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Why was hostility aroused by trade unions towards Thatcher?
Because of her economic reforms.
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Which trade unions, who had never previosuly been associated with industrial disputes, began to become more militant?
NUPE (National Union of Public Employees) and COHSE (Confederation of Health Service Employees). They wanted better working conditions.
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Which was the most symbolic industrial dispute under Thatcher?
The Miners' Strike between 1984 and 1985.
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What did Thatcher compare the Miners' Strike to?
The Falklands War, calling it 'the enemy within'.
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Who did the government support during the Miners' Strike?
Although they claimed to be neutral, they fully backed McGregor and the NCB.
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What were rumours were there over the involvement of the government in the Miners' Strike?
Some claimed the government encouraged this showdown so that Thatcher would not be seen as harsh when carrying out tough measures against the miners.
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Who was the employment minister?
Norman Tebbit.
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When did Norman Tebbit pass employment acts?
1980 and 1982. They were intended as the first step in weakening trade union power.
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What did the employment acts state?
They forbade mass picketing, outlawed the 'closed shop' (all employees had to be part of a union), and declared action illegal unless voted for a strike in a formal ballot.
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What were employers continuously trying to do under Thatcher?
Keep trade unions out of their workplace.
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Give an example of where employers tried to keep trade unions out of their workplace?
In newspapers, with Rupert Murdoch tryin to redcue print unions. There was major confrontation at Murdoch's Wapping Plant from January 1986. The strike collapsed after 13 months when the unions could not prevent the printing of newspapers.
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Who was the NCB?
National Coal Board.
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What was the situation with miners in 1981?
The NCB had warned of the need to close 23 pits. The government didn't feel ready for a return of the '3 day week' and had compromised by reducing coal imports and protecting subsidies of the NCB, preventing closures.
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Why was the government willing to close coal mines in 1984?
They were more confident now. Hueg stocks of coal had been built up at power stations, the flow of North Sea oil made it less likely for a energy crisis, and Ian McGregor (new chairman of NCB), gave full government backing for taking a tough line.
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What was Thatcher's arguments towards closing coal mines?
Thatcher declared unwillingness to put publuic money into an industry which had little chance of becoming competitive, she did not want to subsidy the effecient areas for ineffecient areas, and she didn't want to delay the inevitable and face issues.
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What was the economic counter argument to coal mine closures from miners' unions?
That with proper investment backed by genuine government commitement to coal as a long term power source, large parts of British coal had a profitable future.
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What was the social counter argument to coal mine closures from miners' unions?
The closures would casue widespread upset to many family households. In areas such as south Wales, Durham and Yorkshire, it was not an industry, but a way of life. Whole communitites lived off it and without it the community would cease to exist. `
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How many coal mine closures were announced by the NCB in 1984?
20
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What was the overall situation of coal in the 1980s?
Coal was becoming increasingly costly and difficult to mine and nationalisation in 1948 had not altered this. Though there was potential lack of government investment , Britain was importing coal from abroad as cheaper costs that producing it itself.
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What made the Miners' Strike controversial on the government's behalf?
The role of the police.
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What was the role of the police in industrial unrest under Thatcher?
They now had more equipment, more experience of riot control and better tactics. Criticisms came as a way of using the police to defeat the miners rather than impartial protectors of law and order.
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What was the most famous confrontation between industrial unrest and the police?
The Battle of Ogreave in June 1984.
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What was the Battle of Orgreave?
A mass picket occured at a coke plant in Orgreave, South Yorkshire, by 5,000 miners. They were faced by 800 police from all over the country. More than 50 picketers (including Scargill) and 70 police were injured.
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In 1991, what came to surface about the Battle of Orgreave?
The South Yorkshire police was forced to pay compensation, but the immediate outcome was a defeat for the NUM as the lorries kept rolling in and out of the plant.
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Why was one of the reasons for the defeat of the NUM Scargill himself?
Scargill alienated moderates as he never got the support of Labour leadership.Many felt sympathy for the mining communities but it was easy for Thatcher to press into Scargill as a radical revolutionary.
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What was Neil Kinnock's view towards Arthur Scargill?
That the mining community didn't deserve him, and that himself and Thatcher deserved each other.
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What was the Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM)
A breakaway union formed by the Nottinghamshire miners. Scargillites accused this as being a traitor as the UDM accused Scargill of caring more about hard-left politics than the interests of the miners.
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Who was Arthur Scargill?
President of the NUM.
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What did Scargill accuse the NCB of?
That they had a secret plan to close 70 pits, which came to be true in 2014 when it released that 75 were proposed to be closed down.
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What did the failure of the strike result in?
The closure of mines at a faster rate.
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How did employment in coal mines change under Thatcher?
In 1979, the coal mines employed 200,000 but this decreased to 60,000 by 1990.
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How did the power of the unions change under Thatcher?
They decreased, with total union membership only two thirds of that in 1979.
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What was Thatcher's thoughts over the closure of coal mines?
That since the NCB's victory was really the government's victory, Thatcher believed that if the government kept its sense of purpose and direction, any opponents could be defeated.
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Give examples of State industries that were reorganised, resulting in huge job losses.
British Airways and British Steel.
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What was the achievement on Thatcher's behalf in dealing with industrial disputes?
That although the Miners' Strike cost many people their jobs and the coal industry their future, it was necessary to act whilst the consequences would still be only on a local scale.
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What were the positive impacts of the Miners' Strike?
The violent nature and failure convinced rhe majority of the public that industrial needed to be settled once and for all. Also, it allowed employers to change their ways by accepting modern methods.
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Where was the divide between the supporters and opposers of the Miner's Strike?
65% supported the government and 35% supported the miners. This showed the north-south divide.
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What did the Miners' Strike provoke?
A general feeling of unlawfulness in Britain, with further riots and clashes taking place in some of Britain's cities in 1985.
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What did Norman Tebbit say about Thatcher's stance towards industrial disputes?
That if it was Neil Kinnock in charge of the country, Britain would have been a grim place due to the power of Scargill.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Which trade unions, who had never previosuly been associated with industrial disputes, began to become more militant?

Back

NUPE (National Union of Public Employees) and COHSE (Confederation of Health Service Employees). They wanted better working conditions.

Card 3

Front

Which was the most symbolic industrial dispute under Thatcher?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What did Thatcher compare the Miners' Strike to?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Who did the government support during the Miners' Strike?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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