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Mr Silverman - History > Trade Unions - to what extent did the trade union movement secure increased influence between 1915-19? > Flashcards

Trade Unions - to what extent did the trade union movement secure increased influence between 1915-19? Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the workings of trade unions

A
  • strikes
  • negotiations
  • provide legal security
  • publicity stunts
  • fees to be in them insurance (insurance effectively)
  • created the labour party
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2
Q

The loss of over ………….. during WWI led to the working class believing that their sacrifice entitled them to ……………..

A
  • 820,000
  • improved wages and working conditions
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3
Q

Industrial workers during WWI were affected by…

A
  • rising costs of living, longer hours due to increased wartime demand, restricted movement between jobs and an influx of unskilled workers
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4
Q

What evidence is there of unpatriotic political unrest during the war amongst workers

A
  • The wartime demand for industrial produce, particularly munitions, presented a challenge for industrial workers
  • Because of the increased demands for labour during the war, workers were able to campaign for improvements
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5
Q

Industrial unrest ……………….. after the war - trades unions werestrong since working class labourers made up ….% of the nations’ workforce

A
  • continued
  • 70%
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6
Q

What convinced some trdae unionists that the capitalist system would change

A

Wartime sacrifices and the potential for militant industrial protest

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7
Q

Yet the 1920s were hard times with….

A
  • industrial output collapsing after the end of the war and employers determined to reduce wages
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8
Q

In 1925 the TUC (Trade Union Council) ……………….. which failed in its attempt to implement better conditions for its members

A

called a General Strike

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9
Q

What are the reasons during WW1 trade unions became more powerful
-union scale

A
  • By 1919 over 8 million were members of unions compared to 4.2 million in 1914 - this made unions more confident in their dealings with employers
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10
Q

What are the reasons during WW1 trade unions became more powerful
-nationalisation

A
  • Nationalisation of key industries such as railways and coal brought the unions into direct contact with the government, thus removing the business owners and allowing for direct negotiations
  • The government had to cooperate with the unions to ensure output remained high during the war
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11
Q

Who was Ernest Bevin

A
  • Founder & leader of the Transport & General Workers’ Union (TGWU) in 1922
  • During the General Strike, Bevin was in charge of coordinating the activities of the unions
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12
Q

Who was James Henry Thomas

A
  • Helped to form the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) of which he was leader from 1917 to 1931
  • Labour MP from 1910 to 1936
  • Thomas was reluctant to lead the NUR into the General Strike of 1926
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13
Q

Who was Manny Shinwell & James Maxton

A
  • both were members of the Independent Labour Party
  • elected to Parliament in 1922
  • key figures in Red Clydeside
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14
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

How much support had the movement aquired

A
  • The enlistment of 5 million men from a workforce of 15 million, left the remaining s skilled workers in a strong bargaining position,
  • as govt were increasingly dependent on vital industries, where production was falling due to shortage of workers
  • One of the strongest unions was the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain with over 750,000 members
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15
Q

What significantly angered workers

A
  • Dilution - the practice of using unskilled or semi-skilled workers (inc women) for skilled tasks
  • The use of 14,000 women in Clyde for example caused strikes in May 1917
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16
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

Why did the unions come into direct contact with the govt during the war

A
  • During the war, govt had to nationalise much industry, including Britain’s railways and coalmines
  • this brought the unions into direct contact with the govt, removing business owners and allowing for direct negotiations
  • govt had to co-operate with unions to ensure industrial production remained constant
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17
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

How did individuals ensure the trade unions increased their influence

A

Ernest Bevin and James Thomas realised it was essential for unions to collaborate and coordinate industrial unrest in order to improve pay and condition

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18
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

How did Bevin increase their influence

A
  • Bevin realised that his TGWU had to collaborate with the coal and railway unions to demand better conditions
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19
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

How did Thomas increase their influence

A
  • Thomas worked with PM Lloyd George from within Parliament to demand better conditions,
  • by cracking down on unofficial strikes and ensuring reasonable industrial harmony
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20
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

Give an example of how the governments action to benfit some workers actually led to worse strike action

A
  • In 1917, the government granted a 12.5% bonus to skilled workers in engineering
  • Semi-skilled workers and unskilled labourers went on strike
  • The government was forced to extend the wartime bonus to all workers
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21
Q

Evidence the trade unions had NOT increased its influence 1915-19

What government act significantly limited the powers of the unions

A

The Defence of the Realm Act - DORA (1914)
The Munitions of War Act (1915)

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22
Q

Evidence the trade unions had NOT increased its influence 1915-19

What powers did the govt gain from the Defence of the Realm Act - DORA (1914) & the Munitions of War act 1915

A

Allowed the government to seize control of factories & placed new constraints upon workers’ freedoms, giving the govt authority over private companies and granted the power to regulate wages, hours and employment conditions.

23
Q

Evidence the trade unions had NOT increased its influence 1915-19

What powers did the employers gain from the Defence of the Realm Act - DORA (1914) & the Munitions of War act 1915

A
  • The govt could now prevent skilled workers moving into unskilled, yet better paid, engineering work, by insisting that they had a leaving certificate from their previous employer
  • This gave employers huge power over workers:
  • they could treat them badly and had control over their future job prospects
24
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

What strengthened the unions voice in government

A
  • The inclusion of Labour in Asquith’s 1915 coalition government strengthened the trade union voice in government, as Labour was more likely to work with trade unions.
25
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

How did the Trade Unions begin to show immense coorperation between 1914-15

A
  • Following strong promotion by Bevin and Thomas, three major trade unions representing miners, railwaymen and transport workers joined to form a ‘Triple Alliance’
26
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

What did the Triple Alliance aim to do

A
  • It aimed to increase union influence over the government by allowing for the effective coordination of strike action
  • This would ensure a significant increase in union influence over government
27
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

In what way did the government actually increase the support for unions, even though this wasn’t completely in their best interest

A
  • These miners recruited for the war were often replaced in the UK mines by men who were not members of unions, which angered existing miners and prompted them to go on strike
  • By 1916, this issue had become so serious that the government forced employers to make union membership compulsory for all miners during the war
28
Q

How did the govt use miners directly in the war effort

A
  • The govt recruited miners for tunnelling operations on the Western Front
  • Under pressure from the unions, the govt agreed to use only single men who were relatively inexperienced, for tunnelling operations in the Somme 1916
29
Q

Evidence the trade unions had increased its influence 1915-19

What evidence is there that after the war the Trade Unions continued to exert its influence

A
  • Trade unions continued to be in a strong position after the war as there was little unemployment
  • The government’s attempt to reduce wages for railway workers in 1919 led to a 7-day strike, causing huge disruption
  • Ernest Bevin negotiated for existing wages to be maintained for another vear
30
Q

Where was the region of Red Clydeside

A
  • The centre of industrial unrest during the war was Glasgow, and its shipyards along the River Clyde
  • The city was the heart of British heavy industry, home to 370,000 shipbuilders, miners and engineers
  • Clydeside built 481 ships for the Royal Navy during the war, and provided 90% of the armour plating needed for tanks
  • In the context of the Russian Revolution of 1917, the region earned the reputation of Red Clydeside
31
Q

What was a major victory in Red Cyldeside demonstrating union power & influence in August 1915

A
  • Maxton - member of the ILP
  • when strikes there in August 1915 persuaded the government to abolish the controversial leaving certificates —> which prevented employees from changing posts without a certificate from their employer
32
Q

How did Red Clydeside action escalate in 1916

A
  • Clydeside Engineers demanding a pay rise escalated into 1916 and there was a general discontent amongst those who felt that a few were profiting from the war whilst the majority were expected to make sacrifices
33
Q

What action was taken by the government against the Glasgow rent strike in 1915

A
  • The government responded, in November 1915, first by Lloyd George intervening to persuade lawyers to defer a landlord’s prosecution of 18 of protestors
  • & then by passing the Rents and Mortgage Interest Restriction Act to limit rent to pre-war levels.
34
Q

Why were the govt under significant pressure to act by November 1915

A
  • Growing support for the unrest in Clydeside
  • Pressure from employers who did not want production affected ( & concerns higher rents would add to demands for increased pay)
  • Prospect of a General Strike which was being threatened by Maxton and his Clydeside Workers’ Committee
35
Q

Where did the Glasgow Rent Strike stem from

A
  • Further discontent was provoked by the actions of profiteering landlords who took advantage of the shortage of housing arising from the influx of workers (required for the increased demands on industry) by increasing rents
36
Q

What was the Glasgow rent strike

A
  • A group of housewives, led by Mary Barbour & the Glasgow Women’s Housing Association, alongside Helen Crawford and Agnes Dollan (both WSPU suffragettes)
  • initiated a rent strike that spread throughout the city
  • By the end of the year 25,000 tenants had joined the ‘Mrs. Barbour’s Army’ with the landlords painted as unpatriotic and crowds gathering to prevent evictions
37
Q

When was the Glasgow rent strike

A

1915

38
Q

What is the significance of the Glasgow Rent Strike

A
  • huge triumph
  • industrial militant protest in an area essential for wartime production, trade unionists had won a considerable improvement in living conditions & the removal of leaving certifcates
  • it demonstrated the ability of the unions to exert pressure, their willingness to do so even during a war, and their ability achieve success
  • It confirmed both the government and the press. feared the potential power of the unions - potential threat of a socialist revolution in Glasgow in coming years
39
Q

During the war there was a general sense of …………….. between the unions, led by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Government

A

cooperation

40
Q

As the end of the war approached, what did the TUC become increasingly concerned about

A
  • The prospect of 4 million men serving in the armed forces returning to work at the same time as a huge fall in demand for munitions
41
Q

What were the potential solutions to the 4 million men serving in the armed forces returning to work at the same time as a huge fall in demand for munitions

A
  • Negotiations for reduced working hours in order to keep more in work
  • Legislation to agree national rates of pay, to prevent regional differences meaning some workers were paid more than others
  • This was especially popular with the nationalised Miners’ Federation of Great Britain (MFGB), but would soon be returning to private hands
42
Q

When the war ended, there was a ……….., but to……..

A
  • wave of strikes
  • limited effect
43
Q

Describe the biggest strike after the war ended

A
  • biggest strike was on the railways, which were still under govt control at the end of the war, in response to a reduction in wages
  • The National Union of Railwaymen effectively brought the country to a standstill
  • but the strike was averted after a week when Ernest Bevin got an agreement to overturn the wage cut for a year
44
Q

Why did some local leaders become encouraged to take their own action

A
  • In many local areas there was a growing feeling that union leaders were too timid,
  • that they shied away from bold action,
  • & perhaps they had become too close to the government
45
Q

What took place in Janauray 1919

A
  • The Joint Strike Committee of Glasgow (without the support of the TUC) was campaigning for a 40 hour week
46
Q

How did viewpoints differ on the motive of the 40 hour strike

A
  • Such proposals were unpopular with employers for whom this would increase wage costs, especially as they had already bowed to pressure in lowering weekly working hours in shipbuilding from 53 to 47
  • From the Joint Strike Committee of Glasgow’s perspective this was a modest proposal
47
Q

Who was responsible for leading the 40 hour strike

A
  • The two most prominent Committee leaders:
  • James Maxton, a member of the ILP & already associated with organising strikes of shipbuilders during the war,
  • & Manny Shinwell, the local leader of the British Seafarers’ Union, and also an ILP member
  • They called for a local general strike, in which all local workers in other industries would join the engineers and shipbuilders on strike
48
Q

Few unions backed a local general strike, in which all local workers in other industries would join the engineers and shipbuilders on strike.
However the govt…

A
  • feared widespread unrest, perhaps even a revolution and sent troops to Red Clydeside
49
Q

Though few unions backed their strikes, how did the strikers trying to extend their protests

A
  • 50,000 men were on strike, and Shinwell proposed to shut off the power stations
  • mass meeting in St George’s Square to hear the response to the strikers demands for govt action —> police charged the crowd which led to a riot - The Battle of George Square
  • The unrest spread to Belfast and London, with Underground workers striking too
  • strike in Glasgow fizzled out —> Shinwell imprisoned for five months for incitement to riot
50
Q

Between February and March 1919 it did appear that Britain could be on the verge of…

A

revolution

51
Q

Describe how the government’s approach to Red Cyldeside & the 40 hour strike was confused

A
  • The red flag had been raised in Glasgow & Churchill ensured 10,000 troops remained to deter any further gatherings
  • With fears of socialist agitation, the trade unions’ influence actually increased, with the govt hoping that the unions would control industrial unrest
  • While revolutionaries required military force to be suppressed, trade unionists could hopefully be appeased with negotiations
  • Yet in Glasgow 1919 the authorities prematurely resorted to military intervention
52
Q

What political party took root during Red Cyldeside & the 40 hour strike

A
  • The city became a centre of Labour Party support, securing 10 of the 15 seats available
  • This group of MPs, including Shinwell and Maxton, formed a united group at Parliament, determined to improve w/c conditions
53
Q

What makes Clydeside political activism so important within the context of Britain’s growing trade union movement

A
  • During the war, was that in the context of Britain’s growing trade union movement, there was both dramatic and successful militant protest
  • Revolutionaries and agitators such as Maxton and Shinwell earned Glasgow a reputation as a centre of socialism,
  • & Red Clydeside became a symbol of the unions’ growing influence

Mr Silverman - History (30 decks)

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