Trade union militancy Flashcards
1
Q
What was the Trade Union Congress?
A
- Formed in 1868 in Manchester.
- Acted as an administrative and organisational council to help the unions work together.
- It had no formal power but could act as an organisation to speak up for different unions.
2
Q
How did WW1 improve the conditions of the labouring class?
A
- The enlistment of 5 million men from a workforce of 15 million left the remaining workers in a strong bargaining position.
- In 1918, 200,000 miners in South Wales went on strike forcing Lloyd George to negotiate and agree many demands.
- The inclusion of Labour in Asquith’s 1915 coalition strengthened the trade union voice.
3
Q
What was the Triple Alliance?
A
- Formed in 1914 and 1915, between the National Transport Workers’ Union, The National Union of Railwaymen and the Miners’ Federation.
- It was not strong since it rested on the suspicion of the aims of employers and each other rather than genuine support.
- It did represent a strong national front since they agreed to sympathy strike to support each other.
4
Q
Why did conflict between employers and trade unions increase after WW1?
A
- Gov and employers wanted a return to pre-war competitive business practices. The 1919 Restoration on Pre-War Practices Act allowed this to happen.
- Actions by unions in Clydeside gave them confidence that they could be a strong political force.
- Despite membership falling 20% after the war, it was still stronger than the pre war membership.
- British trade fell damaging the economy.
- Coalition of Lloyd George was dominated by Conservatives.
5
Q
What were the events of the Glasgow Rent Strike in 1915?
A
- During war there were about 70,000 more residents in Glasgow. This meant that landlords could raise rents. This hit the women whose husbands were fighting the hardest.
- This led to protests, mainly led by women. They blocked bailiffs entering property, and picketed the houses of landlords who had evicted tenants.
- They had around 25,000 people involved. Across Glasgow, committees of workers in munitions factories and dockyards threatened sympathy strikes in support.
- To avoid strikes the gov halted legal action against protestors.
6
Q
What was the significance of the Glasgow Rent Strikes in 1915?
A
- Concern for the gov as they were already facing shell shortages.
- Employers, fearing a conflict with the workers over an issue that did not concern them, supported the strikes.
- Lloyd George introduced the Rent Restriction Act, which guaranteed pre-war levels until the end of the war.
- Demonstrated the ability of the unions to pressure the gov.
- ILP supported the protests and voiced the concerns and strengthened the movement nationally.
7
Q
What were the events of the 40-hour Strike in 1919?
A
- Gov policies required a 54-hour. Russian rev and Spartacist uprising encouraged workers for change.
- Clyde Workers’ Committee began a strike in which 70,000 workers stopped working in Glasgow. Presented a petition for a 40-hour week to the Lord Provost.
- 60,000 workers gathered in George Square under a large red flag to hear the response. It was rejected.
- Fighting broke out between the protestors and police lasting several hours. 19 policemen and 34 strikers were injured.
- The gov deployed 6 tanks and many troops to restore order. Machine guns were sited on high building.
8
Q
What was the significance of the 40-Hour Strike in 1919?
A
- Although it failed, the national engineering unions later won in obtaining a 47-hour week.
- Generated awareness for the potential of industrial action.
- The strong reaction showed how much of a threat it could be.
- For the gov, they were seen in the light of the Russian rev, rather than simply demands for social reform.
- Strengthened links between the ILP and the unions, since the group presenting the petitions included Labour MPs.
9
Q
What were the events of Black Friday in 1921?
A
- In 1919, the Sankey Commission recommended that the gov retain control on the coal industry, but they rejected this and returned it to the former owners in 1921.
- The owners immediately reduced pay and locked out any miner who would not work (49% of miners in South Wales).
- Fearing the TA, the gov used the 1920 Emergency Powers Act to position troops to quell any strikes.
- TA was not a threat as the transport workers and rail workers did not join the strike leaving the miners.
- Miners failed by themselves and were forced to accept the wage decreases.
10
Q
What was the impact of Black Friday?
A
- Weakened the position of the trade unions by indicating that the threat of a united front was a myth.
- Marked an end to gov involvement in pay and employment reforms. For the rest of the inter-war period, the gov maintained a non-interventionist stance.
- Unions were now on the defensive, compared to the Clydeside in 1915 and 1919.
- Due to the collapse of the TA, employers in all industries forced down wages without any opposition.
11
Q
What was the Council of Action?
A
- in 1920 war between Britain and Russia seemed possible due to the Russo-Polish War. Socialists among the trade unions were against this due to communist Russia.
- Trade Unions and Labour Party created the Council of Action, a committee for organising political action. This was supported by about 500 local councils of action.
- To prevent the war, they prepared to hold strikes to disrupt British production and raised awareness of the situation.
- 6,000 protestors attended a march in London.
12
Q
Why was the Council of Action important?
A
- It raised tension between the MC and WC. They were supporting a communist country.
- Repaired the damage of Black Friday by building a loose network between trade unions and an infrastructure for organising strikes.
- Not sufficiently organised to pose a revolutionary threat so the gov took them less seriously. When the Russo-Polish War ended in 1921, they lacked a purpose and ended.
13
Q
What was the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU)
A
- An alliance of nine smaller engineering unions formed around an older organisation, the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. Formed in 1921.
- The strength of the AEU was that the members were all highly skilled craftsmen, and they could afford to pay one shilling per week. Made them financially stable.
- They could afford strikes which discouraged employers from getting into conflict with them.
14
Q
What was the Transport and General Workers’ Union (TGWU)?
A
- Formed in 1922 and was the largest union.
- Formed from 14 unions representing 350,000 workers, and had a particularly wide range of trades, including dock and road transport workers but also clerical and administrative.
15
Q
Who was Manny Shinwell and what was his role?
A
- A Glaswegian WC trade unionist. Interested in Marxism.
- A leader of the trade unions in Glasgow.
- Heavily involved in sailors’ unions.
- Leader of the 40-Hour Strike. Gave a speech and was present in the fighting. Served 5 months in jail.
- Based on his support from workers, elected as a Labour MP in 1922 and 1928.
