Worker's Rights

Question 1

Causes of the General Strike of 1926

Answer 1

• economic deterioration caused by war (millions of men demobilised and looking for work)
• other countries trade expanding (coal, shipbuilding and textiles faced greater competition)
• price of coal falling

Question 2

Describe the Triple Alliance

Answer 2

• railway workers, coalminers and transport workers

* very militant in attempts to improve working conditions and pay

Question 3

Describe the cause and consequence of the price of coal falling

Answer 3

• Germany was paying much of its reparations to Belgium and France in coal
• mine owners wanted to cut wages by 13% and increase shifts from 7 to 8 hours

Question 4

How were miner strikes initially prevented, and what did this lead to?

Answer 4

• 1925- government subsidised miners’ wages for a year
• set up a commission to investigate
• 1926- commission report led to miners strike of 800,000
• 4th May 1926- TUC calls general strike

Question 5

Describe the government response to the general strike

Answer 5

• 9 months preparation
• volunteers recruited to drive buses and trains and act as special constables
• armed forces unloaded food from the docks and escort supplies from depots for distribution
• used Emergency Powers Act
• Prime minister Stanley Baldwin remained moderate
• the British Gazette (government newspaper) published)
• BBC radio programs

Question 6

How did the strike develop?

Answer 6

• clashes broke out between strikers and police
• striking miners derailed the Flying Scotsman
• police charged strikers with batons to break up picket lines
• strikers threw stones at troops
• rousing speeches incited violence

Question 7

Describe the short term consequences of the general strike

Answer 7

• 13th May- TUC ordered return to work
• miners returned to work accepting few cuts by owners
• known troublemakers were blacklisted and unable to find jobs
• Trades Dispute Act
• 1927- 1/2 million members left the unions

Question 8

Describe the Trades Dispute Act

Answer 8

• 1927
• limited union power
• banned sympathy strikes
• banned mass picketing

Question 9

Describe the Emergency Powers Act

Answer 9

• 1920
• gave the monarch the right to declare an emergency and introduce whatever regulations were necessary to ensure the delivery of food, water, fuel or light, transport and other essentials
• anyone breaking the terms could be fined £100 or sent to prison for 3 months

Question 10

Describe the long term consequences of the General Strike

Answer 10

• 1972, 1974- miners went on strike again

* helped bring down Conservative government led by Edward Heath

Question 11

Describe Margaret thatcher’s preparation for another strike

Answer 11

• coal stockpiled

* generators converted to oil and gas

Question 12

Describe Arthur Scargill and the strike

Answer 12

• leader of Miner’s Union (NUM)
• militant
• against Maggy T
• demanded no pits should close when government announced it in 1984 and called his workers on strike against TUC and govn. -> failed tho
• resulted in marginalisation of TUC