The Miner's Strike, 1984
- Created by: livpickford
- Created on: 09-03-17 21:20
View mindmap
- The Miner's Strike, 1984
- Short term causes
- Thatcher was aiming to reform the industry. She believed taxpayer's money shouldn't be going towards unprofitable pits
- She wanted to reduce subsidies which would result in closures and people would lose jobs
- Scargiill reacted to the threat of pit closures by calling a strike, around 70 pits were going to be closed
- Long term causes
- Thatcher wanted to succeed where Heath had failed
- Thatcher felt she had public backing due to the winter of discontent - opinion of the trade union movement was negative
- 1978- Nicholas Ridley prepared the strategy for confronting the NUM
- Law against secondary action and alternative sources of power other than coal were needed
- Short term causes
- The strike
- Began in May, 1984. Scargill quickly set up pickets to protest at pits that had stayed open
- The strike was illegal so the government were able to confiscate some NUM funds
- The government employed MI5 workers to infiltrate the strike and find out their strageies
- Police equipped with horses, riot shields, and truncheons were sent to Yorkshire and other majot coal producing areas
- Public opinion of the strike
- The Race Today Collective showed support for the strikers
- Women Against Pit Closures - organised rallies in London to support the strikes
- Also set up soup kitchens for the strikers
- Lesbians and Gay Support the Miners - group that organised marches and fundraising in support of the strikes
- Some members met witht he wives of strikers to show support
- End of the strike
- Ridley;s strategy for stockpiling coal and using alternative methods kept the economy going
- Scargill's failure to call a ballot wekaened his support in some areas
- Lancashire and North wales weren't interested in the strike at all
- A newly founded union (UDMW) went back to work in 1985 - highlights divisions within industry
- Power stations continued to function so no power cuts
- Impact of the strike
- NUM lost 84% of its members between 1985 and 1990
- Between 1979 and 1997, union membership declined by almost 40%
- Allowed Thatcher to continue attack on union rights
- Led to changes in the Labour Party - the Party began to take steps back away from the unions after 1985 due to public support for the miner's strike
- Mining industry reduced - 94 out of 170 pits were closed between 1985-1990
- Demonstrated Thatcher's willingness to deal with opposition
- Contrasts previous Conservative governments who had worked alongside unions to keep peace
- 'Authoritarian populism' - label created by Stuart Hall in reference to her popular belief in self-reliance
- NUM lost 84% of its members between 1985 and 1990
Comments
No comments have yet been made