A summary of trade union militancy in Britain post-WWI, including:
- How were the unions affected by WWI?
- Red Clydeside
- Black Friday 1921
- The General Strike 1926
How were the unions affected by WWI? - Bonuses given to workers in key trades, e.g. dockers →
given in fixed sums and were able to benefit the least-paid
What are trade unions? - Labour coalition in Asquith’s gov’t 1915 secured trade union
- Organisation that represents workers voice in gov’t
- Able to use collective pressure to apply more pressure on
employers British industry
- 1868 - formed the TUC in Manchester → administrative - Declined due to shortage of raw materials
and organisational council that helped unions work tgt - ⅓ male population were at war
- TUC had no formal power but was able to apply pressure - Mainly mining, coal, ron and steel, engineering and
- Trade union m/ship grew rapidly during the war: shipbuilding affected
→ 1913 - 4.2m
Living conditions
→ 1919 - 8.1m
- Decline in industry led to a decline in living conditions
- Triple Alliance
- Cost of living rose
→ formed in 1914/15 - Demand for 20% wage increase
→ Nat’l Transport Workers’ Union (NTWF), Nat’l Union of
Railwaymen (NUR), Miners’ federation (MFGB) Influential figures
Bevin
What were the effects of the war on unions? Trade union work
- Industrial conflict increased before WWI over issues of pay - Grew up working on the Bristol docks and received very little
and working conditions formal education
- Protested for syndicalism → workers believed that they - Became the trade union official for Dockers Union 1911
could improve their social and economic situation through - Elected executive committee member of NWTF:
→ formed the NWTF policy
industrial measures
→ key decision-maker in forming the Triple Alliance
- Trade unions were not essential during the war as workers
already had strong representative voices - Attempted and failed as a parliamentary candidate for Bristol
1918
Benefits of WWI on the w/class: - General secretary for the Transport and General Union 1922
- 5m men enlisted → workforce of 15m remained After WWI
- Leading figure in developing the Labour party
- Skilled workers were given a stronger bargaining position
- Appointed as minister of labour by Churchill during WWII
→ 1918 S Wales - 200,000 miners went on strike and were able to
- Became the foreign secretary in 1945 under Attlee
have their demands agreed to
, Thomas - Employer power > employee power
- Born in Newport
- Started work at 12 as an errand boy
- Joined ASRSU as a full-time organiser
- Became the labour MP for Derby in 1910 → organised the Red Clydeside
1911 strike - Nicknamed after the strong association w/ socialist politics in
- Became general secretary of NUR in 1916 Clydeside, Scotland
- Supported Lloyd-George’s coalition gov’t → secured - Held a significant proportion of munitions factories
workers’ pay and conditions
Influential figures
- 1921-4 - worked on the TUC general council
Shinwell
- Grew up in Glasgow and worked from age of 11
Munitions of War Act 1915
- Joined Glasgow Trades council 1906
- Gov’t response to fears over insufficient shell and ammunition
- Involved in 1911 nat’l dock strikes
production
- Worked as a local secretary of the Glasgow branch of the
- Private companies supplying essential wartime supplies were
seafarers’ union
brought under the authority of the ministry of munitions
→ became a key figure in securing support from the seafarers in the
Advantages 40-hr strike
- Empowered to resolve industrial conflicts - Became the labour MP in 1922
- Gov’t committee would arbitrate disagreements between
workers and employers to ensure efficient production Maxton
- Committee would determine nat’l wage rates - revised every 4 - Born in Glasgow into a Conservative family
months - Turned to socialism
- Granted 12.5% bonus in 1917 to skilled workers - was - Joined ILP in 1904 → became leading member 1912
extended after strikes - Opposed Britain’s involvement in WWI
- Organised factory and shipyard strikes
Disadvantages - Arrested 1916 for sedition
- Dilution of workers - unskilled and semi-skilled workers were - 1913-19 - chairman for the Scottish labour party
needed for skilled work - Key figure in ‘Red Clydeside’
- 1 job was broken down into less complex tasks - Became the Glasgow MP in 1922
- Skilled workers felt jobs were at risk - Led the ‘socialism in our time’ campaign in 1925 and became
- Certificates given to workers for a certain workplace - much leader of the ILP
harder to move jobs
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller anekaogden. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £8.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
