The General Strike 1926 and Workers' Rights

The General Strike of 1926 was the largest industrial dispute in British history. For nine days in May 1926, millions of workers across multiple industries stopped work in support of the coal miners. Although the strike failed, it was a pivotal moment in the history of workers' rights and the relationship between labour, government, and employers.

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Background: The Trade Union Movement

Trade unions had been growing in strength since the mid-19th century, fighting for better wages, shorter hours, and safer working conditions.

Date	Development
1799--1800	Combination Acts ban trade unions
1824	Combination Acts repealed; unions legalised
1834	Tolpuddle Martyrs: six Dorset farm labourers transported to Australia for forming a union; public outcry led to their release
1868	Trades Union Congress (TUC) founded
1871	Trade Union Act gives unions legal recognition
1900	Labour Representation Committee founded (became the Labour Party in 1906)
1906	Trade Disputes Act protects unions from being sued for strike action

Key Term: Trade union --- an organisation of workers formed to protect their rights and negotiate with employers over pay, hours, and conditions.

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The Mining Industry in the 1920s

The coal mining industry was central to the British economy, employing over a million workers. However, the industry was in crisis after the First World War.

Problem	Detail
Falling coal prices	After the war, demand for British coal declined as Germany resumed exports and other countries switched to oil
Mine owners' response	Owners demanded that miners accept longer hours and lower wages to reduce costs
Government subsidy	In 1925, the government temporarily subsidised miners' wages to prevent a strike (known as "Red Friday", 31 July 1925)
The Samuel Commission (1926)	Recommended wage cuts but also long-term reorganisation of the mining industry; miners rejected the wage cuts

The Miners' Slogan

The miners' leader, A.J. Cook, rallied the workers with the slogan:

"Not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day."

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The General Strike (3--12 May 1926)

When negotiations between the miners, the mine owners, and the government broke down, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) called a General Strike in support of the miners.

Who Went on Strike?

Industry	Detail
Mining	All miners stopped work
Transport	Railway workers, bus drivers, and dock workers
Printing	Newspaper printers (most national newspapers could not be published)
Iron and steel	Heavy industry workers
Gas and electricity	Power workers
Building	Construction workers

An estimated 1.5--1.75 million workers went on strike, in addition to the 1 million miners already on strike.

The Government's Response

Action	Detail
Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies (OMS)	Government recruited middle-class volunteers to run buses, trains, and essential services
The British Gazette	A government newspaper edited by Winston Churchill that presented the strikers as revolutionaries
Armed forces	Troops were deployed to escort food convoys and maintain order
BBC	The BBC (established in 1922) broadcast the government's position; the TUC had no equivalent means of communication
Emergency powers	The government had prepared extensively since Red Friday in 1925

The TUC's Response

Action	Detail
The British Worker	The TUC's newspaper, countering government propaganda
Discipline	The TUC kept the strike peaceful and well-organised
Negotiations	The TUC continued to seek a negotiated settlement

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The End of the General Strike

Date	Event
12 May 1926	The TUC called off the General Strike after just nine days, accepting a compromise proposal from Sir Herbert Samuel
The miners continued	The miners refused to accept the TUC's settlement and stayed on strike alone
November 1926	After seven months of hardship, the miners were forced back to work on the owners' terms: longer hours and lower wages

Exam Tip: The General Strike lasted only nine days, but the miners' strike continued for seven months. Be careful to distinguish between the two. The TUC's decision to call off the General Strike is often seen as a betrayal by the miners.

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Why Did the General Strike Fail?

Reason	Detail
Government preparation	The government had been preparing since 1925 with the OMS and emergency plans
Communication advantage	The government controlled the BBC and published the British Gazette; the TUC had limited media
Middle-class volunteers	Volunteers kept essential services running
TUC caution	The TUC leadership feared being accused of trying to overthrow the government; they were anxious to end the strike
No revolutionary intent	The strikers were not trying to overthrow the government; they wanted fair treatment for the miners

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The Aftermath

Consequence	Detail
Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act (1927)	Made general strikes and sympathy strikes illegal; restricted union political funds; weakened the trade union movement
Miners defeated	Returned to work on worse terms; bitterness lasted for generations
Political shift	Many working-class activists turned to the Labour Party as the way to achieve change through Parliament rather than industrial action
1927 Act repealed (1946)	The post-war Labour government repealed the restrictive 1927 Act

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Key Figures

Person	Role
A.J. Cook	Secretary of the Miners' Federation; rallied the miners with his famous slogan
Stanley Baldwin	Conservative Prime Minister during the General Strike
Winston Churchill	Chancellor of the Exchequer; edited the British Gazette; took a hard line against the strikers
Walter Citrine	General Secretary of the TUC; led the strike organisation

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Key Dates

Date	Event
1834	Tolpuddle Martyrs
1900	Labour Representation Committee founded
31 July 1925	Red Friday: government subsidises miners' wages
3 May 1926	General Strike begins
12 May 1926	TUC calls off the General Strike
November 1926	Miners return to work on worse terms
1927	Trade Disputes Act restricts unions

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Extended Worked Paragraph: Model Level 4/5 Answer

Question: "Has the economy been the main factor driving industrial protest in Britain? Use your knowledge of the General Strike of 1926 as part of your answer."