The Great Halt
An academic exploration of the pivotal nine-day industrial action that reshaped British labor relations and society.
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Overview the Strike?
A Nine-Day Standoff
The 1926 United Kingdom general strike was a significant industrial action that spanned nine days, from May 4 to May 12, 1926. It was initiated by the General Council of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) as a sympathetic response to the plight of 1.2 million locked-out coal miners facing severe wage reductions and deteriorating working conditions.
Widespread Solidarity
This general strike saw an estimated 1.5 to 1.75 million workers participate, extending far beyond the mining sector. Key industries affected included transport and heavy industry, demonstrating a broad front of solidarity with the miners. Despite the massive scale, the strike ultimately proved unsuccessful in achieving its immediate goals.
Government vs. Labor
The strike represented a direct confrontation between organized labor, led by the TUC and the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, and the British government, then under the Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. The government, well-prepared for such an eventuality, mobilized volunteers to maintain essential services, effectively countering the strike's impact.
Root Causes
Post-War Coal Industry Decline
The British coal industry faced significant challenges following World War I. Intensive wartime domestic use had depleted rich coal seams, and Britain's reduced exports during the war allowed other nations, particularly the United States, Poland, and Germany, to expand their coal industries and capture international markets. This led to a sharp decline in British coal output and productivity, with annual production per man falling from 310 tons in the early 1880s to just 199 tons by 1920โ1924.
Economic Policies and Wage Pressures
Further exacerbating the crisis were international economic policies. The 1924 Dawes Plan allowed Germany to re-enter the global coal market by exporting "free coal" as part of its war reparations, driving down prices. In 1925, Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill's decision to reintroduce the gold standard strengthened the British pound, making British exports, including coal, less competitive. Mine owners, seeking to maintain profitability amidst these pressures, proposed significant wage reductions for miners (from ยฃ6 to ยฃ3 18s over seven years) and longer working hours, leading to the miners' defiant slogan: "Not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day."
The Samuel Commission
In an attempt to avert a major dispute, the Conservative government intervened, providing a nine-month subsidy to maintain miners' wages and establishing a Royal Commission, chaired by Sir Herbert Samuel, to investigate the mining industry. The Samuel Commission's report, published in March 1926, recommended national agreements, nationalization of royalties, and industry reorganization. Crucially, it also proposed a 13.5% reduction in miners' wages and the withdrawal of the government subsidy. While the Prime Minister indicated government acceptance if other parties agreed, the Miners' Federation unequivocally rejected the proposed wage cuts and regional negotiation, setting the stage for the general strike.
The Strike Unfolds
The Call to Action
Following the failure of final negotiations on May 1, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) announced a general strike "in defence of miners' wages and hours," set to commence at one minute to midnight on May 3. This decision was met with apprehension by leaders of the Labour Party, who feared the potential for revolutionary elements within the union movement to undermine the party's burgeoning reputation as a legitimate governing force.
Media and Public Opinion
The strike's immediate prelude was marked by a significant incident: printers of the *Daily Mail* refused to publish an editorial titled "For King and Country," which condemned the general strike as a "revolutionary move." This act raised concerns within the government, particularly for Prime Minister Baldwin, regarding the freedom of the press. King George V, in an attempt to de-escalate tensions, famously urged empathy for the miners, stating, "Try living on their wages before you judge them." Meanwhile, a propaganda battle ensued between the government's *British Gazette*, edited by Winston Churchill, and the TUC's *British Worker*.
Government Countermeasures
The government had meticulously prepared for such an event, establishing organizations like the Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies (OMS), which recruited middle-class volunteers to maintain essential services. Utilizing the Emergency Powers Act 1920, the government ensured the continuity of vital supplies and rallied public support by emphasizing the "revolutionary" nature of the strike. Religious figures also weighed in, with Archbishop Francis Cardinal Bourne condemning the strike as a "direct challenge to lawfully constituted authority" and urging citizens to support the government.
Escalation and Legal Challenges
The initial days of the strike saw widespread disruption, particularly in transport. However, by May 6, the government claimed improvements in transport, facilitated by volunteers and strikebreakers. A dramatic moment occurred on May 8 at the London Docks, where Army-protected lorries successfully broke picket lines to transport food, demonstrating the government's increasing control. On May 11, striking miners derailed the *Flying Scotsman* at Cramlington, highlighting the intensity of the conflict. Concurrently, a legal ruling by Justice Astbury declared the general strike (outside the coal industry) unprotected by the Trade Disputes Act 1906, exposing unions to significant liabilities for breach of contract.
Aftermath
The Strike's End
On May 12, 1926, the TUC General Council made the difficult decision to call off the general strike. They proposed ending the action if the Samuel Commission's recommendations were honored and the government guaranteed no victimization of strikers. However, the government stated it lacked the power to compel employers to re-employ all strikers. Consequently, the TUC agreed to end the dispute without this crucial guarantee, leading to protracted negotiations between individual unions and companies for workers to return to their jobs.
Impact on Miners and Coal Industry
Despite the TUC's withdrawal, the miners continued their resistance for several more months, eventually forced back to work by economic necessity by the end of November. Many faced prolonged unemployment, and those who returned were compelled to accept longer working hours, reduced wages, and localized wage agreements. The strike had a profound and lasting impact on the British coal industry, with employment falling by over a third from its pre-strike peak of 1.2 million miners, though productivity did rebound significantly by the outbreak of the Second World War.
Legislative and Union Changes
The strike's aftermath led to significant legislative changes, most notably the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act 1927. This act banned sympathy strikes, general strikes, and mass picketing, and introduced an 'opt-in' system for trade union members to pay the political levy to the Labour Party. While the TUC and the broader trade union movement remained intact, the experience led many union leaders, such as Ernest Bevin, to view general strikes as a strategic error, advocating instead for political action as a more effective means of achieving labor goals. This perspective contributed to the absence of further general strikes in Britain, with only a few close calls in subsequent decades.
Cultural Echoes
The Strike in Literature and Media
The 1926 General Strike, a moment of profound social and political tension, left an indelible mark on British popular culture, inspiring numerous literary works and media portrayals that explore its complexities and human impact.
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References
References
- Robertson, D. H. 'A Narrative of the General Strike of 1926' The Economic Journal Vol. 36, no. 143 (September 1926) p. 376
- Griffiths, D. A History of the NPA 1906รขยย2006 (London: Newspaper Publishers Association, 2006) p. 67
- David Sinclair, Two Georges: The Making of the Modern Monarchy. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1988. p. 105.
- General Strike Day 5: Saturday 8 May 1926, University of Warwick, The Library
- J. Graham Jones, "Ernest Bevin and the General Strike", Llafur: Journal of Welsh Labour History/Cylchgrawn Hanes Llafur Cymru (2001) 8#2 pp 97รขยย103.
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