers from dismissing them (Ernest Bevin, MInister For Labour).
  • ‘Bevin Boys’ (Dec 1943) - Conscription of 10% of young men into the mines rather than army - mines had lost 36,000.
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13
Q

Full employment

A
  • Record levels of low unemployment - rose above 2% for 8 years between 1948 and 1979.
  • Those in factories had greater disposable income.
  • Increase in employment opportunities:
    = Better technology.
    = Growth in white collar jobs and the service sector.
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14
Q

Growth of unemployment - 1970s

A
  • Unemployment rose to 1 million in 1971 - due to decline in heavy industry (hurt the north).
  • 1976: Labour conceded that full employment was no longer viable - down to private industry to have a greater role.
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15
Q

Summary of Industrial Relations - 1939-1979

A
  • War: Govt and unions worked closely together.
  • 50s/60s: Consensus and corporatism gave unions a role in industrial policy and wage setting.
  • Late 60s/70s: Became antagonistic and unions brought down 2 govts.
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16
Q

Ernest Bevin during the war

A
  • MInister for Labour
  • Had almost complete control over the workforce - Emergency Powers (defence) Act, 1939.
  • He encouraged co-operation.
  • Leader of TGWU 1922-1940
17
Q

Shop ________ grew in _____ during the war due to labour _________ and need for quality work.

A

Shop stewards grew in power during the war due to labour shortages and need for quality work.

18
Q

Wartime strikes

A
  • Striking over wages and working conditions - law against this.
  • Spring 1944: 100,000 miners went on strike in Wales.
    = the govt relented to keep war effort going
    = laid foundations for co-operation with unions as part of post-war consensus.
  • Bevin Boys strike due to pay - 514 in south wales coal fields.
19
Q

1940: Defence Regulation 58AA

A

Banned strikes and lockouts.

20
Q

Attlee’s govt and the unions

A
  • TUC and labour had similar views on economic and social priorities.
  • 120 MPs sponsored by unions - 6 in cabinet (Bevin).
  • 1946: Repealed Trades Disputes Act - union power grew.
21
Q

Full employment effect on relations

A
  • Full employment led to increased membership and power.
    Membership:
    1945: 7.8 million
    1980: 12.6 million
22
Q

Rise in shop stewards - 1951-1964

A
  • More militant.
  • Role models for younger workers.
  • Union leaders no longer representative of these workers.
  • Young workers wanted to participate in the consumer boom - Arthur Seaton in “Saturday NIght Sunday Morning” 1958.
23
Q

Deterioration in relations during Macmillan years

A
  • Unions were a convenient excuse for economic problems.
  • Unions ignored NICKY’s call for wage restraint.
  • Decline in deference - more militant unions.
  • Strikes per year:
    1945-1954 = 1,571
    1955-1964 = 2,521
24
Q

Increase in wildcat strikes - 1960s

A
  • Workers seen as lazy and obstructive.
  • 90% of strike action unofficial - TUC couldn’t control members it seemed.
  • Damaged the reputation of Labour.
  • 1968: 4.7 million days lost - The Times “the year of the strike”
25
Q

Miners and their pay in the 1960s

A
  • By the end, they eared 3% less than manufacturing workers.

- Inflation led to greater militancy - miners exempt from pay increases.

26
Q

In Place of Strife - 1969

A
  • Supposed to curtail union power and outlaw wildcat strikes.
  • Give a ministerial cooling off period for 28 days.
  • TUC and Callaghan refused it - caused govt split.
  • It was never imposed and became a ‘white paper’.
  • Got much public support.
  • Striking only caused 0.1% of all days lost.
27
Q

Industrial Relations Act, 1971

A
  • Enforced similar proposals as IPOS
  • TUC refused to comply or co-operate - ineffective in a time of soaring inflation.
  • Repealed in 1974 by Labour.
28
Q

Context behind Miners’ strike 1971-1973

A
  • Miners had felt excluded from country’s prosperity - their living standards had declined due to inflation (avg 9%)
  • National Coal Board closed 400 pits in the 1960s - 420,000 made redundant.
  • To stop closures, pay was cut.
29
Q

Miners’ Strike, 1971-1973

A
  • 1970 NUM voted for 33% of pay increase to be on par with other industrial workers - ballot only got 1/2 and not 2/3.
  • Wave of unofficial strikes.
  • New ballot in Dec 1971 won and strike called in Jan 1972.
  • CONTEXT: Heath policy restricted pay rises to 8%.
30
Q

Flying pickets against Heath

A
  • 1,000 miners blockaded power station and coal depots - 1972: reduced electricity output to 25%.
  • Scargill had 40,000 miners picketing across 500 sites.
  • Govt capitulated and offered 27% increase.
31
Q

3 day working week

A
  • Oil crisis in 1973 due to Yom Kippur war left UK dependent on coal.
  • Saw this as a way to get pay rise.
  • Power cuts led to state of emergency.
  • Forced a 3 day working week.
  • Tories defeated at election for poor handling.
32
Q

Labour’s Social contract

A
  • It repealed 1971 Industrial Relations Act.
  • Was only a voluntary code.
  • TUC accepted.
  • However, rested on assumption that bosses to persuade workers to accept pay restraints - 6% increase in period of 27% inflation.
  • Bosses less influential than shop stewards.
33
Q

Winter of Discontent

A
  • Immense strike action which brought the country to a standstill.
  • Caused by Denis Healey’s commitment to fixing inflation.
    = Strict 5% increase cap for low paid workers.
34
Q

Striking at Ford, 1978

A
  • 15,000 went on strike on 22/09/78
  • Rose to 57k in October after endorsed by TGWU.
  • Ford offered a 17% pay increase
    = Face govt penalties.
    = Showed social contract unenforceable.
35
Q

Public sector striking

A
  • 22/01/79: Public sector workers went on strike demanding an increase from £40 to £60 a week.
  • Nurses went on strike demanding 25% increase.
  • Unions had lost control of members and couldn’t end strikes.
36
Q

The govt had __ way to enforce pay __________ in 1978 and the unions ______ on this.

A

The govt had no way to enforce pay restraints in 1978 and the unions seized on this.

37
Q

Winter of discontent: Govt response

A
  • Offered an 11% pay rise and tried to negotiate with unions.
  • However, unions were unable to call off strikes.
38
Q

Change in attitudes, 1979

A
  • People became dissatisfied with unions:
    1969: 60% had positive views
    1979: 20%
  • Even unions themselves were annoyed - 1 in 3 members voted for Thatcher.

A-Level History Britain (14 decks)

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