Trade Unionism - Red Clydeside Flashcards

1
Q

Glasgow rent strike - Events - What was the background of the Glasgow rent strikes

A

In wartime Glasgow, there were about 70,000 more residents than there were pre war – with increased demand for accommodation, landlords could raise rents – if tenants could not pay, they would be evicted – this hit hardest the women whose husbands were away with the army – landlords could obtain a court order to allow the forcible eviction and to take property to make up the value of the missing rent

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2
Q

Glasgow rent strikes - Events - What happened during the protests?

A

This led to protests mainly led by women including Mary Barbour – they blocked bailiffs entering properties, and picketed the houses of landlords who had evicted tenants – by Nov 1915, there were 25,000 people involved in the strikes – across Glasgow, committees of workers in munitions factors and dockyards threatened sympathy strikes in support of the protesters – this included every industrial area across Glasgow – to avoid strikes, the gov ordered the police to halt legal action against protesters

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3
Q

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - Why was this a real concern?

A

This was a real concern for gov since it threatened strikes in vital munitions factories – from May 1915, the British Army was already facing shall shortages, so this posed a serious issue

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4
Q

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - Why was gov wary of angering TUs?

A

Gov was already wary of angering TUs, since the June 1915 Munitions of War Act introduced dilution and prevented workers from changing factories for better paid jobs without permission – unpopular with TUs

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5
Q

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - Which groups worked together and what did this show?

A

Glasgow Women’s Housing Association, Clyde Workers Committee, and the ILP all worked together, showing the potential of cooperating union pressure

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6
Q

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - What did employers fear?

A

Employers, fearing conflict with workers over an issue that did not involve them, supported the strikes

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7
Q

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - What did Lloyd George introduce in Nov 1915 and what did it demonstrate?

A

In Nov 1915, Lloyd George introduced the Rent Restriction Act, which guaranteed pre-war rent levels would be fixed until the end of the war - it demonstrated the ability of the Unions to pressure gov

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8
Q

Glasgow rent strikes - Significance - What did the ILP do during the protests and what impact did this have?

A

The ILP supported the protests and voiced the concerns of the workers, strengthening the TU’s voices nationally

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9
Q

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What was gov policy re working week and what did events in Europe do?

A

Gov policies required a 54-hour working week from 6am to 5:30pm in the week, and until noon on Saturdays – the Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia in 1917 and the Spartacist uprising in Germany in 1919 encouraged workers hoping for change

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10
Q

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What happened on 27th Jan 1919?

A

On 27th Jan 1919, the Clyde Workers’ Committee began a strike which involved 70,000 workers where workers stopped working in Glasgow – on the 29th they presented a petition for a 40 hour working week to the Lord Provost and requested that it be presented to P

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11
Q

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What happened on the 31st Jan 1919?

A

On the 31st Jan, 60,000 workers and their supporters gathered in George Square under a large red flag to hear the response – this response was a rejection – it had already been published in the Glasgow Herald that morning – a small group went into the City Chambers to discuss the matter, while other leaders gave speeches to the crowd

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12
Q

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What happened as a result and injury number?

A

Fighting broke out between the protestors and the police – the Sherriff read the Riot Act but by reports from witnesses it was knocked from his hand – the fighting lasted several hours around Glasgow – 19 policemen and 34 protesters were injured

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13
Q

The 40 Hour Strike - Events - What did the gov do to combat this?

A

The gov deployed 6 tanks and troops to restore order – machine guns were also put up on high buildings

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14
Q

The 40 Hour Strike - Significance - What did the engineering unions succeed in doing later?

A

Although the event failed, subsequently the national engineering unions succeeded in obtaining a 47 hour working week

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15
Q

The 40 Hour Strike - Significance - What did the events generate and gov reaction highlight?

A

The events generated awareness of the potential threat of industrial action – the strong gov reaction showed how much of a threat industrial action could be

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16
Q

The 40 Hour Strike - Significance - How did the gov see industrial action and how many leaders were punished?

A

For the gov, industrial actions were seen in the light of the Russian Revolution as revolutionary actions, rather than just simple demands for social reforms – two leaders were given prison sentences though 10 were acquitted

17
Q

The 40 Hour Strike - Significance - What did it do to links between TUs and the ILP?

A

It strengthened links between the ILP and TUs since the group presenting the petitions included Lab MPs – a number of militant leaders of 1919 became Lab MPs in the 1922 general election

18
Q

Black Friday 1921 - Events - What did the 1919 Sankey Commission recommend, what did the gov do, and what did the owners do?

A

The 1919 Sankey Commission recommended that the gov retain control of the coal industry – but the gov chose to return it to the former owners on 31 March 1921 – the owners immediately reduced pay, and locked out any miners who would not work for lower rate (in South Wales this was up to 49% of miners)

19
Q

Black Friday 1921 - Events - What did the gov do and what was the reality?

A

Fearing the potential of the Triple Alliance to create large-scale disruption, the gov used the 1920 Emergency Powers Act to recall troops from Ireland and abroad and positioned them to quell any strikes – in reality, the Triple Alliance was not a serious threat – Ernest Bevin’s transport workers and James Thomas’ rail workers did not join the strike – the Triple Alliance collapsed, since it only existed on the principle of mutual support – the miners struck on their own, but were unable to sustain this – they were forced to accept significant wage decreases and return to work

20
Q

Black Friday 1921 - Impacts - Why was it named Black Friday and what did it do to the threat of a united front?

A

The failed strike was named ‘Black Friday’ by historians of the labour movement since it was a failure to follow the principles of mass protest – it weakened the position of the TUs by indicating that the threat of a united front was a myth

21
Q

Black Friday 1921 - Impacts - What did Black Friday mark an end of?

A

It also 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 – its put the TUs onto the defensive, as opposed to the more aggressive stance that had been demonstrated in Clydeside in 1915 and 1919

22
Q

Black Friday 1921 - Impacts - What happened to wages as a result of this?

A

With the lack of governmental support and the collapse of power bloc of the Triple Alliance, employers in all industries forced down wages – the TUs were unable to prevent this