What were the causes of the General Strike in 1926?

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What were the causes of the General Strike in 1926?

Communism 

  • Little contribution to activities of the General Strike. 
  • 1923 first interest in trade union activity 
  • Support in General Strike incidental, not central to events. 

External

  • Wages forced down in other industries 1921-1926
  • 1924 GB coal boom from overseas drop in production

Mine Owners

  • Abolish national minimum wage to cut wages by 13-48% announced 30th June 1925 (3/4 of production costs were from Labour)
  • Maintain standard profits no matter how low wages fell
  • Poor conditions through '24 boom, '22-24 3,600 dead
  • Refused to accept Samuel Report (only temporary 10% wage cut, amalgamation of pit management, 7-hour day, develop mines)
  • Lock out miners 30th April for refusal to accept wage reduction.

Industrial Militancy build up 

  • Industrial militancy shown from 1910
  • Associated with Tom Mana and syndicalism 
  • Number of strikers and days lost to strke decreased 1921-26
  • 1921 86 million days lost
  •  1922 20 million days lost 
  • 1925 8 million days lost

Government 

  • Coal exports more expensive than French coal from Churchill's overvaluation

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