What is a general strike and could there be one in the UK? STUC's Dave Moxham talks about the history of the General Strike in the UK
- last year
Strikes have affected trains, postal services, and education over the past few months as workers protest the gap between salary rises and the cost-of-living problem.
In a dispute over wages and working conditions earlier this month, nurses also decided to participate in strike action for the first time ever.
Expectations for remuneration that is more equitable and in line with the cost of subsistence will become a cause that is shared by many as people across the nation deal with skyrocketing petrol prices and record-high inflation rates.
Could there be a general strike in the UK in light of this and further strikes scheduled for the upcoming months?
What you should know is as follows.
What is a general strike?
A general strike basically occurs when a large number of various unions and employees get together to strike in order to advance economic or political objectives.
A general strike, as defined by the dictionary, is "the cessation of work by a significant percentage of workers in a variety of industries in an organised effort to achieve economic or political objectives."
However, there have been numerous successful, non-general strikes that have had an impact on the economy and politics.
Consider the miner strikes of the 1970s and 1980s or the Winter of Unrest in 1978 and 1979, which resulted in widespread strikes by public sector employees. These were well-planned, efficient strikes that affected politics, although they only affected a few industries.
Similar actions would be taken simultaneously by a larger network of unions during a general strike.
In the UK, might there be a general strike?
There are no signs that a broad strike is imminent. Larger umbrella organisations like Unite and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) would be required to endorse a general strike.
In a dispute over wages and working conditions earlier this month, nurses also decided to participate in strike action for the first time ever.
Expectations for remuneration that is more equitable and in line with the cost of subsistence will become a cause that is shared by many as people across the nation deal with skyrocketing petrol prices and record-high inflation rates.
Could there be a general strike in the UK in light of this and further strikes scheduled for the upcoming months?
What you should know is as follows.
What is a general strike?
A general strike basically occurs when a large number of various unions and employees get together to strike in order to advance economic or political objectives.
A general strike, as defined by the dictionary, is "the cessation of work by a significant percentage of workers in a variety of industries in an organised effort to achieve economic or political objectives."
However, there have been numerous successful, non-general strikes that have had an impact on the economy and politics.
Consider the miner strikes of the 1970s and 1980s or the Winter of Unrest in 1978 and 1979, which resulted in widespread strikes by public sector employees. These were well-planned, efficient strikes that affected politics, although they only affected a few industries.
Similar actions would be taken simultaneously by a larger network of unions during a general strike.
In the UK, might there be a general strike?
There are no signs that a broad strike is imminent. Larger umbrella organisations like Unite and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) would be required to endorse a general strike.