Wilson's Trade Union Relations

Question 1

Post-War Consensus on Trade Unions

Answer 1

• Part of the Post-War Consensus was to maintain strong trade unions
• Government and businesses/unions working together and keeping a good relationship
• Trade unions created and fund the Labour Party

Question 2

Wilson & Trade Unions (1964-1970)

Answer 2

• As early as 1963, Wilson warned Labour and trade unions that they had to become more realistic when asking for wage demands
• “No place for restrictive practices or outdated methods”
• Government wanted to control rising inflation by introducing wage freezes, angering trade unions

Question 3

Trade Union Anger Over Wilson’s Prices & Incomes Policy

Answer 3

• Policy was introduced to impose wage freezes so rising inflation could be controlled
• Led to the Minister of Technology, Frank Cousins, resigning from his role in protest
• This led to spontaneous strikes by workers without their trade union leader’s permission, ‘Wildcat Strikes’
• Most disturbing was the Seamen’s Strike
• Wilson characterised these as deliberate attacks by a group of Marxist extremists within trade union movements on Britain’s wellbeing

Question 4

Barbara Castle’s White Paper, “In Place of Strife” (1969)

Answer 4

• “In Place of Strife” never got beyond the White Paper stage, created immediate divisions within the party
• Put into cabinet by Barbara Castle, Employment Secretary
  Consisted of:
  *28 day ‘cooling off’ period before a strike happened to prevent it
  *Gov could impose a settlement when t.u’s were in dispute with each other in ‘demarcation disputes’
  *Strike Ballots could be imposed
  *Industrial-relations court would be able to prosecute people who broke rules
• This was dropped due to trade union opposition
• Left-wing was bitter as this policy undermined the principles that they were supposed to be standing for
• James Callaghan killed the idea off by stressing the dangers to Labour as t.u’s still provided the bulk of its funds