Strikes and Solidarity: Coalfield Conflict in Britain, 1889-1966

Description

In this important contribution to the study of industrial relations, Roy Church and Quentin Outram present new research into the strike activity of British coalminers from the late nineteenth century to the mid-1960s. The authors consider not only the major national strikes and lock-outs which made the industry a byword for industrial militancy, but also the multitude of small-scale strikes which formed a routine part of British colliery lifes. Strikes and Solidarity is multi-disciplinary in approach and views coalfield conflict from the perspectives offered by sociologists, industrial relations specialists, and economists, as well as social and economic historians. Church and Outram have successfully blended quantitative and qualitative investigations to explain the long-standing issues presented by industrial relations in the coalfields.

'... this outstanding book ... fundamentally reassesses major themes in the history of one of Britain's major industries, develops a new model for strike analysis, and, in reasserting the significance of industrial relations, promises to revitalise labour history ... It is a marriage of history and social science of the very highest quality and should command a wide readership.' Kenneth Brown, The Times Higher Education Supplement '... an impressive and exhaustive study by two scholars with established reputations in this field.' Political Studies