The General Strike, May 1926

The General Strike, May 1926.

Reasons for the strike.

In the early 20th century coal was very important because it powered all technology – much like oil today. Coal was Britain’s biggest industry.

After the First World the British mining industry was in a mess.

Demand for coal went down because cheaper foreign coal was on the market. Mine-owners were making less money.

In 1925 the mine owners said they wanted to cut the miners’ wages.

The TUC (Trades Union Congress) which represented all workers’ trade unions, promised to support the miners.

The Conservative government, led by the Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, gave enough money to keep the miners’ wages as they were, but only for 9 months.

Meanwhile the TUC said that the mines should be nationalised (i.e. taken over by the government and not run by lots of private owners).

In 1926 the government decided that miners’ wages should be cut after all. The owners also wanted to lengthen the working day from 7 to 8 hours.

The miners refused to agree to the demands of the owners. So the owners closed the mines and locked the miners out. They hoped poverty and hunger would force the miners to give in.

But the TUC called a General Strike of all workers. In a ballot a huge majority of members supported the strike. But the TUC leaders and the Labour Party tried to stop the strike happening. They started talks with Baldwin but when printers on the Daily Mail refused to print an anti-strike issue, Baldwin pulled out from the talks and the strike began on 2nd May 1926. During the strike.

For 9 days two and a half million workers were on strike.

The strikers

 closed down docks, public transport, newspapers and many industries.  held daily meetings.  ran social and sporting events for strikers and their families.  tried to stop traffic moving around the country.  published a daily newspaper, The British Worker.

The government

 set up the OMS (Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies) and got people to volunteer to help.  got middle and upper class people to work as volunteers doing things like driving buses and trains.  moved soldiers into camps outside the cities in case there was trouble.  used the navy to bring food into the country and used soldiers to escort the food lorries.  piled up stocks of coal in case it was needed.  used the police to keep control.  published a daily paper called The British Gazette.  used radio to spread anti-strike propaganda.

On the whole the strike was non-violent, although there were some violent clashes between police and strikers in big cities. In most places strike leaders and police worked together to avoid violence. The end of the strike.

The strike was effective. Public transport stopped in many places and food prices rose by over 50%.

But the government and the BBC told people the strikers were traitors who wanted to take over the country. The BBC didn’t allow the strike leaders to speak on the radio.

The TUC leaders did not want to be seen as traitors. They were secretly meeting Sir Herbert Samuel, the man who led the Royal Commission that had looked at miners’ pay in 1925. The TUC did not tell the miners’ leaders about this meeting.

The TUC leaders made a deal with Samuel. This said that the miners’ wages might be protected.

The TUC then called off the strike on 11th May. The miners felt betrayed.

After the strike ended the government refused to follow the deal with Samuel. Instead they passed a law that made the miners work 8 hours a day.

So the miners continued to strike, without the support of other workers.

The miners held out for seven months but poverty and hardship forced them back to work. Many were victimised. Some strikers were not allowed their jobs back. All miners were forced to accept longer hours and lower wages.

In 1927 the British Government passed laws that made it illegal for workers to strike in sympathy with other workers and made it harder to join a trades union.