Scottish trade unions and nationalisation, 1945-1955 : a case study of the coal industry
This thesis contends that the historiographical boundaries and focus of labour history, political history, of policy making and nationalisation have resulted in an incomplete understanding of trade unions attitudes towards, and influence upon, post-war British economic policy. In particular, the predominant concern of labour historians with strike patterns and their causes, particularly within the coal industry, has been at the expense of other forms of trade union activity. Whilst the more general historiography of the period and that of policy making address these issues, they do not tend to do so below the peak level organisation of the TUC and of Whitehall and Westminster. This has lead to miners unions being portrayed as a somewhat monolithic organisation predominantly concerned with disputes, strike prone with poor industrial relations, but politically conservative and generally supportive of the Labour Party and Government policy. In taking a multi-level analysis, with particular emphasis on Scotland, and examining the evidence from the NUM's interaction with Government, party, National Coal Board and the industry'S conciliation and consultative machinery, this thesis argues that a more diverse pattern
Anderson, Ian Gareth
HC Economic History and Conditions
Scottish trade unions and nationalisation, 1945-1955 : a case study of the coal industry. This thesis contends that the historiographical boundaries and focus of labour history, political history, of policy making and nationalisation have resulted in an incomplete understanding of trade unions attitudes towards, and influence upon, post-war British economic policy. In particular, the predominant concern of labour historians with strike patterns and their causes, particularly within the coal industry, has been at the expense of other forms of trade union activity. Whilst the more general historiography of the period and that of policy making address these issues, they do not tend to do so below the peak level organisation of the TUC and of Whitehall and Westminster. This has lead to miners unions being portrayed as a somewhat monolithic organisation predominantly concerned with disputes, strike prone with poor industrial relations, but politically conservative and generally supportive of the Labour Party and Government policy. In taking a multi-level analysis, with particular emphasis on Scotland, and examining the evidence from the NUM's interaction with Government, party, National Coal Board and the industry'S conciliation and consultative machinery, this thesis argues that a more diverse pattern
scottish trade_union nationalisation case_study coal_industry contend historiographical boundary focus labour_history political_history policy make nationalisation result incomplete trade_union attitude_towards influence_upon post_war british economic policy particular predominant concern labour historian strike pattern cause particularly within coal_industry expense form trade_union activity whilst general historiography period policy make address_issue tend peak level organisation tuc whitehall westminster lead miner union portray somewhat monolithic organisation predominantly concern dispute strike prone poor industrial_relation politically conservative generally supportive labour party government policy take multi_level analysis particular_emphasis scotland examine evidence num interaction government party national coal board industry machinery argue diverse pattern