Chapter I - The Triple Alliance and the Threat of Revolution

Introduction

In 1914, the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain (MFGB) had 800.000 members, the National Transport Workers' Federation (NTWF) 250.000, and the National Union of Railway men (NUR) 300.000. In total, the three constituent organisations of the Triple Industrial Alliance commanded a membership of 1.350.000. Because of its size and the industries involved, industrial action of the Alliance would have its impact on almost all facets of industrial life, and might bring all industry to a standstill. Quite understandably, therefore, the Alliance is often identified with attempts to bring about a transformation of society by a general strike. Its foundation in the years of industrial unrest before the First World War, and its actions in the years thereafter seem to confirm this opinion.

There was an atmosphere of general unrest in the four years before the First World War. There was the controversy about the powers of the House of Lords, the mounting battle over Home Rule for Ireland, and the arming of Ulster, the campaign of the suffragettes and a struggle over Welsh Disestablishment. While these quarrels were flaring up, some industrial conflicts broke out. (For strike figures see Appendix II) These conflicts were confined largely to two sectors: unskilled and low-paid labour generally and all grades of wage-earners in two industries, coal-mining and the railways. In these industries management was sensitive to the least threat of any further rise in its costs, because it was unable to pass these on to the consumers. The price of coal had generally not risen, while the miner's average output had been falling and on the railways the actual rates had been held down, while costs rose. Conciliation or joint boards could not change this, which caused wages to lag behind prices.

This fall in real wages gave rise to official and unofficial stoppages; some of the official ones for the first time on a national scale. Not all the strikes were (fully) successful, but despite that, they added to the conviction that industrial action was necessary to improve the working conditions. In particular the national strikes encouraged the government to intervene either to bring the parties to the conciliation table, or - if the parties were not willing to settle their dispute - to threaten with and to pass a certain piece of legislation.