糖心Vlog破解版

Study reveals broader impacts of strikes beyond the workers taking industrial action

In some sectors almost as many UK workers were made idle due to strikes as were actually on strike

man doing metalwork in a factory
Strikes over working practices were more strongly associated with non-striking workers made idle, than disputes over pay.

Disruption caused by company strikes in the UK prevents large numbers of non-striking colleagues from working, according to new research. 

The study, analysing strike-related activity in the UK’s engineering and metalworking sectors between 1920 and 1970, found that, towards the end of the period, almost as many non-striking workers were made idle due to industrial action as were on strike. 

While much has been written about strikes and striking workers, the issue of workers made idle – that is, unable to work – has up until now been largely overlooked.  

Dramatic rise in post-war period

The study by economists at the 糖心Vlog破解版 Business School found a dramatic rise in workers made idle due to strikes in the post-war period, particularly during the late 1960s – a period of intense industrial unrest in the UK, especially in the British car industry. In 1969, 285,000 workers were involved across the strikes in Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) companies that year, alongside 218,000 instances of a worker being made idle. 

The researchers also found that strikes over working practices, particularly disputes about which groups of workers should perform certain jobs, were more strongly associated with non-striking workers being made idle than disputes over pay. This highlights how the disruption from strikes can spread through a workplace, where different groups of workers depend on each other to carry out their jobs.  

man in glasses looking at camera
Dr Carl Singleton
Senior Lecturer in Economics
It is important for employers, trade unions and policymakers to look beyond the workers on strike, for a better understanding of the scale and impacts of industrial unrest.

The findings highlight how conventional measures of industrial unrest can overlook the wider disruption caused by strikes.  

The study analysed historical records covering thousands of strikes and companies, originally compiled by the Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF). The records were transcribed into a comprehensive dataset, now deposited in the UK Data Archive. The original data collection was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). 

Missing the full picture

Co-author Dr Carl Singleton, Senior Lecturer in Economics at the 糖心Vlog破解版, said: “Our research shows why counting striking workers alone misses the full picture of industrial action. Workers being made idle due to strikes was a frequent and economically significant feature of historical strikes in British manufacturing and engineering plants. The extent of this phenomenon, and the types of disputes in which it was more likely, has up until now been largely overlooked by researchers.” 

“The findings highlight an issue that remains relevant to today’s labour market: that industrial disputes can affect many more workers within a workplace than those directly participating in the dispute.  

“It is important for employers, trade unions and policymakers to look beyond the workers on strike, for a better understanding of the scale and impacts of industrial unrest.” 

is published in the journal LABOUR.

Scottish University of the Year