Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Industrial relations (1939-79) and reasons for their breakdown in the…
Industrial relations (1939-79) and reasons for their breakdown in the 1960s and 70s
Relations during and after WW2
Governments were hoping unions would restrict wage demands which was permitted until inflation hit in the 1950s
Governments tried to impose methods to limit pay demands but they were not effective
Working with the unions were signs of consensus about minimising industrial disputes
Government were faced with a dilemma of keeping unions happy and risk inflation increasing further
Trade unionist inclusion continued after the war - board of the nationalised Bank of England
War led to inclusion of trade unionists in government decision-making bodies
This strengthened the bargaining position of trade union
There was a shift from boom and bust to wartime full employment and a post-war commitment by Labour and Tories to maintain it
Industrial relations before 1972
National seamen's strike in 1966
Consensus used appeasement and ineffective sanctions to deal with industrial unrest
There were sporadic and serious strikes through this period
Barbara Castle's 1969 White Paper 'In Place of Strike' would have undermined union strength
Govt efforts to deal with inflation through price and wage controls led to simmering tensions
Heath tried to tackle the root causes of industrial unrest through the Industrial Relations Act
British industry could not compete and jobs were lost
This failed to curtail union power as they were not forced to sign up to the National Industrial Relations Court which would have judged the legality of the strike action
The British economy was not growing as fast as its rivals
Industrial relations 1972-79 - boiling point
Teachers, hospital staff, train drivers, Ford car workers and gasmen went on strike in Feb 1973
1973 oil crisis led to higher wage demands - NUM demanded 35% pay rise
This led to other sectors pressing for pay rises
Another 3 day working week was introduced on 1st Jan 1974
Strike was called off on 19th Feb with an offer of wage rise by 28%
4th Feb 1974 81% of miners voted to go on strike
This led to a three day working week in Feb
Nov 1974 - strike in Ford car factories led to a 17% pay rise despite Callaghan wanting to stick to a 5% limit
Govt offered 8% which led to a strike on 9 Jan 1972 by 280,000 miners
3rd Jan 1979 - oil tanker and lorry drivers went on strike and won a pay rise quickly (6 weeks) led to panic buy
NUM demanded a 43% pay rise in 1971
22nd Jan 1979 - 1.5m public sector workers went on strike, schools shut, museums, libraries and other public buildings as well
Escalated due to the failure of government errors to resist increased pay demands
Dustmen on strike led to rubbish built up
Wages failed to keep up with prices for the first time since WW2
Gravediggers in Liverpool went on strike until 14th Feb with 15% pay rise - 225 bodies were awaiting burial
Industrial relations were the worst in the 70s
By mid-march everyone was back at work and the public were frightened by the strike - thought unions were too powerful