Trade Unions Flashcards
When did unions first begin to break down?
(1966) after strike by National Union of Seamen
–> Frank Cousins resigned over incomes policy
How did Wilson try to make unions happy?
(1964) Frank Cousins = minister of tech
relied on prices and incomes policy
What were wildcat strikes?
Sudden unofficial local disputes without refernce to national leadership
–> union bosses losing control
How did Cons. try to help TU in 1967?
Fair Deal at Work under Edward Heath
What did Lab. implement in 1969 for TU?
Barbara Castle produced ‘white paper’
–> could be contreversial
–> 28 days cooling off period before strike
–> strike ballots could imposed
Those who were for and agaisnt In Place of Strife?
For: Roy Jenkins (Chancellor), Unions, Left of Lab.
Against: union leaders e.g. Jack Jones (TGWU),, James Callaghan and 50 Lab MP’s
How did row over In place of strife end?
(July 1969) Wilson gave in
TUC negotiated a face-saving compromise but it was a humiliating climbdown by gov.
Post war consensus by 1970 for TU?
TU seemed more uncooperative , forcing Lab. to reofrm industrial relations
Issues with TU under Heath?
dockers strike
large pay settlement for dustmen
postal worker strike
How did Heath deal with intial TU problems?
Intro. Industrial Relations Act
Abolished the National Board for Prices and Incomes
What was the Industrial Relations Act?
Set up Industrial Relations Court
provided strike ballots
cooling off period before unoffical strikes begin
Outcome of Industrial Relations Act?
Policy didnt work as expected
TUC and CBI opposed to it
(1972) major strikesaw highest numbers of days lost to strikes
Affect of miners striking in 1972?
coal stopped moving
state of emergency
schools closed
1.2 million workers laid off
3 day week
Wilberforce Commitee negotiate generous wage settlement
As well as wage demands what else did Heath do after 1972 strikes?
Passed Industry act
–> aimed to involve gov., TUC and CBI in agreeing wages, prices and benefits
–> heavily criticsed by right of Cons. (Enoch Powell)
What strike occured in 1973?
industrial disputes with firefighter and power workers
Why did miners demand higher wages?
after 1973 strike and oil crisis in November
–> beyond the limits gov. watned to impose to hold down inflation
–> miners intro. overtime ban to strengthen deamnds
What was intro in 1974?
three-day week after strike
–> conserve electricity
What did Heath do to try solve 1973 miners strike?
Moved Willie Whitelaw from NI Office to be a minister of employment as he was a skilled negotiator
–> failed
–> miners refused pay offer and gov. refused to treat miners as a special case
What was called in 1974?
(January 1974) NUM called national strike
What did Wilson do when Lab came back in gov?
prove Lab. was better equipped
(1973) negotiated Social Contract with TUC
–> voluntary pay restraint by TU and would repeal Heaths Industrial Act and pay board
Outcome of Social Contract?
TU sent msg that gov. were not looking for confrontations
Agreement settled quickly and 3 day week ended
Tony Benn and Michael Foot were in charge of departments of Indistry and Employment
What did TUC reject in 1978?
Lab. gov proposal for wage increase limit of 5%
–> it enocouraged TU to put in hgiher demands
What did Ford Lorry drivers gain in Dec 1978?
15% increase in Dec after 9 week strike
What happened after the Ford Lorry driver?
more unions followed their example:
incl. transport e.g. trains
strikes by public sector workers e.g.hospital porters and dustmen
What was the winter of 1978-9 called?
Winter of discontent
–> disputes brought to end in March 1979with avrg. wage incr to 10%
–> physcological affect on public mood
What were TU annoyed about with Thatcher initially?
her eco. reforms
What unions were hostile at beginning of Thatchers premeirship?
COHSE and NUPE became more militatn
teachers unions disputes over working coniditions
What were new laws intro. to constrain unions?
(1980) secondary picketing outlawed
(1984) unions under pressure to hold ballots before strike
employers keep unions out of workplace
What was the main strike under thatchers time as PM?
(1984-5) miners strike
What happened before miners strike?
(1981) NCB (National Coal Board) warned need to close 223 pits
–> didnt want rerun of 1973-4 events
–> they compromised by reducing coal imports and protecting subsidy to NCB
What happened in 1984 with miners strike?
gov. prep. and confident
–> huge stocks built up at power stations
–> good flow of North Sea oil
NCB announced need to close 20 pits
–> Arthur Scargill saw plan for 70 pits (seen in 2014 although denied at time)
Scargill in 1984 miners strike?
Charismatic leader but didnt get total support for national strike
refusal to hold strike ballot weakened case
Nottinghamshire miners formed breakaway union (UDM)
Opinion of police as a role for NUM defeat?
New equipment, more experience of riot control and better tactics
critics of Thatcher balmed her for politicisiation of police –> defeat miners rather than being impartial protectors of law and order
COnfrontation of police and miners?
Battle of Oregreave
5000 miners vs 8000 police officers
Scargill as reason for NUM defeat?
didnt get support of Lab. leadership
easy to demonise Scargill in media
Outcome of Scargills campaign to prevent pit closures?
utter failure:
- over 10 years coal industry employed went down by 140,000
power of unions reduced
(1990) Union membership 2/3 of 1979
Thatchers dealing with unions compared to other PM?
WEakness of Edward Heath 1973-4
Jim CAllaghan WInter of Discontent
Defining moment of Thatcherism
Pit closures under Majors reign?
(1991) Heseltine announced 31 pit closures in Nottinghamshire
–> poor reward considering they went against Scargill
–> outcry forced short term U-turn
–> eventually closures went ahead
How did Kinnock signal a split with TU?
(1989) ended Lab. support fro closed shop union agreements
–> workers have to be members of a particular union
TU membership in 1980’s
Decresed from 29% to 26%
New Labour position with TU?
DIdnt repeal TU legislation
openly critical of strike action by trade unionists
Learning from winter of disconent, image of pro business
Which policies were TU critical of?
continuing cons. policies: outsourcing and PFI
although they wanted to protect employment rigths of workers who moved from public to private , allowed contracting out to continue
extended privitisations
(2004) RMT expelled from party because some were donating to left-wing political parties
What did Lab. gov. opt back into?
European Social Chapter
–> follow European policies regarding employment and social rights
–> employees entitled to reuqnest up to 3 months unpaid parental leave to care for child under 8
What programme helped people find work under Blair?
New Deal Programme targeted particual group sof unemployed e.g. youth, elder, diasbled, and promised to find them work
Limitations to New Deal programme?
SUpport limited and complaints that sanctions imposed it people didnt take support was counter-productive and unfair
When and what NAtional Minimum wage?
(1998) Low Pay Commission set up to oversee and set the wage
–> although initially very low
